Ottumwa, IA – Following a record-breaking season for the Indian Hills Softball team, the Warriors earned three National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Midwest All-Region selections. Freshmen Destiny Lewis (Indianola, IA/Indianola) and Sydney Anderson (Elkhart, IA/North Polk) earned first-team honors while sophomore Gretta Hartz (Runnells, IA/Southeast Polk) was named to the second-team.
The Warriors earned three of the 25 Midwest All-Region selections spread across two teams. The three All-Region picks are the most under head coach Lindsay Diehl since taking over the program in 2019. Since 2001, the first season for NFCA NJCAA selections, the Indian Hills program has earned 20 first-team All-Region honorees and 36 All-Region picks in total.
"It is always a proud moment when our athletes are acknowledged by coaches around the country," stated Diehl. "Destiny and Sydney both made history offensively here at Indian Hills in their freshman campaign and were names seen at the top of numerous national offensive categories all season long. It has been fun to watch them work at the plate and on the field through the 2022 season."
Lewis, the 2022 NJCAA Region XI DI Softball Player of the Year earned first-team honors form the NFCA after a breakout freshman campaign. The NFCA Midwest All-Region selection adds to an impressive list of accolades for Lewis, including NJCAA All-Region XI First-Team honors, a three-time Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) DI Softball Athlete of the Week, and the NJCAA National Player of the Week. Lewis finished the 2022 season as the single season school record holder with a .530 batting average, 94 runs scored, 214 total bases, and a 1.182 slugging percentage. Lewis also tied the school record with Anderson with 31 home runs on the year. The third baseman also ranks in the top-10 in four additional single season categories.
Anderson, the 2022 NJCAA Region XI DI Softball Offensive Player of the Year, teamed up with Lewis for one of the most dominant duos in the nation this year. Anderson wrapped up the 2022 season with 31 home runs and 88 RBI, the fifth most in school history. Anderson posted a 1.098 slugging percentage, second in school history only to Lewis. Anderson finished her freshman season ranked in the top-10 in seven single season categories. Anderson was also named to the NJCAA All-Region XI DI Softball First-Team and was a two-time NJCAA National Player of the Week.
"I am super proud of the growth Gretta has made in her time at Indian Hills and so happy to see her awarded NFCA Second-Team All-Region for her efforts this season," Diehl added. "Gretta has definitely left her mark on Indian Hills Softball."
Hartz capped her two-year career at Indian Hills with a nod to the NFCA NJCAA Midwest All-Region Second-Team. The primary outfielder, who also earned NJCAA All-Region XI First-Team honors, batted .388 on the year while hitting 14 home runs and 31 total extra base hits. Hartz drove in 55 runs and scored 62 runs on the year for the Warriors. The sophomore completed her career in Ottumwa with 118 career hits and 22 home runs while playing in 105 career games.
The NFCA All-Region teams are voted on annually by NFCA member coaches from around the nation. All honorees named to the NFCA All-Region team are eligible for the 2022 NFCA NJCAA Division I All-American squads which will be announced on Friday, June 3.