Betsa, Christner, Canfield Named NFCA All-Americans
5/31/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Three members of the University of Michigan softball team earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-America recognition, the organization announced today (Wednesday, May 31). U-M was one of seven schools to receive at least three All-America nods.
Senior RHP Megan Betsa and senior centerfielder Kelly Christner were all named to the second team, while sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield was selected to the third team. It is the second career All-America honor for Christner, while Betsa becomes just the seventh three-time All-American in Michigan program history.
Michigan has boasted 39 different All-Americans -- combining for 66 distinctions -- in its 40-year program history. The Wolverines have garnered at least three All-America honors in each of the last three seasons, including a program-high five in 2015.
Betsa is the fifth Wolverine pitcher to garner three All-America citations, joining Sara Griffin (1995, '96, '97), Marissa Young (2000, '02, '03), Nikki Nemitz (2008, '09, '10) and Jordan Taylor (2008, '10, '11). She registered career bests in most pitching categories in her final collegiate season, including a nation's best 412 strikeouts as well as a 1.40 ERA, 12 shutouts and a .148 opposing batting average. She tossed a pair of no-hitters, including one in NCAA Regional play, and posted 21 games with double-digit strikeouts, averaging 12.3 strikeouts per seven innings.
Christner, who previously earned First Team All-America honors as a sophomore (2015), led the Wolverines with a career-best .402 batting average, .508 on-base percentage and 18 stolen bases. She posted 20 multi-hit and 10 multi-RBI games, most notably a three-homer, seven-RBI effort at North Carolina State, which tied a program single-game record for home runs and represented the most RBI for a Wolverine player in five seasons.
Canfield enjoyed a breakout season for the Wolverines -- her first in the everyday starting lineup at second base -- with a .398 batting average and team-best 72 hits, 56 run scored and .652 slugging percentage. She was Michigan's top performer in Big Ten Conference play and led the league in hits (36) and RBI (11). She posted 20 multi-hit and 11 multi-RBI games and ended the season with a career-long 10-game hit streak. She was one of only three second basemen included among the 55 total All-America selections.
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
