LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of Trine University softball student athletes were recognized as All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), the association announced today, Wednesday, May 31 at the NCAA Division III Championship banquet at the Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, Texas. Freshman Debbie Hill earned first team honors while senior Anna Koeppl appeared on the second team.
The pair represent the sixth and seventh members of the program to earn NFCA All-American status. It is the fourth time that a pair of Thunder have earned the distinction in the same season.
Hill, fresh off of being named the 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division III Freshman of the Year, was named to first team in the Utility/Pitcher slot. It was also announced that the position had been renamed to honor the late Joan Joyce, an NFCA Hall of Famer and pioneer of women's sports, with Hill serving as the inaugural honoree.
The freshman has quickly distinguished herself as a menace both with a bat and a ball in her hands. She ended the regular season nationally ranked 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.
Koeppl earns her first appearance as an All-American, following up her first appearance on the All-Region team. During the banquet it was also announced that the Elementary Education major was the Trine nominee for the championship's ELITE 90 award, which recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who ahs reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.
The senior seemingly saved her best season for her last, finishing the regular season 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.
The Thunder will take the field in Marshall, Texas tomorrow, Thursday, June 1 to begin competition for the national championship. The team will face Rowan University at 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET.