Groder named Toughest to Strike Out in NCAA Division III
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced Monday that Stevens Institute of Technology outfielder
Farryl Groder was
Toughest to Strike Out during the 2017 NCAA Division III softball season.
Groder is the first Stevens softball player to be declared an NCAA statistical champion since the program's elevation to varsity status in 2010.
"I am honored to receive this award from the NCAA and to be a part of the Stevens softball team," Groder said. "I am looking forward to next season and helping my coaches and teammates go further in my senior year."
Among NCAA qualifiers, Groder paced the team with a .386 batting average over 38 games. The rising senior drew 37 starts, tallying 11 RBI with a .441 on-base percentage. Among her 44 hits, Groder totaled 38 singles, five doubles, one triple, while tying for the Empire 8 Conference lead with 11 sacrifices. The NCAA honored Groder after the Yardley, Pennsylvania native did not record a single strike out among her 114 at-bats.
"I'm so proud of Farryl and her work ethic this year," assistant coach
Nicole Scanlon commented. "She put in extra time after practice and this accomplishment is truly a reflection of that hard work and dedication!"
Stevens softball finished the 2017 campaign with a 24-17 record and an 8-6 mark in conference play. The team received its first-ever national ranking and recorded its first postseason victory during the 2017 season.