From Shorter University Athletics:
When the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced its annual list of Softball All-Americans, three Hawks saw their named listed among the association’s top players.
Freshman, Payton Lippert highlighted the announcement for Shorter, earning a 2nd team nod; while junior, Kameron Carter, and sophomore, Niki Cook, received 3rd team recognition.
Lippert came to Shorter in the spring of 2016 after spending a semester at South Union State Community College in Alabama and made an immediate impact for the Hawks; becoming the team’s top pitcher. On the season, the Meridian, Miss. native tallied a team leading 2.24 ERA in 33 appearances; going 17-12 overall and turning 19 complete game performances. Through 194 innings of work she allowed 62 earned runs and struck out 102 batters.
The third team selection for Carter is her first All-America nod, as the third baseman from Sardis, Ala. turned in her best season to date. In 2016, she led the Hawks in homeruns with 15 – just one away from tying the single season record set in 2006 – and runs scored with 40; while, hitting .337 with 27 of her 55 hits going for extra bases.
For Cook, the recogntion is her fourth All-America honor and second from the NCCAA as she earned 2nd team recognition a year ago. The Buford, Ga. product finished the season as the Hawks leader in average and hits; hitting .435 with 74 hits. While, also leading the team in on-base percentage – reaching base 49% of the time – and turning a team high 33 stolen bases.
On the year the trio helped the Hawks to a 30-22 overall record and a 20-13 conference mark; while also helping the team to its second straight Gulf South Conference and NCAA South Regional Tournaments in the second year of eligibility for each.
