GREENVILLE, S.C. – The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced its Scholar-Athletes for 2020 softball season on Monday as the Mid-America Christian softball team had nine recipients, the second-most of any NCCAA affiliated school in the nation.
To be named to the NCCAA Scholar-Athlete list, a student-athlete must be at least a junior academically and have completed at least one semester at the affiliated institution while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or better.
The five graduating MACU seniors that made the list include Hannah Salmon, Ribbin Dorado, Jessica Holt, Caitlin Butler and McKenzie Smith while the four junior recipients were Regan Martin, Faith Hollingsworth, Camenda Osborn and Kylie Stubbs.
After completing one of the most prolific careers in MACU history, Salmon graduates from MACU with the program's NAIA era records in on-base percentage (.432) and runs batted in (96), while ranking second in career batting average (.379), third in career slugging percentage (.497) and fourth in both hits (150) and runs (87).
Salmon was selected as an NCCAA Third Team All-American following her sophomore campaign in 2018 while receiving her first NCCAA Scholar-Athlete Award in 2019. Salmon was an Accounting major at MACU and was posting a 3.972 GPA prior to graduation.
A 2018 NCCAA All-American and a 2019 NCCAA Scholar-Athlete in her own right, Dorado closed out her decorated MACU career with several NAIA era program marks, which include recording the second-most stolen bases (44) and accumulating the third-most runs (95). The Cushing, Okla. native also placed seventh on the program list in career batting average (.339) and hits (124).
Dorado graduated from MACU earlier this month with a Bachelor's Degree in Ministry Leadership while posting a 3.827 GPA through the fall semester.
One of the best centerfielders to ever wear the glove for the Evangels, Holt finished her MACU career with All-SAC Second Team honors while notching the fifth-most career stolen bases at MACU (30) as well as scoring the 10th most career runs in the NAIA era (64).
Holt received her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting earlier this month from MACU after holding a 3.861 GPA.
Completing a stellar four-year career with the Evangels, Butler wrapped up her tenure MACU tied for fifth in career stolen bases with Holt, turning in 30. During her first three seasons at MACU, Butler also turned in some strong pitching numbers, including recording the third-most career saves (4) and defensively turning in the fourth-most assists (198).
It was the second year in a row that Butler was selected as an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete as she headed into graduation with a 3.872 GPA in Ministry Leadership.
Rounding out the senior recipients, Smith closed out her MACU career as one of the strongest pitchers in program history. In her two seasons with MACU, the local Oklahoma City product recorded the third-best career earned run average (2.75) while turning in the ninth-most shutouts (3) and the 10th-best strikeout mark (72).
Smith earned All-SAC Second Team accolades and received NCCAA Scholar-Athlete honors for the first time in her career by notching a 3.752 GPA while majoring in Biology.
Another workhorse in the pitcher's circle, Martin notched her second NCCAA Scholar-Athlete accolade while posting a 3.666 GPA with a major in Early Childhood Education at MACU.
With at least a year remaining with a second-year option at MACU, the Sheridan, Ark. product is already one of the most decorated pitchers in MACU program history after earning NCCAA All-American accolades the last two seasons. Through her first three seasons, Martin currently holds several NAIA era career pitching records, including: ERA (2.35), wins (31), and shutouts (12) while just one save away (5) and 56 strikeouts (245) from matching Kelcie Wolf's program record marks.
In her first season with the program, Hollingsworth was a strong performer both on the field and in the classroom for the Evangels. The Burkburnett, Texas native was an All-SAC Second Team honoree after leading the team in slugging percentage (.585) and finishing second on the squad in batting average (.390) as well as third in on-base percentage (.458) and RBIs (13).
Hollingsworth is currently pursuing a degree in Secondary Education at Mid-America Christian and has turned in a cumulative GPA of 3.835.
One of the Evangels' primary catchers, Osborn played in all 18 games for the Evangels during the 2020 season and recorded a .333 batting average seven RBIs and four runs off of three doubles from the plate.
The Ponca City, Okla. product is a Psychology major at MACU and through the fall semester has accumulated a 3.707 GPA.
Rounding out the NCCAA Scholar-Athlete nominees, Stubbs played an intricate role at the third base position for MACU during the 2020 campaign. In her first season in a MACU uniform, Stubbs batted .323 from the plate and scored 10 runs while driving in six.
The Bells, Texas native is studying Business Administration and Biology at Mid-America Christian has turned in a 3.576 GPA through the fall semester.
As a team, Mid-America Christian turned in its third straight winning season and sixth winning campaign in the last seven years after going 10-8 before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
