Central Lands Two on All-Region Softball Team

Central College outfielders Emma Johnson and Franie Burnett were each named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III All-Region IX softball teams. Johnson, a center fielder, was named to the second team while Burnett, a right fielder, was picked for the third team.

Johnson was earlier named a first-team American Rivers all-conference selection. She was the league’s top hitter for the season with a .463 mark and ranked second in 16 conference games at 462. She had 57 hits in 39 games with a .504 on-base percentage, 28 runs scored, 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Also the team’s top defensive player, Johnson had a perfect fielding percentage.

Burnett was an all-region honoree for the second time after receiving first-team honors a year ago. She was a second-team all-conference pick this year, hitting .427 with 47 hits, 31 runs, 25 RBIs and 24 steals. Burnett was named the NFCA Division III player of the week March 22 after hitting .667 in 10 games with 12 stolen bases.

A young Dutch squad finished with a 21-17 mark. Central is expected to return starters at nine of 10 positions for 2023. 

Two Dutch Student-Athletes Nominated for Sports Scholar Awards Program

Central College women’s tennis player Jenna Hernandez and wrestler Julian Rodriguez were included on an impressive national list of student-athletes nominated for their academic and athletic accomplishments announced in a recent issue of the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards Program is designed to honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. 

Hernandez was 7-7 in doubles matches for Central, including a 6-5 mark in dual contests. She added a 2-4 record in singles play. A two-time varsity letterwinner, Hernandez earned her first Academic All-American Rivers Conference honor this season.

Rodriguez has a 3.83 GPA as a computer science major and went 4-9 on the mat as a junior, earning his first varsity letter. He’s also a two-time academic all-conference honoree.

The nominations are whittled down to 10 male and 10 female semifinalists. The process then shrinks the field to four finalists before a male and a female nominee are awarded the title of Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholars of the Year.