Macy Brandl Named Tucci NFCA Pitcher of the Year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the student-athletes chosen for this season's NFCA Cal JC major awards on Thursday afternoon.

Fullerton College's Macy Brandl and Palomar College's Breanna Lutz were named the Tucci/NFCA Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively. Mt. San Antonio College's Morgan Kneubuhler earned Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year honors, while Jazmine Macias from Cerritos College scored New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe honors as Cal JC's top base stealer. 

Freshman right-hander Brandl and the top-ranked South seed (40-5) Hornets have a 3C2A state tournament game against No. 4 North team Sierra later today. Heading into that matchup, NFCA Cal JC South Region All-American Brandl is 21-3 with a 1.20 ERA, eight shutouts, 36 walks and 163 strikeouts over 27 appearances and 152 innings in the circle. Her 7.51 strikeouts per game rank fourth in 3C2A, while her ERA rates fifth, her wins, strikeouts and WHIP (0.85) are sixth, and she is seventh in shutouts.

Lutz ranks first in 3C2A batting average (.500), is second in hits (66), doubles (23) and RBI (54), third in total bases (112) and on-base percentage (.578) and sixth in runs (50). The freshman South Region All-America first baseman also has seven homers, 22 walks, just six strikeouts and five steals in six attempts heading into the third-ranked South Region (39-4) Comets' playoff game today against No. 2 North seed College of San Mateo.

Mt. San Antonio freshman Kneubuhler has starred behind the dish and at the plate this season. She has made just two errors in 162 chances at catcher (149 putouts, 11 assists) and thrown out nine of 18 runners attempting to steal, while also hitting .469 with 37 runs, 61 hits, 14 doubles, nine homers, 50 RBI and a .785 slugging percentage. The South Region All-American ranks fourth in the 3C2A in homers and total bases (102), sixth in RBI, eighth in slugging, and ninth in both hits and batting average. The No. 4 South Region (36-9) Mounties face top North seed San Joaquin Delta later today.

Speedy sophomore right fielder Macias was a top baserunning threat this season for the (31-14) Falcons, who lost to Fullerton in the 3C2A South Regionals last Saturday. The South Region All-American was 52 of 53 stealing and extended 22 of her 61 hits to extra-base status. Macias finished with a .418 average, 54 runs, 17 doubles, a triple, four homers, 32 RBI and 28 walks. Her 84 plate appearances are second in 3C2A play, and she ranks in the top 10 in runs (third), doubles and walks (both fifth), and at-bats (seventh).

Fresno City College's Giana Quintanar and Mt. San Antonio's Alyssa Rubalcava were previously announced as the 2024 Joan Joyce Utility/Pitcher winners for the North and South regions, respectively. That position on all collegiate All-America teams was renamed last season to honor the late NFCA Hall of Famer. 

NFCA Cal JC All-America athletes must be nominated by their NFCA-member head coaches and are voted for by the coaches in their respective region. All special awards are selected and voted on by the full Cal JC head coaching membership.

*Story by Dave Hines, Director of Publications NFCA

*Photo by Jayden Babineau