Kentucky softball’s sophomore shortstop Katie Reed was named a 2017 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Third Team All-American on Wednesday afternoon, it was announced by the NFCA.
Reed becomes the third All-American in Kentucky softball history, joining current assistant coach Molly Johnson-Belcher (2009, 2nd Team) and Kelsey Nunley (2016, 1st Team). All of Kentucky’s All-Americans have come under the current three-team system.
Reed hit .353 on the season, upping her average by over 40 points from her freshman to sophomore season with 26 runs scored, 71 hits, 10 doubles, three home runs and 21 RBI. The St. Louis, Missouri native was 16-for-20 in stolen bases this season and had on on-base percentage over .370 through UK’s 58-game season.
Defensively is where Reed made her mark, finishing the Southeastern Conference with the highest fielding percentage for a starting shortstop (.961) including two appearances on SportsCenter’s Top 10 – with both appearances coming in the NCAA Tournament. Reed played shortstop for the first time in her career this season after playing second base her freshman season (2016).
Reed ended the season on a six-game hitting streak, and recorded a base hit in 44 of Kentucky’s 58 games – the highest amount of anyone on the team. Reed started the season with three consecutive two-hit games, and had four different three-hit games, with three of them coming in SEC play against Tennessee, Florida and Missouri.
2017 NFCA Third Team All-America
P Allie Walljasper, LSU
P Kaylee Carlson, Auburn
P McKenna Bull, BYU
P Jordan Dixon, Marshall
C Chloe Miller, Wisconsin
1B Alex Powers, Florida State
2B Faith Canfield, Michigan
3B Riley Sartain, Texas A&M
SS Lilli Piper, Ohio State
OF Cortni Emanuel, Georgia
OF Nicole Evans, Illinois
OF Danica Mercado, Oregon
U Vanessa Shippy, Oklahoma State
AL-SS Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic
AL-1B Kayli Kvistad, Florida
AL-SS Katie Reed, Kentucky
AL-1B Jessica Twaddle, Murray State
AL-SS Ali Aguilar, Washington
For the latest on the Kentucky softball team, follow @UKSoftball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
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For more information contact:
Chris Shoals