Nov. 18, 2008

STARKVILLE, Miss. ---- Five members of the Samford softball team have been named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) scholar-athletes for the 2007-08 academic year.

Former Bulldogs Jeslyn Metcalf and Tracey Deaux along with senior Kylie Harmon, junior Stephanie Royal and sophomore Aaren Fisher were named NFCA Scholar-Athletes last month.

Student-athletes must have acquired at least a 3.5 GPA for the year to qualify for the individual honor.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play.

The idea for a softball coaching association first developed from discussions at the National Collegiate Women's Softball Championships in the early 1980s. Although mostly collegiate coaches comprised the organization's membership in the early days, today's college coaches are joined by high school and travel ball/club coaches, umpires, as well as other fans of fastpitch softball. In 1997, the Association's membership reached the 2,000 mark, and today there are more than 4,100 members.

Besides services offered to the membership, the NFCA works with USA Today in producing polls for NCAA Division I and high school softball. In addition, NCAA Division II and Division III polls are produced. The NFCA also conducts collegiate tournament competitions, as well as recruiting camps throughout the nation. An annual NFCA National Convention is held every December.