Ottumwa, IA – Freshman Destiny Lewis (Indianola, IA/Indianola) has been named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XI DI Softball Player of the Year after a standout freshman season for the Warriors. Lewis was also named to the NJCAA All-Region XI First-Team, announced on Wednesday by the conference office.
Lewis becomes the sixth consecutive NJCAA Region XI Player of the Year for the Warriors, joining Nicole Bellis (2021), Brooke Snider (2019), Erin Kuba (2018), and Shyanne Dubois (2016, 2017). The freshman standout ranks near or at the top of multiple offensive categories across all of the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) and NJCAA softball. Lewis is the third true freshman to earn the award for the Warriors dating back to 2016.
Lewis ranks second overall in the nation with 30 home runs on the year and third overall with 88 RBI. Lewis has totaled the most bases in the nation at 210 after collecting 25 doubles to go along with the 30 home runs, a mark that ranks second in school history.
Lewis has posted a .546 batting average on the year, which at the moment, would break the school record previously set by Kelly Uhde's .512 mark. Lewis also owns a 1.207 slugging percentage which ranks second nationally and a .606 on base percentage which ranks eighth in the NJCAA.
On the year, Lewis has posted hitting streaks of 15 and 11 games. From the leadoff spot, Lewis has posted 28 multi-hit games, including 12 games with three hits and five games with four hits. Lewis has also stole a team-high 20 bases for the Warriors.
Lewis has totaled 16 games with at least three RBI, including a school record nine RBI against Marshalltown on April 21. Lewis also added a seven-RBI game on May 1 against Iowa Western.
The freshman was named the ICCAC DI Softball Athlete of the Week three time son the year and was also named the NJCAA National Player of the Week for the week of March 14-20.
Along with Lewis' honor, the Warriors also took home the Pitcher of the Year (Madie Anderson), Offensive Player of the Year (Sydney Anderson), and Coach of the Year in Lindsay Diehl.
To read more about Sydney Anderson being named Offensive Player of the Year, visit: SYDNEY ANDERSON NAMED OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
To read more about Madie Anderson being named Pitcher of the Year, visit: MADIE ANDERSON NAMED PITCHER OF THE YEAR
To read more about Lindsay Diehl being named Coach of the Year, visit: DIEHL NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR
Lewis and the Warriors are set to host the NJCAA Midwest District Tournament at R.L. Hellyer Field on May 14 against Crowder College (MO). The best-of-three series gets underway at 2:00 PM Saturday with a doubleheader and an if necessary game on Sunday, May 15.