Four Named to 2017 #Rawlings NCSA All-America List

JONESBORO – Four members of Arkansas State University’s 2017 national champion softball team have been selected as first-team #Rawlings All-Americans by the National Club Softball Association (NCSA).

The quartet includes catcher Chloe Vaught of Morrilton, third baseman Rachel Hinson of Vilonia, outfielder Mabry Watson of Marion and pitcher Shea Cothren of Paragould.

“To have four first-team All-Americans speaks to the kind of talent we have in our area,” said head coach Chris Powers. “For Mabry to make the first team as a freshman is just amazing. She is the first freshman we’ve had to make a first team. Rachel was consistent all year. She had an unbelievable postseason, and that’s what pushed her to the first team.

"Chloe struggled a little early in the season, but she put in the extra work to make herself better and it paid off. She had an amazing World Series, and caught every inning in bracket play. She's a thorough player. This is the healthiest Shea has been the past couple seasons and it showed. Being named World Series MVP and being named as a first-team All-American— it just doesn't get any better than that."

Vaught, a junior, finished the season batting .484 and hit five home runs and nine doubles. She also collected 30 RBIs.

Hinson, a sophomore, had 107 at-bats and four runs for a .411 hitting percentage. She also turned in six stolen bases, eight doubles and two triples for the Red Wolves.

In her freshman season, Watson led the team in RBIs with 31 and hit five home runs for a .350 batting average. She also had 10 triples and eight doubles. Watson earned honors as NCSA National Player of the Week following A-State’s regional playoff victory.

Cothren had a season record of 15-3 and an earned run average of 1.84. She pitched 127 innings overall and struck out 144. This is her second straight year to receive All-America honors and was chosen as the NCSA National Pitcher of the Week twice during the 2017 season. In the final game of the tournament, she struck out seven and allowed only four hits.

A-State knocked off two-time defending champion James Madison in the title game to take the World Series crown in their fifth consecutive trip to the NCSA national tournament. The Red Wolves also won the Mid-America East conference with a perfect 12-0 mark and completed the 2016-17 season with a 30-10 overall record.

"These girls are very deserving of their honors,” said Powers. “But, they'll be the first ones to tell you that they couldn't do it without their teammates."