2024 Gold Glove - Ava Khoury & Casey Wissmiller

Khoury and Wissmiller Named Gold Glove Award Winners

First recipients in program history

5/30/2024 3:33:00 PM

NFCA Release

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Junior Ava Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) and sophomore Casey Wissmiller (Bloomington, Ill.-Olympia) of the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team were recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for their defensive prowess Thursday, May 30, as the organization announced the Rawlings Gold Glove Division III Awards.

Together, the All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin duo was a key part of a stout IWU defense. The Titans compiled a team fielding percentage of .977, the sixth-best in all of Division III.

In her junior year, Khoury completed the season with an incredible 1.000 fielding percentage at first base. She made 272 putouts with eight assists and eight double plays. The Columbia, Ill. native was pivotal in IWU's strong defensive season as a team with her scoops and stretches at first.

Wissmiller, Illinois Wesleyan's everyday starter at third base, concluded the year with a .982 fielding percentage at the hot corner. She recorded 40 putouts and 72 assists to just two errors while turning two double plays.

Khoury and Wismmiler were one of two sets of teammates to be named to the nine-person list as Texas Lutheran's shortstop Lindzee Leal and outfielder Annie Kay also earned the distinction. Tuft's Sophia DiCocco (pitcher), Salisbury's Emily Stockman (catcher), Rowan's Liz McCaffery (second base), WPI's Virginia McKinney (left field), and Lynchburg's Lexi Powell (right field) round out the award recipients.

Recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, presented by the NFCA, were selected by the 10 regional representatives of the NFCA's NCAA Division III All-America Committee, following regional voting to identify the finalists at each position. The group utilized fielding statistics and school-submitted video to closely examine finalists and select the winners at every defensive position.

Any student-athlete who competed in the current championship year and was nominated by their head coach who is a member in good standing with the NFCA was eligible for consideration for this prestigious accolade.

About Rawlings
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings.

Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard and Glove of Major League Baseball, the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball and the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA and the NAIA. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.

About National Fastpitch Coaches Association
The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and the National Convention.

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