Jackrabbit trio honored by NFCA

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (SDSU) — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced on Thursday its student-athletes recognized as 2024 NFCA Division I All-Region honorees with three South Dakota State softball players named as Midwest Region selections.

Chosen by the NFCA as All-Midwest Region performers were Lindsey Culver (2nd Team), Mia Jarecki (1st Team) and Tori Kniesche (1st Team).

The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association’s eight regions. All-region choices are in the top 1% of student-athletes that competed during the 2023-24 season.

Kniesche claimed her fourth consecutive season of NFCA All-Midwest Region First Team accolades. A First Team All-Summit League selection, Kniesche led the Jackrabbits in the circle with a 17-7 record and 1.91 ERA. She struck out 204 batters compared to 57 walks, while holding hitters to a .159 batting average. Kniesche ranks among the top 10 individually among pitchers in the nation in shutouts (9), hits allowed per seven innings (3.9) and strikeouts per seven innings (9.7).

The senior pitcher closed out her career as the Jackrabbits program record holder in career wins (80), ERA (1.61), opposing batting average (.151), shutouts (39) and strikeouts (919).

Jarecki became SDSU’s just second infielder to earn NFCA All-Midwest Region First Team honors.

The junior second baseman batted a team-leading .392 along with SDSU highs in hits (67), home runs (9), triples (4), total bases (109), runs scored (48) and stolen bases (11). Jarecki was the Jackrabbits’ leadoff hitter for a majority of the season while she registered a .976 fielding percentage. The Papillion, Neb., native recorded the eighth best batting average in program history. Her hit total was the fourth highest mark while she matched her runs scored clip from a season ago which is third ever.

Culver joined Jarecki as a first-time recipient of NFCA All-Region accolades.

Culver hit .380 on the season while leading the Jackrabbits in home runs (9), slugging percentage (.671), on-base percentage (.457) and walks (22). The every-day left fielder for SDSU was among the team leaders in hits (60), runs scored (39), runs batted in (45), doubles (15) and total bases (106). Culver’s slugging percentage and on-base percentage both rank seventh on SDSU’s single season chart. Her 15 doubles tied for seventh in a season while her 45 RBIs are tied for ninth.

All honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2024 NFCA Division I All-America squads.

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