FULL NFCA RELEASE

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Recent Otterbein University senior Bailey McElwain (North Georgetown/West Branch) put an exclamation mark on her stellar softball career Wednesday night, earning third team All-American honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

A standout catcher, McElwain is one of 45 individuals across the nation to land on either the first, second or third team and, more notably, the only Division III player from Ohio to make the list. She becomes just the third Cardinal to receive the heralded status as she now joins a short list that includes current shortstop Alyson Shaw (2017) and former outfielder Laura Basford (2014).

"It was pretty awesome when I found out the news," McElwain said. "I am extremely thankful for having this opportunity to play college softball and would not have been able to achieve anything without my coaches and teammates, especially the other six seniors who have been with me every step of the way."

McElwain, who also played in the outfield this spring, was voted Ohio Athletic Conference 'Player of the Year' before recently grabbing first team All-Central Region accolades as well. She led the OAC with a .764 slugging percentage and ranked top-five in batting average (.429), hits (60), doubles (16) and home runs (9).

"Bailey is a true all-round athlete, and you could see it from her first day as a freshman in the fall to her last game she ever played at Otterbein," head coach Christine Steines said. "I've always been honored to coach her because she is a truly hard-working kid that everyone would want on their team. Hopefully this honor shows her that all of that work paid off."

A 3x all-conference and 2x all-region selection, McElwain had 19 multi-hit games this past year and finishes as the program's all-time leader with 215. She also shares Otterbein career records in doubles (53) and games played (157), while sitting second with 156 runs scored.

McElwain and her classmates depart campus as the most decorated softball class in school history, posting a combined four-year record of 110-45-2 and winning three-straight OAC regular-season titles from 2016-18. The Cards also made their first-ever NCAA appearance in 2017 and routinely cracked into the national rankings.

"I definitely took a different approach to the game this last year because I knew it was all I had left," added McElwain, who is also currently on the Academic All-America ballot. "I tried to give each practice and game everything I had no matter what the outcome would be. I am beyond thankful for this honor and to represent Otterbein softball in such a way, because it has given me so much the last four years."

The NFCA Division III All-America softball teams are selected from the pool of players who earned first team All-Region recognition from the eight NCAA regions. Those selected were announced and recognized Wednesday night during the NCAA Division III Championship banquet at the Sheraton Hotel Downtown in Oklahoma City.