LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 3, 2021) – Oklahoma Christian pitcher Kali Crandall was chosen Monday as one of 30 finalists for the Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year awards.

Crandall, a sophomore right-hander from Artesia, N.M., leads NCAA Division II in wins and is a big reason OC (34-6) has risen to No. 6 in the NFCA poll and will finish second in the rugged Lone Star Conference. She is the first OC softball player to make the list of finalists for the national Division II award since Kendra Pierce did so in 2015.

The award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. In 2019, the NFCA expanded the award to include a player and pitcher of the year. To be eligible, student-athletes must be nominated by their member head coach. With the cancellation of last year's season due to COVID-19 and a higher percentage of eligible candidates this season, an additional five players have been added to the traditional top 25.

This season, Crandall has posted a 22-2 record with two saves, a 2.06 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 140 innings pitched. She has pitched 12 complete games, including two shutouts.

She won 18 straight decisions during one stretch (the second-longest streak in OC softball history) and her 22 wins are tied for third on OC's single-season list. (That's particularly impressive because this season was reduced from 56 to 42 regular-season games by the NCAA due to the pandemic. OC has had only six 20-win seasons by a pitcher in program history.

Crandall also has increased her career strikeout total to 423, which also ranks third in OC history, and she's just 15 strikeouts from moving into second place on that list.

Other Lone Star players on the top-30 list included pitcher Payton Foster and catcher-third baseman Ashley Perez of Texas-Tyler and catcher Shanna McBroom of West Texas A&M.

The top 10 finalists, consisting of players and pitchers, will be announced on May 18 with the 2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year revealed on June 3.