LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Augustana University senior shortstop Sarah Kennedy has been named to the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year Top 25 Watch list the national organization announced Thursday.
 
Kennedy, a native of Bettendorf, Iowa, was named to the 2017 Schutt Sports/NFCA Preseason Top 50 Watch List and has been on the list for two straight seasons after advancing as a Top-10 Finalist for the NFCA Player of the Year Award as a sophomore in 2015. She has a hit in 39 of 43 games played in 2017 and currently leads the nation in batting average (.523), doubles (26) and total bases (142) while ranking fourth in slugging percentage (.953) and fifth in hits (78).
 
Kennedy ranks second in the NSIC with 12 home runs and 50 RBI and recently broke her own single season record for doubles which she set with 25 as a sophomore in 2015. She currently ranks second in hits amongst all active NCAA Players (Division I, II or III) with 325 hits. Kennedy has hit 72 doubles in her career which is the most amongst all active NCAA players across all three divisions. She ranks second all-time at Augustana in doubles and in home runs with 47.
 
She is a three-time All-NSIC First Team selection who was named the Player of the Year in the NSIC as a sophomore in 2015. Kennedy earned All-America First Team honors from the NFCA and Daktronics as a sophomore and is a two-time all-region selection for the Vikings.
 
Augustana softball (33-11, 18-4 NSIC) is back in action on Thursday, April 27, hosting USF at 3 p.m. at Bowden Field. The Vikings will have six home games in the next three days, hosting Minnesota Duluth at 3 p.m. Friday and St. Cloud State at 12 p.m. Saturday.