Six Hoosiers were named to the 2023 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Team Thursday. Sophomores Brianna Copeland and Taylor Minnick alongside freshman Taryn Kern were named First Team All-Region.
Bassett and Copeland were also named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team Tuesday.
Freshman Avery Parker was selected to the NFCA Second Team All-Region. Redshirt junior Cora Bassett and sophomore first baseman Sarah Stone were tabbed as Third Team All-Region. This year’s six honorees are the most NFCA All-Region selections in program history.
Copeland won 21 regular season games in the circle, posting a 2.86 ERA. At the plate, 29 of her 55 hits were extra-base hits.
Kern won both Big Ten Freshman and Player of the Year after leading the Hoosier offense in nearly every offensive statistic, including home runs with 22, tied for second in the nation.
Minnick’s .408 batting average through 54 starts landed the sophomore on the All-Big Ten First Team. Minnick matched Kern with a team-high 60 hits. Fourteen of those hits were doubles and another 12 were home runs.
Parker also earned conference accolades as she was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. The freshman hit .315 with nine doubles and 13 home runs. Parker was stupendous defensively with a .964 fielding percentage. Her 126 putouts were third most on the team.
Bassett has been the leadoff hitter all season, totaling 65 runs, 57 hits and a .524 slugging percentage. Three of Bassett's five home runs this season led-off games in the top of the first inning.
Stone was smooth on both sides of the ball in 57 starts, collecting 47 hits, 61 RBI, 13 doubles, nine home runs and a .983 fielding percentage. Stone earned All-Big Ten Second Team.
These six Hoosiers along with the rest of Team 50 begin NCAA Tournament play in the Knoxville Regional Friday.
