March 29, 2011

Contact: Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Sports Information & Media Services, cwaller@naia.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Anna Frazee of Shorter (Ga.) has been named the NAIA National Softball Player of the Week and Brandi Richards of Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) has been NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week, the National Office announced Tuesday. Frazee and Richards are the third honorees of the 2011 season based on their performances from March 21-27. The pair was chosen out of a pool of conference player of the week selections among 24 conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings.

Frazee, a 5-10 freshman third baseman from Ellijay, Ga., led the Lady Hawks to a 4-0 week with her power at the plate and late-game heroics. Overall, she went 8-for-10 at the dish with six runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs. On March 22, Frazee went 4-for-6 with two runs, a double, a homer and four RBI as Shorter swept rival Lee (Tenn.). In the 5-3 win in Game 2, Frazee hit a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete Shorter's rally from a 3-0 deficit. Against Southern Wesleyan (S.C.) on March 25, Frazee went 4-for-4 with four runs, another double, another homer and six RBI as Shorter swept the Lady Warriors.

Richards, a 5-8 junior pitcher from Covington, Ga., tossed two one-hitters, going 2-0 with one save. She improved to 11-2 on the season. Brandi gave up zero runs in 14.2 innings pitched on the week and she now stands with five shutouts on the season. Her highlight came in the 3-0 blanking of Thomas (Ga.) on March 26, when she struck out 12 and allowed just one hit. During the three-game stretch, she also hit .462 (6-13) with four doubles, one home run, four runs scored and two RBI's.

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

The next Player of the Week announcement will be on April 5.

Pitcher Nominees: Abbyann Spickler, Kansas Wesleyan; Larisa Garcia, Northwood (Texas); Emily Bergstrom, Houston-Victoria (Texas); Emily Snow, Jamestown (N.D.); Kayla Duke, Indiana-Southeast; Maggie Holmberg, Baker (Kan.); Riley Mashburn, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.); Nicky Newhoff, Clarke (Iowa); Holly Tomaszewski, Taylor (Ind.); Taylor Schmidt, Oregon Tech; Katie Hannagan, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Ashley Riffell, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio); Carlie Giarmo, Aquinas (Mich.); Kachina Hudson, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.); Sidney Burns, Milligan (Tenn.); Kaitlyn Grimail, Warner (Fla.); Danielle Driscoll, York (Neb.); Lily Lavelle, Oklahoma City; Anyibell Ramirez, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.); Christine Lowe, Hastings (Neb.); Jennifer Simons, Concordia (Calif.).

Player Nominees: Kathryn Wardian, Bellevue (Neb.); Ashley Winegeart, Houston-Victoria (Texas); Raven Moreno, Texas Wesleyan; Cady Blevins, Ottawa (Kan.); Ashley Benson, Indiana-Southeast; Jordyn Tolliver, Central Methodist (Mo.); Haylee Rogers, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.); Jordan Story, Waldorf (Iowa); Emily Kramer, Taylor (Ind.); Hannah Gardner, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Emily Anderson, Eastern Oregon; Justine Paddock, St. Catharine (Ky.); Nikki Roddy, Reinhardt (Ga.); Jennifer Ogden, Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.); Rebecca Powell, Warner (Fla.); Debra Burton, Davenport (Mich.); Nathalie Timmermans, Oklahoma City; Charisse Colston, Notre Dame (Ohio); Candice Connolly, Hastings (Neb.); Amanda Fama, Concordia (Calif.).

2011 Softball Weekly Honors (Player, Pitcher):

Week 1 (March 22): Annalee Carr, Belhaven (Miss.); Anna Ard, William Carey (Miss.)

Week 2 (March 29): Anna Frazee, Shorter (Ga.); Brandi Richards, Auburn Montgomery (Ala.)