LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - Days after winning the NCAA Division III National Softball Championship Title, the Virginia Wesleyan Marlin softball team caps the season with two of the highest honors of the season in the sport of softball. Jessica Goldyn and Hanna Hull earned the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Player and Pitcher of the Year awards respectively as announced by the association on Thursday afternoon. 

Jessica finished the season as the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Softball Championship Tournament to cap a year that saw her earn the Diamond Sports/NFCA Division III Catcher of the Year and the New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe awards in addition to being named a first-team NFCA All-American, after earlier earning NFCA first-team All-Region honors and being named the ODAC Player of the Year. 

Jessica had 84 hits in 172 at-bats with 42 hits being for extra bases. She also scored 69 runs, had 54 RBI, 30 walks and stole an NCAA leading 73 bases. Over 53 games, Marlin opponents had 1,208 at-bats with 3% (40) being for extra bases. Jessica recorded more extra base hits than every team VWU played this season combined.

Hanna ends her career with the highest honor a pitcher can receive in being named the NFCA Pitcher of the Year, the third in her career (2017 & 2018). Hanna is by far the most decorated pitcher in Division III history with nearly 100 awards and accolades to her credit. This season alone, in addition to being named the NFCA Pitcher of the Year, Hanna was named the NCAA Division III Tournament Most Outstanding Pitcher, NFCA All-American first-team at-large, NFCA All-Region, ODAC Pitcher of the Year (fourth in her career and ONLY ODAC pitcher to accomplish such a feat), ODAC first-team all-conference and numerous ODAC Pitcher of the Week awards. 

On the season Hanna threw 154.2 innings collecting a 23-3 record in the circle and three saves while also throwing 14 complete games and shutting out six teams. The graduate student from Chesterfield, VA gave up only 39 runs on 69 hits and striking out 200 of the 515 batters faced.  Hanna's ERA was 1.31 with a whip of 1.07 and a batting average against of .134.

Both ladies will go down in the Virginia Wesleyan, ODAC, and the NCAA record books and have made a lasting impression on the Marlin Softball program.