LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- Megan Ackerman, Danielle Jason, and Brooke Smith of Tusculum University softball have been named to the 2025 NFCA Division II Player and Pitcher of the Year watchlist. The three Pioneers are the most representatives for a program in the region.
One hundred and sixteen (116) student-athletes from across the country were among the list, broken down into the eight NCAA Regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West), with up to 15 student-athletes represented in each region. The list is compiled by the elected members of the NFCA Division II All-American Committee with one head coach representing each of the eight NCAA regions. In all, the group consists of 87 programs from 21 different conferences.
Ackerman, a left handed pitcher from Gray, Tennessee, is in her first season as a Pioneer after transferring from DIII Maryville College. The graduate student has continued her all-region career as the TU ace, leading Tusculum in most pitching categories. Ackerman is 14-3 with three saves across 15 starts and 23 appearances (15th nationally). In nine complete games, she has also recorded a pair of shutouts. Across 96.2 innings pitched, Ackerman leads the SAC with 0.58 walks per seven innings (9th nationally) and 10.50 strikeouts-to-walk ratio (fourth nationally). She is also second in the conference in WHIP (1.11) and wins (14), which is seventh in Division II. Her 84 strikeouts are fifth in the league. Ackerman is a dual-threat in the batter's box as well, hitting .340 with three home runs, four doubles, and 16 RBI with eight walks.
Jason, the Pioneers' left fielder, is a graduate student from Olyphant, Pennsylvania. She is the DII leader in stolen bases with 36, just four shy of the TU single-season record. In her second year at Tusculum, Jason ranks in the top-10 nationally in four categories: steals, steals per game (1.00), runs (43), and hits (52). She is also second in the SAC in sacrifice bunts per game (.25) and is fourth in batting average (.452), on-base percentage (.519), runs per game (1.19), and stolen base percentage (.923). Additionally, Jason has five doubles, two triples, 15 walks, nine RBI, and nine sacrifice bunts from the leadoff spot in the lineup.
Smith, a sophomore from Acworth, Georgia, has started all 36 games at second base for TU this season. She ranks in the top-10 nationally in four categories: runs, (3rd; 47), hits (5th; 55), runs per game (6th; 1.31), and steals (10th; 27). Smith leads the SAC in on-base percentage (.530) and stolen base percentage (.964) and is second in batting average (.466) and steals per game (.75). She has also recorded eight doubles, three triples, 23 RBI, 11 walks, six sacrifice bunts, and hit by five pitches.
Voted on by the NFCA's Division II All-American Committee, the 2025 NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Year winners will be announced on May 30 following the conclusion of the NCAA Division II National Championships. All student-athletes are eligible for the end-of-the-season award and do not have to be on this list to be considered.
The Player of the Year award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. In 2019, the Association expanded the award to include a Player and Pitcher of the Year.
Southeast Region
Megan Ackerman, P, Gr., Tusculum
Emily Blackwell, SS, So., North Greenville
Kam Caldwell, INF, Sr., Georgia College & State
SieAnna Cameron, OF, Sr., Carson-Newman
Jessica Campbell, OF, Gr., King
Hayden Dye, INF, Sr., Carson-Newman
Julianna Franklin, P, Sr., Columbus State
Kary Hales, 1B, Sr., Catawba
Danielle Jason, OF, Gr., Tusculum
Carleigh Knowles, C, Fr., North Georgia
Halle Grace Patton, P, Sr., Lincoln Memorial
Alyssa Poston, P, Jr., Francis Marion
Brooke Smith, 2B, So., Tusculum
Sydney Stewart, SS, Sr., Flagler
Madalyn White, 3B, Jr., Francis Marion
