Rio's Ogden recognized by NFCA

Rio Grande/NFCA Sports Information
     LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Rio Grande junior pitcher Madison Ogden has been named to the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NAIA All-Region VI Second Team.
     Ogden, a native of Williamsburg, Ohio and a transfer from NCAA Division I Morehead State University, helped the RedStorm to a River States Conference Tournament championship and a berth to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
     She finished with an 18-10 record with a 1.55 earned run average and three saves. The right-hander appeared in 33 games altogether, 28 of which were starts, with 27 complete games and 10 shutouts.
     A first team All-RSC selection and the league's Newcomer of the Year, Ogden allowed 130 hits over 185-2/3 innings pitched with 49 walks, 257 strikeouts and a .193 opponent's batting average. Offensively, she hit .391 with five home runs, 32 runs batted in and 18 doubles.
     A total of 152 student-athletes representing 64 schools and six different regions of the country were honored by the Association.
     Central Methodist University (Region V) placed a division-best eight players on its All-Region list — all on the first team. Similarly, Oklahoma City University (Region III) had all seven of its selections named to the first team.
     Oregon Institute of Technology (Region IV) split its six honorees equally between the first and second teams, while four of the five choices for top NAIA World Series seed Our Lady of the Lake (Region II) were first-teamers.
     Eleven schools had four players each chosen, while 10 received three selections, 13 had two, and 26 teams were represented by one player.
     The awards honor student-athletes from the Association's six NAIA regions with selection to one of two teams. NFCA member head coaches nominate and then vote for the winners in their respective region.
     If they were not already voted to an All-Region squad, conference Players and Pitchers of the Year from member institutions are added to the second team in their region, so long as they are nominated by their member head coach and receive votes.
     All honorees move forward to be considered for selection for the two NFCA NAIA All-America teams, which will be announced June 6.
     The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention.