Followell and Utz Earn NFCA All-American Honors
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced the 2022 NFCA Division III All-America teams on Tuesday afternoon. For the first time in school history, the Falcons landed two All-America selections with Gina Followell on the All-America First Team and Claudia Utz on the All-America Third Team.
A senior pitcher from Romeoville, Illinois, Gina Followell is making her second-straight appearance on an NFCA All-America Team with a second-team selection in 2021.
Followell proved why she is one of the best in the nation with an amazing campaign in 2022 with a 22-2 record. She finished the year with 265 strikeouts and averaged 11.52 per game. She led the nation by only allowing 0.602 walks and hits per inning and posted a 0.70 earned-run average that ranks third in the nation. The Illinois native tied her own school record with 18 strikeouts against Maryville and struck out 10 or more batters on 15 different occasions. Followell also threw a perfect game against Ripon and six one-hit performances including a contest against No. 13 Roanoke in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Followell is also a Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Year Top-25 Finalist.
She is also the second student-athlete in the CUW NCAA era in any sport to claim All-America honors in multiple years, joining Amanda Kuca of women's cross country in 2004 and 2005. Dave Buuck was an NAIA Football First-Team All-American in 1982 and 1983.
A junior catcher from Lockport, Illinois, Claudia Utz is the second Falcon to claim NFCA All-America honors. Utz was amazing in 2022 with a spectacular season at and behind home plate. She broke four program records with 53 runs batted in, 14 doubles, 379 putouts and 13 hit by pitch. The Lockport native finished the season with 51 hits, with 14 doubles, eight home runs and three triples. She scored 29 runs and brought in 53 RBI, with 10 walks and eight stolen bases. Utz finished with a .725 slugging percentage, .477 on-base percentage and a .389 batting average. Behind the plate, she boasted a .983 fielding percentage and threw out five base runners.
This is the first time that Concordia Wisconsin has had multiple All-Americans on a women's team in school history. Football has had multiple selections in 1990 (five) and 1996 (two), men's soccer in 1989 (two) and 1990 (two) and men's wrestling also had two in 2021.
The Falcons soared to new heights in 2022 with a school record of wins at 36-6 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament Regional Finals for the first time.
For a complete list of NFCA All-America selections, click here.
