GCSU's Caldwell named to NFCA Division II Player of the Year Watchlist

LOUISVILLE, Ky. | Georgia College & State University infielder Kam Caldwell is one of 116 student-athletes from across the country who were named to the 2025 National Fastpich Coaches Association Division II Player and Pitcher of the Year watchlist.

Caldwell, a senior third baseman from Athens, Georgia, has helped the Bobcats to a 16-14 overall start, including a 9-3 ledger in the Peach Belt Conference, which is good for third place entering this weekend's series at Augusta University. 

Caldwell leads GCSU with a .438 (46-of-105) batting average in 30 starts with 15 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 28 RBI. Caldwell, who has scored 26 runs, has a .724 slugging percentage and a .496 on-base percentage. Caldwell has 12 walks and has seven stolen bases in 2025.

Caldwell, who is one of four players from the PBC on the list, is currently fourth in the latest NCAA Division II statistics in doubles, fifth in doubles per game (0.50), 37th in total bases (76) and 43rd in hits. She leads the PBC in doubles, doubles per game, and hits; third in batting average; fourth in on-base percentage and total bases; sixth in slugging percentage, and eight in RBI per game (0.93).

The list is broken down into the eight NCAA Regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West) with up to 15 student-athletes represented in each region. The list is compiled by the elected members of the NFCA Division II All-American Committee with one head coach representing each of the eight NCAA regions. To be eligible, a student-athlete's head coach must be a member.

Headlining the list are 21 returning NFCA All-Americans, seven from the first team, including reigning Player of the Year, Lauren Harris from McKendree University. In all, the group consists of 87 programs from 21 different conferences.

Voted on by the NFCA's Division II All-American Committee, the 2025 NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Year winners will be announced on May 30 following the conclusion of the NCAA Division II National Championships. All student-athletes are eligible for the end-of-the-season award and do not have to be on this list to be considered.

The Player of the Year award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. In 2019, the Association expanded the award to include a Player and Pitcher of the Year.

PREVIOUS WINNERS (Player / Pitcher)

2024 - Lauren Harris, McKendree University / Kenzee Smith, University of Indianapolis
2023 - Zoe Willis, Georgia Southwestern State University / Tatum Goff, UT Tyler
2022 - Kayson Boatner, Anderson University / Andrea Morales, Rogers State University
2021 - Shanna McBroom, West Texas A&M University / Morgan Perry, Saint Anselm College
2019 - Julia Seader LIU Post / Allison Lipovsky, Grand Valley State University
2018 - Kylee Smith, University of North Georgia
2017 - Coley Ries, Minnesota State University Mankato
2016 - Lindsay Butler, Wayne State University
2015 - Courtney Poole, University of North Georgia