Waterville, ME - Several members of the Northern Vermont University-Lyndon softball team received North Atlantic Conference honors when the conference announced its end of season awards as voted on by NAC coaches today. Freshman catcher Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) was named the NAC Rookie of the Year and was named to the All-Conference First Team. Junior shortstop Saleena Porter (St. Johnsbury, VT) was also named First Team All-Conference and sophomore pitcher Victoria Valentine (Lyndon, VT) was named to the Second Team. Freshman outfielder Jordan Adams (Lyndon, VT) was named to the NAC Softball Sportsmanship Team.
Knapp emerged as one of the top power hitters in the conference. She hit seven home runs on the season, the second highest total in the conference. Her .634 slugging percentage ranked sixth, and her eight doubles ranked eighth. Knapp hit .323 with a .363 on base percentage and 25 runs batted in. Behind the plate, she only committed one error in 104 total chances, a .990 fielding percentage.
Porter hit a team best .395, good for seventh in the conference. She had a .400 on base percentage and a .616 slugging percentage. Her 10 doubles were third best in the NAC. She hit three home runs and drove in a team best 26 runs. In the field, Porter recorded 66 putouts and 55 assists against only 10 errors, a .924 fielding percentage.
Valentine appeared in 24 games in the circle, starting 21 times. She finished with a 16-8 record, with her 16 wins the second most in the NAC. She struck out 59 batters while waling 63, and recorded a 6.01 earned run average.
Adams hit .279 with a home run and seven runs batted in. She stole 11 bases and was only caught twice. Selection to the NAC Sportsmanship Team is reserved for student athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The honorees are individuals who have positively affected the softball culture and game environment and whose behavior clearly demonstrates sportsmanship and integrity that goes beyond the playing rules and etiquette.
A complete rundown of all NAC softball award winners can be found HERE.
The Hornets finished 17-13 this season, the most wins for the program since joining the NAC in 2008. They posted a 6-4 conference record, good for third place in the NAC's East Division. In the process, Lyndon earned its first NAC playoff berth since 2014. Knapp, Porter, Valentine, and Adams are among 11 underclassmen on Lyndon's roster, and are expected to lead the 2023 team.
