SALEM, Va. – UNC Pembroke Junior Jamie Johnson became just the third player in the 28-year history of the UNC Pembroke softball team to be laureled with National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American honors on Wednesday evening, the organization announced on the eve of the Division II Softball Championships.
“This is a well-deserved accolade for Jamie,” head coach Brittany Bennett said. “We are proud of her representation of UNC Pembroke on the national level. Her impact on our softball program in the past three years has helped put UNCP back on the map in the PBC (Peach Belt Conference). This was a special season for Jamie and she will give our fans plenty of excitement heading into her senior year.”
Johnson, who was named to the NFCA All-Region First Team earlier this month, joins Jelena Shaw (2008, 2010) and Brittany Berrier (2008) as the only Braves to be selected as an NFCA All-American and the first to do so in her junior season with the Black & Gold. Johnson is one of five Peach Belt Conference (PBC) players on one of the three all-American squads, as she picked up third base honors on the third team.
“Jamie consistently gets the job done at the plate and does whatever it takes to get on base,” Bennett added. “Her teammates can count on her to execute at critical moments in a game, whether it be with her speed, power or defensive ability. She is a great leader for our team and is a pleasure to not only coach, but watch play on a daily basis.”
Johnson, a Kenly native and two-time All-PBC first-team selection, led the PBC with a .421 batting average in the regular season and racked up a league-best 72 hits. The third baseman scored 46 runs in 51 games, drove in 30 runs and registered five home runs. She walked (17) more than she struck out (14) and racked up 22 multi-hits games, including 10 outings with at least three hits. The junior ranked in the top 10 of nine different offensive categories, including the fifth-most total bases in the conference with 109. She ranked third in stolen bases (33), fourth in triples (4), seventh in runs scored (46) and on-base percentage (.468) and eighth in doubles (14).
In PBC play, Johnson led the league with 37 hits, was second in the league with a .451 batting average and third with nine doubles. Her 51 total bases and 11 stolen bags in conference action ranked fifth-best in the PBC. Johnson reached bases in 19-straight games at one point and put together a 13-game hitting streak. In the final 19 games of the season, Johnson hit .508 (32-for-63) with 10 extra-base hits, 17 RBIs, 17 runs scored and 48 total bases. Story and photo courtesy UNCP Athletic Communications
