Kristen Brown Named First Team All-America

LOUISVILLE – Tar Heel shortstop Kristen Brown was named First-Team All-America on Wednesday, as elected by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). It is the second consecutive All-America award for the senior, who earned a Third Team selection in 2015.

Brown became the ninth Tar Heel to garner All-America honors following her junior season and is now one of four Carolina student-athletes to earn a place on the First Team. The Levittown, New York, native joins Christine Kubin (1996), Brandy Arthur (1998) and Danielle Spaulding (2010) as First Team honorees. Additionally, she is the third two-time All-American, following Tiffany Tolleson (2002, 2003) and Spaulding (2008, 2009, 2010).

“Kristen has been a phenomenal player throughout her career at UNC,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “She has broken so many offensive records and has received so many accolades for her performances. To be named a First-Team All-American caps off her outstanding career. The All-America Committee is comprised of Division I coaches from all of the regions in the country. They selected Kristen as the top shortstop—that is special.”

One of the most talented players to come through the North Carolina program, Brown played in all 221 games since the beginning of 2013, starting at shortstop in all-but one. An extremely consistent hitter, Brown began her illustrious career by hitting .341 with 11 home runs as just a freshman, and would go on to become the first Tar Heel in program history to hit double-digit home runs all four years. After breaking UNC’s career home run record midway through her junior season, the slugger broke the all-time ACC career home run record on May 20, 2016, with a walk-off two-run home run against Longwood at NCAA Regionals.

The Tar Heel slugger finished her career with eight Carolina career records: home runs (66), total bases (469), RBIs (204), runs (181), slugging percentage (.714), walks (106), sacrifice flies (11) and intentional walks (14). Additionally, she ranks fourth all time with a lifetime .356 batting average and the second-best on base percentage (.452) of all time. Brown reached base in an unprecedented 54 straight games, getting to first safely in all-but-one game in 2016.

“The thing that I have loved about watching and working with Kristen is how she approached every day,” said Papa. “She is a diligent worker and prepared for the moments she had in games. She is a tough competitor and made our team better as an outstanding leader on and off the field. She is humble and always an eager student of the game. I absolutely loved watching her play over the last four years. She has excellent whip in her throw and explosive power at the plate. She made ESPN-type plays looks routine.”

The ACC Player of the Week on Feb. 22, Brown holds the top-two single-season totals in school history in home runs and RBIs, two of the top-three slugging percentage marks, and broke the single-season walks record with her 43rd base on balls during 2016 NCAA Regionals.

Brown ranks in the top 10 in the ACC in 12 different statistical categories this season, including leading the league in home runs. Her 19 homers this season rank ninth in the nation, while her off-the-charts slugging percentage (.794) places her 23rd in the NCAA.

Just days after playing her final game in Carolina Blue, Brown began her professional career with the Chicago Bandits, who selected her 24th overall in the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) College Draft. Brown did not waste any time proving she belonged in the pros, launching a solo home run on May 29 against the Indiana Slammers to help the Bandits to a 5-0 victory in its season-opening exhibition. In addition to playing with the Bandits this summer, Brown was also selected to the 2016 U.S. Women’s Elite Team as the first Tar Heel ever to earn a place in the United States National Team organization.

“I am thankful that we still get to watch her as she continues her career with the Chicago Bandits and the USA Softball program,” said Papa.

The lone Atlantic Coast Conference player to land on the NFCA All-America First Team, Brown is one of five ACC student-athletes to be named 2016 All-America. ACC Player of the Year Alex Powers garnered Second Team honors, while her Florida State teammates Jessica Burroughs and Jessica Warren, as well as Notre Dame’s Karley Wester, were named to the Third Team.

A total of 56 Division I softball players earned 2016 All-America honors on one of the three teams. The SEC led the charge with 18 selections, followed by 10 honorees out of the Pac-12 and eight from the Big Ten. Each team featured three pitchers, three outfielders, one of each infield position, a utility/pitcher, a designated player or utility/non-pitcher, and an additional five at-large players who could be at any position (due to ties in voting, seven at-large players appear on the Third Team).

Brown was the only shortstop selected to the All-America First Team, demonstrating that she was unanimously considered to be the best shortstop in the nation.

“I am so happy for her,” said Papa. “She deserves this accolade. Congratulations go out to her from the entire coaching staff and all those associated with our program here at UNC.”

2016 NFCA All-Americans