LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- As the time approaches to select its Pitcher and Player of the Year for 2022, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced its 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year Top 25. Biola's Paige Austin made her way onto the prestigious list, earning recognition as one of the best pitchers in the nation.

Fresh off a PacWest Pitcher of the Year award and a First Team All-PacWest selection, Austin was named one of the top nine pitchers in NCAA DII. With the announcement, Austin is in the running for the NFCA West Region Pitcher of the Year and NFCA National Pitcher of the Year awards, which will be given out in the coming weeks.

Austin saved her best year for last, setting career-highs throughout the 2022 campaign. Personal-bests for the five-year star included earned-run average, strikeouts, shutouts, no-hitters and opponents' batting average.

The Player of the Year award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. In 2019, the Association expanded the award to include a Player and Pitcher of the Year. The list is compiled and the award is voted on by the elected members of the NFCA Division II All-American Committee with one head coach representing each of the eight NCAA regions. To be eligible, a student-athlete's head coach must be a member.