Posted: May 30, 2014
Utley and Rupard become the first All-America first team members in program history. Utley was twice named a second team All-American (2011, 2012) and was an honorable mention All-American in 2013. Rupard is one of five players to return from the 2013 All-America second team along with Cassie Daniels of Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), Justine Phillips of Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Brooke Shell of Grace (Ind.) and Megan Nonnemacher of Saint Xavier (Ill.).
Utley and Rupard guided the 2014 Eagles' squad to its best record (43-8) and highest national ranking (No. 14) in school history. Both players have helped the Green and Black to�three-straight Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Championship Series titles and berths in the NAIA Softball National Championship.
Utley cemented her legacy as one of the greatest pitchers in HAAC history with arguably her finest year in the circle. The league's four-time Pitcher of the Year rolled to a 26-3 record in 30 appearances in 2014 while tossing 26 complete games to become the school's all-time leader in wins (94) and strikeouts (559). Utley's 26 wins tied her own 2012 single-season school record. Her 13 shutouts in 2014 set a single-season school record. Utley posted a 1.64 ERA in 184.0 innings pitched and allowed only 54 runs, 43 earned, with 138 strikeouts against only 26 walks. Opponents batted a paltry .239 against the five-time HAAC Pitcher of the Week this season. Utley was the only pitcher to shut out Auburn Montgomery, this season's National Champion.
In the NAIA this season, Utley ranked third in wins (26), 12th in innings pitched per game (6.133), 13th in fewest walks allowed per nine innings (0.99), 21st in innings pitched (184.0) and 24th in lowest earned run average (1.64).
The right-hander guided Central Methodist to four-straight HAAC regular-season championships.
Utley exits Fayette with four of the six-best winningest seasons by a pitcher in school history, including the top three spots, and four of the top six lowest ERAs in a season in school history. She owns four of the top nine spots for most strikeouts in a season in Central Methodist history. Utley owns the top four spots in school history for most single-season shutouts.
Utley will also go down as one of the best pitchers in the history of the NAIA. Her 83.2 winning percentage (94-19) ranks seventh all-time. Utley ranks eighth in complete games (98) and is tied for eighth in shutouts (43). Her 94 wins ranks ninth all-time. Utley ranks 11th in innings pitched (747.1) and is tied for 11th in starts (113).
In 2014, Rupard became the second Eagle to win the HAAC Player of the Year honor. In 46 games, the Kansas City native led the team in batting average (.402), hits (53), doubles (17), runs scored (45), on-base percentage (.546), slugging percentage (.689) and walks (39). She also posted seven home runs and 29 RBIs. Rupard posted single-season school records for walks (39) and on-base percentage (.546). The 39 walks ranks ties for ninth all-time in NAIA history. Rupard's .689 slugging percentage this season was the second highest in a season in school history. Rupard's 17 doubles tied for third highest in a season, while her seven homers tied for eighth most in a single-season in school history.
In the NAIA this season, Rupard ranked 19th in doubles per game (0.370) and 31st in doubles (17).
Rupard's .386 career batting average ranks third all-time in program history.
Sophomore Nicole Nonnemacher of Saint Xavier (Ill.) is honored as the NAIA Pitcher of the Year, and senior second baseman Hannah Gardner of Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) is recognized as the NAIA Player of the Year.�
The teams are selected by the NAIA All-America committee. The All-America teams are comprised of First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention selections.
2014 NAIA Softball All-America Teams
| First Team (sorted by position) | ||
| Name | Institution | Position |
| Nicole Nonnemacher ^ | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | P |
| Cassie Daniels % | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | P |
| Caroline Sagrera ^ | Spring Hill (Ala.) | P |
| Randi Wimpy | Reinhardt (Ga.) | C |
| Michele Rupard % | Central Methodist (Mo.) | C |
| Hannah Gardner ^ | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | INF |
| Kyndra Holasek | Oklahoma City | INF |
| Jenna Jorgenson | Concordia (Calif.) | INF |
| Cassidy Littlefield | Georgia Gwinnett | INF |
| Annette Merjano | Concordia (Calif.) | INF |
| Amanda Trampe | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | OF |
| Randi Yousey | St. Gregory's (Okla.) | OF |
| Dominique Corona | Belhaven (Miss.) | OF |
| Kim Pierce | Southeastern (Fla.) | OF |
| Heidi Daniel | Bryan (Tenn.) | DP |
| Brittanee Grove | William Penn (Iowa) | UTL |
| Justine Phillips % | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | INF |
| Caitlin Santefort | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | P |
| Aubrey Utley & | Central Methodist (Mo.) | P |
| Madison Luck | Reinhardt (Ga.) | P |
| Second Team (sorted by position) | ||
| Name | Institution | Position |
| Reba DePriest | Biola (Calif.) | P |
| Jordan Hood | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | P |
| Stevie Goldstein | Concordia (Calif.) | P |
| Jessica Roper | Cumberland (Tenn.) | C |
| Lauren Shaw | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | C |
| KC Dunne | Davenport (Mich.) | INF |
| Jasmine Shelby | William Carey (Miss.) | INF |
| Taylor Triplett | USC Beaufort (S.C.) | INF |
| Lizzie Fela | Southern Wesleyan (S.C.) | INF |
| Brooklyn Sparks | St. Gregory's (Okla.) | INF |
| Kristin Benton | Campbellsville (Ky.) | OF |
| Rachel Laird | Houston-Victoria (Texas) | OF |
| Ryan Norton | Simpson (Calif.) | OF |
| Alex Lovelace | Taylor (Ind.) | OF |
| Abbey Wilmes | Grand View (Iowa) | DP |
| Lauren Ehle | Taylor (Ind.) | UTL |
| MacKenzie Bowden | William Woods (Mo.) | P |
| Nickayla Skinner & | College of Idaho | P |
| Brooke Thomas | LSU Alexandria (La.) | OF |
| Mary Jordan | Langston (Okla.) | C |
| Honorable Mention (sorted by school) | ||
| Name | Institution | |
| Taylor Powell | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | |
| Megan Eldredge | Benedictine (Kan.) | |
| Kelli Traffas | Bethany (Kan.) | |
| Natalie Newell | Bethel (Ind.) | |
| Jenny Shepherd | Brenau (Ga.) | |
| Katie Wilkinson | Cal State San Marcos | |
| Jessica Sheldon/td> | Central Baptist (Ark.) | |
| Heidi Walburg | Cornerstone (Mich.) | |
| Alex Vargas | Dickinson State (N.D.) | |
| Khadijah Bland | Friends (Kan.) | |
| Brooke Shell % | Grace (Ind.) | |
| Jessica Grochala | Grand View (Iowa) | |
| Shelby Smith | Houston-Victoria (Texas) | |
| Kati Steffen | Morningside (Iowa) | |
| Hannah Wilbur | Oklahoma Baptist | |
| Cheryl Sendzik | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | |
| Katrisha Arocha | Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) | |
| Megan Nonnemacher % | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | |
| Devon Frazier | St. Gregory's (Okla.) | |
| Ashley Wojnowski | Union (Ky.) |
Player of the Year: Hannah Gardner, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
Pitcher of the Year: Nicole Nonnemacher, Saint Xavier (Ill.)
^ 2013 First Team All-American
% 2013 Second Team All-American
& 2013 Honorable Mention All-American�
