7/3/18

DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia softball team and sophomore Kylee Smith were named NCAA Division II statistical champions as announced by the NCAA earlier this week. The No. 5 Nighthawks led the nation in team ERA and winning percentage while Smith led Division II in ERA, wins and total strikeouts.

North Georgia’s pitching staff had an ERA of 0.90, nearly three-tenths better than second place, Grand Valley State. The Nighthawks also had a winning percentage of .939 after a 62-4 season in 2018, also marking the most wins in program history. The 62 wins was also more than any other softball program in all divisions in 2018.

Smith’s ERA of 0.59 bested Concordia’s Callie Nunes by 15 points and her 36 wins was three better than anyone else in DII. The rising junior from Suwanee, Georgia, mowed down 338 batters this year, 29 more than any other pitcher.

These statistical championships are added to Smith’s list of accolades this season, including being named Schutt Sports/NFCA National Player of the Year in June. She was also selected as the D2CCA Ron Lenz Pitcher of the Year and was named to the D2CCA and NFCA All-America First Teams as well. Smith was also the Peach Belt’s Pitcher of the Year and named to the PBC All-Conference First Team and All-Academic Team. She was a five-time PBC Pitcher of the Week and National Pitcher of the Week once this year and was also named to the NCAA Division II Championship All-Tournament Team.