Elon Quartet Selected to NCCSIA All-State Softball Teams

ELON, N.C. – Four members of the Elon University softball program were placed on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) All-State teams as announced on Tuesday, June 2.

Freshman Hannah Olson received first team All-State honors while junior Kayla Caruso, sophomore Alaina Hall and freshman Kara Shutt made the second team. This is the second NCCSIA All-State selection for Hall while the others are recognized for the first time.

Olson was named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie team after the Yorktown, Va., native batted .331 in her 47 games. She also ranked in the top-three on the team in slugging percentage (.479), runs scored (33), hits (47), doubles (12) and stolen bases (seven). She was selected as the CAA Rookie of the Week on Feb. 10, and league’s Player of the Week on Feb. 24.

Hall was tabbed to the All-CAA second team after pacing the Phoenix with a .358 average during the year. The Suwanee, Ga., native also led the team in total hits (62) and triples (four) while tying the team-lead in stolen bases (seven). She also had 21 multi-hit games including five with three or more hits and had the team’s longest hitting streak with 11 games. During CAA play, Hall hit a blistering .418.

Shutt joined Olson on the All-CAA Rookie Team after the Greensboro, N.C., native lead the team with 44 RBI, the most ever by an Elon freshman and the second-best single-season total in school history. Shutt was tied for second on the team in batting average (.331) and led the squad in slugging percentage (.521), runs scored (35) and doubles (14). She also had a team-best 11 multi-RBI games as well as 15 multi-hit contests. She earned CAA Player of the Week honors on March 30, and was a third team NFCA Mid-Atlantic Region selection.

Caruso had a team-best 12 wins in the circle this year the most by a Phoenix hurler since 2012. The Kennesaw, Ga., native made a team-high 36 appearances and posted a 3.62 ERA with a pair of saves in her 100.2 innings of action. She paced the team in strikeouts with 57 and received CAA Co-Pitcher of the Week accolades on May 4.

Founded in 2002, NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from North Carolina’s NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Independent institutions for the purpose of promoting college athletics in the state. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina whose responsibilities include sports information.