Elon Softball Trio Receives All-State Accolades

DURHAM, N.C. – The Elon University softball team had three members of its program named to the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) All-State softball teams as announced by the association on Wednesday, June 29.

Kara Shutt was the Phoenix’s lone representative to receive first team All-State honors in the outfield while Alaina Hall and Erica Serafini both were selected to the second team in the outfield and the infield, respectively. Hall earned her third consecutive bid on the All-State teams while Shutt garnered her second accolade overall.

Shutt led the Phoenix in several categories during her breakout sophomore campaign in 2016. The Greensboro, N.C., native had team-highs in average (.399), slugging percentage (.601), runs scored (37), hits (69) and was tied for the team-lead in triples with four. She also claimed the program’s all-time single-season doubles record with 21 and finished tied for second in the nation in doubles per game at 0.41. She was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team for the first time in her career and also selected to the first team NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region team, the second All-Region honor of her career.

Hall tied Shutt for the team-lead in triples with four and was second on the team among regulars with a .331 batting average. The Suwanee, Ga., native was also second on the team in runs scored (26), hits (54) and had a team-best six stolen bases. She belted out a team and career-best five hits against College of Charleston on May 11 and also had a team season-high six RBI versus Winthrop on Feb. 12.

Serafini started all 51 games as a rookie for the Phoenix, mostly at second base. The Tampa, Fla., native was third on the team with 26 RBI and had a .267 batting average. She was second on the squad with 11 doubles and led the team with 75 defensive assists. She earned the CAA Rookie of the Week award on April 4 and helped the Phoenix to a 5-4 victory over No. 6 James Madison on April 30, with a pair of RBI in that contest. She later earned a spot on the CAA All-Rookie Team.

Nominees were submitted by North Carolina sports information professionals and voted on by the NCCSIA members.

Founded in 2002, the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the organization is to promote collegiate athletics at all schools. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina, and whose area of responsibility lies within sports information.

NCCSIA selects all-state teams in the University (Division I) and College (Division II, III, NAIA) divisions for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, softball and baseball.

North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association
2016 University Division All-State Softball Teams

 
First Team
Pos. Name                 Class   School                Hometown
P    Taylor Sigmon %      Sr.     Western Carolina      Catawba, N.C.    
P    Lexi Betancourt %$   Sr.     Charlotte             Garner, N.C.
C    indsay Thomas $&     Sr.     UNCG                  Irvine, Calif.
IF   Haley Pace %         So.     Charlotte             Winston-Salem, N.C.
IF   Crystal Cyr %        Sr.     Western Carolina      Citra, Fla.
IF   Karley Harkey        Sr.     Western Carolina      Cleveland, N.C.
IF   Jenny Tracy          Sr.     N.C. Central          La Grande, Ore.
OF   Emma Ocker           Fr.     Charlotte             Gilbert, Ariz.
OF    Kara Shutt %        So.     Elon                  Greensboro, N.C.
OF    Raven Gray          Jr.     North Carolina A&T    Forest City, N.C.
UTL   Stephanie Bryden    Fr.     UNCG                  Orlando, Fla.
DP    Nicole Thomas       Sr.     UNCG                  Irvine, Calif.

Second Team
Pos.  Name                Class   School                Hometown
P     Alicia Bazonski     So.     UNCG                  Sheffield, Mass.
P     Peyton Jordan       Jr.     UNCW                  Waxhaw, N.C.
C     Madison Armstrong   Fr.     Western Carolina      Gastonia, N.C.
IF    Danielle Vega $     Sr.     UNCG                  Rialto, Calif.
IF    Hannah Adamczyk     Fr.     UNCW                  Indian Trail, N.C.
IF    Grace Beatty %      So.     Charlotte             Charlotte, N.C.
IF    Erica Serafini      Fr.     Elon                  Tampa, Fla.
OF    Alaina Hall %$      Jr.     Elon                  Suwanee, Ga.
OF    Merritt Wilkinson   Jr.     UNCW                  Burlington, N.C.
OF    Courtney Price %$   Jr.     Western Carolina      Matthews, N.C.
DP    Amber Schisler      Jr.     Campbell              San Diego, Calif.

% – Named to 2015 All-State Team
$ – Named to 2014 All-State Team
& – Named to 2013 All-State Team