UK SB: Kelsey Nunley Honored as First Team NFCA All-American

Kentucky softball’s Kelsey Nunley made more program history on Wednesday afternoon, becoming the first player in UK history to be named a National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association First Team All-American.
 
Nunley, who was crowned the 2016 Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year, joins current assistant coach Molly Johnson-Belcher as the two All-Americans in Kentucky’s program, with Johnson-Belcher earning second team honors in 2009.
 
Nunley joins five other pitchers on the NFCA First Team, including Delanie Gourney (Florida), Megan Good (James Madison), Paige Parker (Oklahoma), Aleshia Ocasio (Florida) and Jailyn Ford (James Madison). Nunley and Ocasio were at-large selections for the first team pitcher spot.
 
The senior from Soddy Daisy, Tenn., pitched a fantastic senior season for Kentucky, ending the year with a 21-6 overall record and a program single-season best 1.26 ERA in her 37 appearances in the circle for the Blue and White. Nunley started 23 games for UK, throwing 13 complete games and seven shutouts.
 
With her 181.1 innings pitched, Nunley overtook the NCAA active pitchers career innings lead, as she ended her career with a whopping 943.1 innings thrown in her four years in Lexington. She started 117 games in her four-year career with 21 shutouts and 86 complete games for the Wildcats.
 
In 2016 alone, Nunley set or surpassed new program bests for single-season ERA, career innings pitched, appearances, wins and saves. She was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week two times in back-to-back weeks and led all SEC pitchers in conference play with 188 strikeouts. She was named to the All-SEC First Team for the first time in her career and was top 10 in the NCAA for ERA.
 
Nunley was not only a finalist for the 2016 ASA/USA Softball Player of the Year, but also got things done away from the field in the community and the classroom as she was named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award. She helped lead the UK softball senior class to a 3.53 GPA in its four years at Kentucky.
 
The USSSA Pride out of Kissimmee, Fla., selected Nunley fifth overall in the first round of the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft – the highest-drafted player to ever come out of Kentucky. Nunley signed her first professional contract with the Pride on Thursday. Nunley will be kicking off her professional career against the ScrapYard Dawgs – whom with UK head coach Rachel Lawson is an assistant coach for – on June 10.
 
There were 56 total All-Americans selected in 2016 with 18 named to the first and second team and 19 to the third team. Of the 56 student-athletes selected, the SEC had 18 players named to the three teams, eight more than the closest other conference.
 
First Team                                                                                                   
Pos.                                                                   Player                                 School
Pitcher                                                             Delanie Gourley             University of Florida
Pitcher                                                             Megan Good                    James Madison University
Pitcher                                                             Paige Parker                     University of Oklahoma
Catcher                                                            Lexie Elkins                       University of Louisiana at Lafayette
First Base                                                        Tera Blanco                       University of Michigan
Second Base                                                  Sierra Romero                 University of Michigan
Third Base                                                       Kasey Cooper                  Auburn University
Shortstop                                                        Kristen Brown                  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Outfield                                                           Haylie McCleney            University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Outfield                                                           Emily Crane                      University of Missouri, Columbia
Outfield                                                           Koral Costa                       University of Oregon
Utility/Pitcher                                               Jailyn Ford                         James Madison University
DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher                         Kimberlee Souza            University of Washington
At-Large/Pitcher                                          Aleshia Ocasio                 University of Florida
At-Large/Outfield                                        Sierra Lawrence              University of Michigan
At-Large/Utility/Pitcher                            Sara Groenewegen       University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
At-Large/Pitcher                                          Kelsey Nunley                 University of Kentucky
At-Large/Third Base                                    M.J. Knighten                  University of Nebraska, Lincoln
 
For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
 
‑ GO CATS –
For more information contact:
Chris Shoals (cmsh223@uky.edu, 513-312-2489)
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Chris Shoals
UK Media Relations