Ottumwa, IA – Sophomore Destiny Lewis (Indianola, IA/Indianola) has been named the 2023 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Softball Co-Player of the Year, announced by the national office on Thursday.
Lewis collects her second national player of the year honor after earning National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Player of the Year honors on Monday. Lewis is the only player in Indian Hills history to earn either of the national accolades. The All-American infielder earns NJCAA Co-Player of the Year honors with Grayson College (TX) All-American outfielder Amiah Calcatcher.
"Destiny has earned the respect of the entire country after the season she had," stated head coach Lindsay Diehl. "Getting to the National Tournament and getting her on that stage was important for others to put eyes on her and know what caliber of talent Destiny has. She truly is a five tool player and has proven to maybe be the best to do it in an Indian Hills uniform. Extremely proud of her and representing Indian Hills Softball on a national stage."
Lewis' remarkable career at Indian Hills concludes with one final accolade that adds to a lengthy list of hardware for the Indianola native.
- 2023 NJCAA DI Softball Co-Player of the Year
- 2023 NFCA DI NJCAA Player of the Year
- 2x ICCAC Player of the Year
- 2x NFCA First-Team All-American
- 2x NJCAA All-American
- 2x ICCAC First-Team All-Region
- 2x NFCA Midwest All-Region
- 8x ICCAC Athlete of the Week
- 2x NJCAA Athlete of the Week
The sophomore re-wrote the record books over the last two seasons, earning a number of single game, single season, and career accomplishments.
- 1st - Career home runs (62)
- 1st - Career RBI (182)
- 1st - Career runs scored (177)
- 1st – Career total bases (407)
- 1st – Single season batting average (.530, 2022)
- 1st – Single season runs scored (94, 2022)
- 1st – Single season total bases (214, 2022)
- 1st – Single game RBI (9, 2022)
- 1st – Single game hits (5, 2023)
- T-1st – Single season home runs (31, 2023 & 2022)
- 2nd – Career batting average (.493)
- 3rd – Career hits (176)
- 3rd – Single season RBI (92, 2023)
- 3rd – Single season total bases (193, 2023)
- 4th – Single season RBI (90, 2022)
- 5th – Single season doubles (25, 2022)
On the national level, Lewis ranked fourth in the NJCAA in total home runs this year while her 62 roundtrippers were the most among all junior college participants over the last two seasons. Lewis also ranked in the top-10 in the nation in total runs and RBI on the year.
Over the course of two seasons, Lewis helped guide the Warriors to two NJCAA Region 11 championships, the 2023 NJCAA Midwest District Championship, and an eighth-place finish at the 2023 NJCAA DI Softball World Series. Lewis and the Warriors captured 93 wins over the last two years with an .823 winning percentage, including a 41-1 record in ICCAC contests.
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