LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma City University's Jaci Smith garnered NAIA softball catcher of the year for the third time as awarded by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Kennedy Jackson was honored as one of the top speedsters in the nation by getting the NFCA golden shoe award. Four from OCU pulled in NFCA NAIA all-American accolades with Jackson, Smith and Baileigh Loux nabbing first-team honors, while Morgan McCallum took second-team acclaim.
Smith gave Oklahoma City seven NAIA catcher of the year recipients. Previous catcher of the year honorees from OCU were Jill Vaughn in 2003, Cat Calvert in 2005, Erin Slettvet in 2009 and Kylee Rounsaville in 2012.
Smith, a catcher from Godley, Texas, became a three-time NFCA all-American, while Jackson picked up her second all-American honor. Smith closed out her career as a four-time NAIA all-American, four-time all-region and all-Sooner Athletic Conference and four-time all-tournament in the NAIA Softball World Series. Smith grabbed NAIA player of the year, SAC player of the year, five league player of the week honors and one NAIA player of the week accolade this year.
Smith had one of the most productive seasons in NAIA history. Smith set NAIA single-season records with 119 RBIs and 114 runs scored. Smith's 222 total bases broke OCU's single-season record of 215 produced by Tracey Mosley in 1995. Her 28 home runs fell one short behind Mosley's OCU record of 29 homers in 1995, while Smith's 29 doubles finished behind the school-record 30 Kyndra Holasek had in 2016. Smith had a World Series-record three doubles against Southern Oregon to help OCU get to an if-necessary game.
Smith paced the NAIA this year in homers, total bases, runs scored, RBIs, doubles (29), homers a game (0.42), RBIs per game (1.78) and average total bases (3.31). She ranked third in hits (103), slugging percentage (1.047) and runs scored a game (1.70). Smith hit .486 with three triples and 36 stolen bases.
Oklahoma City has five four-time NAIA all-Americans with Smith, Andrea Drake (1988-91), Abby Meador (2015-18), Vaughn (2003-06) and Christie Liu Xuqing (1997-2000).
Jackson owned a .477 average with 10 doubles, six triples and 35 RBIs. Jackson, a sophomore from Moore, Okla., finished behind Smith with 107 runs scored. Jackson's 112 hits ranked third on the NAIA's single-season hit totals. Her 57 stolen bases finished second nationally and fell six shy of OCU's single-season record set by Cathy Hayes in 1989. She posted the NAIA's top hit and at-bat (235) totals while ranking second in runs scored and stolen-base attempts (62). Jackson was also a second-team NAIA all-American, first-team all-region and first-team all-SAC.
Loux turned in a .425 average with 74 runs scored, 76 hits, 20 doubles, three triples, 10 homers, 61 RBIs and 16 steals. She finished third among the NAIA in runs scored. Loux, a sophomore outfielder from Reno, Nev., took a first-team NAIA all-American, all-region and all-league.
McCallum provided the Stars with a .426 average, 83 hits, 18 doubles, seven homers and 61 RBIs on the season. McCallum ranked ninth in hits among the NAIA this year. She drove in a season-high six runs against Ottawa (Kan.) on Feb. 17. McCallum's other honors this season were first-team NAIA all-American, first-team all-region and first-team all-SAC.
The Stars (61-8) became national runner-up in the NAIA Softball World Series for the sixth time. OCU has seven 60-win seasons and 10 national championships.