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Posted: May 16, 2022

Raelyn Payne Named to NFCA All-Region 8 First Team

File photo.
File photo.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eureka's Raelyn Payne (Lexington, Ill./Lexington) has been selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III All-Region 8 First Team.

The Red Devil senior shortstop, who was named the 2022 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is the first Eureka player to receive NFCA All-Region honors since Cathy Kalnicky (Second Team, 2010) and the first to be named to the First Team since Sarah Taylor in 1997.

On Monday, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced 384 student-athletes from 197 schools who comprise the 2022 NFCA Division III All-Region teams. The awards honor student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with selection to one of three teams. NFCA member head coaches nominate and then vote for the winners in their respective region.

All honorees move forward to be considered for selection for the three NFCA Division III All-America squads, which will be announced on May 24.

This spring, Payne recorded a .541/.610/.853 slash line while racking up a career-high total of 59 hits, 21 doubles and two triples, along with three home runs. She ranked second in NCAA Division III in on-base percentage (.610), second in doubles (21), tied for sixth in runs per game (1.5) and was eighth in doubles per game (.58).

Her 45 stolen bases were the most recorded in a single season in program history. She was one run shy of tying the single-season record in runs scored in a season and six doubles shy of tying the single-season doubles record. She recorded the third-best batting average (.541), the fourth-most hits (59), the fourth-best slugging percentage (.853) and tied for the fourth most walks (21) by a Red Devil in a single season.

In 136 plates appearances over the course of 36 games, Payne drew a career-best total of 21 walks while striking out a career-low three times all season. She also drove in 28 RBI, scored a career-high 54 runs, tallied a career-high 26 extra-base hits and was one base shy of meeting her career best with 93 total bases.

The 5-foot-4 former outfielder also recorded a career-high .918 fielding percentage, with 103 assists and 87 putouts in 207 chances.

Payne ended her career ranked second in program history in batting average at .485, second in stolen bases with 55 and is tied for second in home runs with 14. She also ranks third in hits (167), walks (50), runs scored (134) and doubles (42).