LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Following a dominant 2024 season, Augustana softball's own Kelsey Thompson has been honored as the Easton/NFCA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year award, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Tuesday.
 
In her sixth season since rejoining the Vikings, Thompson mentored a first-team NFCA Division II All-America pitcher and helped lead the team to a 50-15 overall record, which featured a trip back to the NCAA Division II World Series for the third time in five full seasons.
 
Augustana clinched the 2024 NSIC Regular Season Championship title with a 27-1 overall record as well as the NSIC Championship and NCAA Central Super Regional Championship with a berth to the NCAA Championship.
 
Success on the field has also flooded off-field for the Vikings, as coaches and players alike have tallied numerous awards and accolades on the year.
 
In the 2024 season, the Vikings had four NFCA All-Americans, three D2CCA All-Americas, an NFCA Rawlings Gold Glove Winner, TUCCI/NFCA DII Freshman of the Year Finalist, D2CCA Regional Pitcher of the Year, Four D2CCA All-Central Region, five NFCA All-Region, an NSIC Player of the Year, the NSIC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year, the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year Award winner and nine NSIC All-Conference honorees. The Viking softball staff was also recently recognized as the ATEC/NFCA DII Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.