By Spencer Scheve, Athletics Communications and Media Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kathleen Daniel of Brenau (Ga.) has been named the NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week and Kelsey Gravens of Midway (Ky.) has been named the NAIA National Softball Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Daniel and Gravens were selected based on their performances from March 27 – April 2, and were chosen out of a pool of conference, independent and unaffiliated group winners.

Softball Pitcher of the Week
Kathleen Daniel, Brenau (Ga.)
Fr., P, Locust Grove, Ga.

• Finished the week with two sweeps over two Top 25 opponents – then-No. 21 Mobile (Ala.) and then-No. 2 William Carey (Miss.).
• Pitched 28 innings, recorded 39 strikeouts and two walks, allowed 20 hits and four runs on the week.

• Daniel’s highlighted game of the week was against William Carey where she posted 14 strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
• Daniel has an overall record of 30-2 with an ERA of 0.45, which ranks third in the NAIA.
• She leads the NAIA in opponent batting average (0.113), strikeouts per game (12.65), total strikeouts (418), hits allowed per game (2.57) and wins (30).

Softball Player of the Week
Kelsey Gravens, Midway (Ky.)
Jr. C, Mt. Washington, Ky.

• Helped her team to a 6-0 week against Alice Lloyd (Ky.), Carlow (Pa.) and Point Park (Pa.).
• Had 20 at-bats, connecting for 10 hits, totaling 10 RBI’s on the week.
• Gravens tallied four doubles while powering four home runs.
• Averaged 3.3 at bats, 1.7 hits, 1.2 runs scored, a batting average of .500 and a slugging percentage of 1.300.
• Gravens is ranked No. 6 in the NAIA in total bases per game (2.9) and No. 9 in doubles per game (0.5).

For more information on NAIA softball, click here.

For a complete listing of all the national statistical leaders, click here.

Pitcher Nominees: Taylor Winn, Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.); Kimberly Robinson, Milligan (Tenn.); Paris Hallums, Simpson (Calif.); Loryn Williams, Oregon Tech; Morghan Dieringer, St. Francis (Ill.); Breena Smith, Marian (Ind.); Victoria Cervantes, Menlo (Calif.); Rachel Henks, Morningside (Iowa); Claudia Farrell, Grand View (Iowa); Katie Jo Goodwin, Georgia Gwinnett; Lindsey Ogilvie, British Columbia; Jordyn Parsons, Kansas Wesleyan; Hannah Morton, Georgetown (Ky.); Lexi LeCALSEY, Bellevue (Neb.); Destiny Vega, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas); Tiffany Wickline, Midway (Ky.); Abby Meador, Oklahoma City; Sadie Mosher, Ave Maria (Fla.); Emily Maves, Davenport (Mich.)

Player Nominees: Carly Spalding, Columbia (Mo.); Jessica Baker, Reinhardt (Ga.); Katey Moore, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.); Tara Moates, Oregon Tech; Holly Pagan, Purdue Northwest (Ind.); Anna Gunderson, Taylor (Ind.); Sarah Reyes, Menlo (Calif.); Brittney Banks, College of Saint Mary (Neb.); Kaya Naiwi, Missouri Valley; Niki Cook, Georgia Gwinnett; Claire Eccles, British Columbia; Chander Hill, Rochester (Mich.); Kristina Brown, Fisher (Mass.); Corrie Edstrom, Fisher (Mass.); Mikayla Zimmerman, Fisher (Mass.); Taylor Rowley, Fisher (Mass.); Luz Evangelista, Fisher (Mass.); Eden Hernandez, Crowley's Ridge (Ark.); Britney Howard, Oklahoma Wesleyan; Chaselyn Allgeier, Georgetown (Ky.); Kennedy Vinchattle, Waldorf (Iowa); Jacy Ummel, LSU Alexandria; Madison Ellis, Oklahoma City; Autumn Conaway, Brenau (Ga.); Cheyenne Blaha, Southeastern (Fla.); Kris Forest, Siena Heights (Mich.) 

2017 Softball Composite Award Winners (Pitcher, Player)
Week 1 (March 22): Kathleen Daniel, Brenau (Ga.), Allyson Metz, Columbia (Mo.) 
Week 2 (March 29): Georgia Wall, Oklahoma City, Kaisey Carson, Indiana Wesleyan 
Week 3 (April 5): Kathleen Daniel, Brenau (Ga.), Kelsey Gravens, Midway (Ky.)