Allyson Fournier, a junior pitcher from Tufts University, repeats as the 2014 DIII Woman of the Year nominee for softball as announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
She went on to win the DIII Woman of the Year award last season and once again is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious honor this year. This will be voted on at the end of the academic year by national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of THE CWSA program, now in its 38th year.
Fournier, the DIII Woman of the Year in 2013, is a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)first-team All-American and led her squad to its second straight National Championship with a 28-1 record on the mound. She was named the NESCAC Pitcher of the Year for the third straight season.
The junior from South Windsor, Conn., closed her season leading the nation in earned run average (0.49) and hits allowed per seven innnings (2.63). She threw three solo no-hitters, a combined no-hitter, 12 solo shutouts and three combined shutouts.
"It’s a tremendous honor to earn this award for Division III softball again, “ stated Fournier. “I had an amazing experience receiving the Honda Award as DIII Woman Athlete of the Year last June. I’m thrilled to be the softball candidate again considering how many great players there are in the nation, many whom we faced while playing for the national championship in Texas. Winning the NCAA title two years in a row against such great competition is an unreal feeling."
"Allyson showed amazing determination pitching 28 innings in two days in the NCAA championship series against Salisbury,” said head coach Cheryl Milligan. “She pitched out of some jams, she dominated at times, and was just the epitome of a championship pitcher. She worked through an injury this season and never lost focus. Probably what we like best about her though is that she’s a great teammate. She’s as humble as she is good.“
All sports nominees from DIII and DII become a finalist for the prestigious 2014 CWSA Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year in their respective divisions, presented in June. The sports nominees are recognized in 11 DIII and DII NCAA-sanctioned sports; cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and track & field.
THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 37 years, recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $2.8 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions.