LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has announced the 2023 edition of their Division III All-Region teams and six members of the Trine University softball team can count themselves among the 373 honorees.
The six selections is second most of any team in the country and most in Region VII.
Senior Anna Koeppl and freshman Debbie Hill both were named to the first team with graduate student Cassie Woods earning a spot on second team. Three more Thunder were named to the third team including senior Ellie Trine, junior Alexis Michon and freshman Karley Trine.
Koeppl earns her spot after finishing as one of the best pitchers in the country. She entered the NCAA Division III Softball Championship tournament with the nation's best ERA at 0.38 while also sitting top-ten in WHIP (0.69) and hits allowed per game (3.78). Koeppl was named Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Pitcher of the Year after finishing conference play allowing zero earned runs for a perfect 0.00 ERA, the best in the conference. She also finished top-ten in the conference with 30 strikeouts and 6.63 strikeouts per game.
Hill has quickly distinguished herself as a menace both with a bat and a ball in her hands. She currently ranks nationally in multiple pitching statistics including ERA (1.06), hits allowed per game (4.62), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.09), strikeouts per game (8.6) and WHIP (0.81). At the same time she is one of the best power hitters in the country sitting just outside of the top-ten with 12 home runs and 0.31 home runs per game. Earlier this season she made her debut as a member of the All-MIAA first team.
Woods took a spot on second team having served as a steady presence at the top of the team's lineup. She entered the tournament with the seventh best on-base percentage in the country with a .571. She was named to MIAA first team after finishing with the highest batting average (.550) and on-base percentage (.684) among MIAA starters during conference games, while also finishing fourth in slugging percentage (.800). She was first in walks (13), second in runs scored (23) and fourth in doubles (6).
Michon was the third Thunder pitcher to be recognized by the NFCA. The transfer has transitioned into the role of closer for the team this season while also distinguishing herself as a strikeout artist. She is sixth in the nation with four saves this season while sitting eighth with a 10.44 strikeout-per-walk ratio, 14th with a 0.81 WHIP and 18th with 9.1 strikeouts per game. Michon earned second team All-MIAA status on the back of a league leading three saves and 9.52 strikeouts per game during conference play.
This is the second straight season that Ellie Trine has made an appearance on an NFCA All-Region team after being selected to the second team last year. The senior has battled through injury this season while remaining a force atop the batting order. Ellie currently sits top-fifty in the nation with five triples and 0.15 triples per game. She earned her third appearance on an All-MIAA team after finishing conference play second with four triples, fourth with eight walks and sixth with 17 runs scored.
Karley Trine was the final member of the team to be recognized by the NFCA. She has had a stellar freshman campaign playing the majority of the season in right field and batting third in the lineup. She currently boasts a .393 batting average, a .439 on-base percentage and a .643 slugging percentage, top-five on the team in each category. She is currently nationally ranked having averaged one RBI per game.