Vondracek, Tavaska, Winters Earn First Team NFCA All-Region Honors

 Caldwell University junior 2B Grace Vondracek (Odessa, N.Y.), junior shortstop Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J.) and senior pitcher-DP Allison Winters (Blairstown, N.J.) have been named First Team All-East Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), the organization announced today.

Additionally, freshman catcher Taylor Quinn (Colonie, N.Y.) earned Second Team honors.

Vondracek, a second-team All-CACC selection, leads the CACC and ranks among the top five nationally in batting, finishing the season at .493. Her on-base percentage of .576 is also tops in the league and top five in the NCAA, and her 56 runs scored are most in the conference and top 20 in the country per game. In her first year at the Division II level, Vondracek reached base by hit or walk in all but five games all season, and had multiple hits 23 times, including four, four-hit contests.

Tavaska, selected First Team All-CACC, hit .430, fifth best in the CACC, driving in a team-best 52 runs, currently tied for second best in the league, while also leading the Cougars in doubles (15), triples (six), home runs (seven), slugging (.748) and OPS (1.208). She has also ranked among the national leaders in RBI/game (1.16). Tavaska was a second-team All-CACC selection at shortstop as a freshman and sophomore.

Winters was a force in the circle and at bat, posting a 10-6 record with 2.16 ERA, third best in the CACC, striking out 49 in 113.1 innings. She batted .343 with six doubles and 14 RBI at the plate. IN 2022, she was named First Team All-CACC and First Team All-Region, and for her three-year Caldwell career she went 12-9 with a 2.84 ERA and batted .341 with four home runs and 66 RBI.

Quinn, the CACC Softball Rookie of the Year and First Team All-CACC catcher, batted .384 with a home run and 40 RBI. She also stole 13 bases and struck out just five times in 167 plate appearances. Quinn reached base at a .424 clip and slugged .490 for a .914 OPS. She had three or more hits in six games and had multiple RBI in 10 games. She earned three CACC Rookie of the Week selections during the campaign.

Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. Although collegiate coaches comprised the majority of the organization’s membership in the early days, today they are joined by high school, travel ball, professional and international coaches, along with umpires, clubs, companies and fans of fastpitch softball. Growing from 40 members in 1983 to over 7,000 today, the NFCA boasts members from all 50 states and several international countries. 

The Cougars finished 25-22, 11-11 in CACC play, earning the No. 7 seed in the CACC Tournament in Head Coach Lindsay Mayer‘s first year at the helm.