Cassie Weiss Earns NFCA Third-Team All-Central Region Honors
May 16 - LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After helping the Bison softball team to a 22-20 record and their second-straight trip to the PAC Championship Tournament title game, sophomore Cassie Weiss (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) has been named a Third-Team All-Central Region selection by the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association, announced the NFCA on Monday.
The award marked the third recognition of the year for Weiss, who was named a First-Team All-PAC selection, as well being selected to the PAC's All-Tournament Team. The Bison's ace ranked among the conference's best in multiple statistical categories while setting a new standard for Bison pitchers. She shattered the school record for strikeouts while ranking first in the conference with 172.
Weiss totaled eight or more strikeouts on nine-separate occasions, including a season-high 15 against Geneva College, en route to breaking the 2008 mark of 165 held by Heather Immesberger. Her 172 Ks also ranked 17th in all of Division III.
Weiss ranked fourth in the conference in opponents' batting average, holding the opposition to .249 in 164.2 innings (which ranked second in the PAC). She finished the year with a career-high 15 wins, posting 20 complete-game performances.
In the postseason, Weiss was even better, starting all four games while allowing giving up just four runs in 29.1 innings of work. She posted an ERA of 0.95, while holding opponents to a batting average of .231. She also struck out 21 total batters.
The NFCA award marked the first of Weiss' career as she becomes the second Bison since 2012 to earn the distinction (senior Kayla Kelly (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) earned a third-team honor in 2015).
