University of Georgia softball student-athletes Jayda Kearney and Sydney Kuma have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Teams it was announced Wednesday evening.
Kearney, a junior hailing from Columbus, New Jersey, has been bestowed with the honor of First Team All-America as an outfielder. On the other hand, Kuma, a senior from Fresno, California, has been recognized as Third Team All-And baseman.
Expressing expressed his enthusiasm, Head Coach Tony Baldwin shared, "I am so excited for Jayda and Sydney to be recognized for their season. They bring a lot of joy to our program and are both fantastic student-athletes. I'm proud of all the work they put in this year and am excited to see them continue to grow."
Kearney concluded the season with a batting average of .365, leading the team with 19 home runs and a slugging percentage of .799. Her 19 homers ranked tied for seventh in a single season, while her slugging percentage secured the ninth-best position in the team's history. Additionally, she co-led the team with 47 runs scored and showcased her discipline at the plate, drawing 34 walks, resulting in a team-best on-base percentage of .477. Kearney's 19 home runs nationally placed her in the top seven for the 2023 season. She also ranked in the top 25 for home runs, home runs per game, slugging, and total bases.
Kuma finished her season leading all Georgia hitters with a .379 batting average. Throughout the season, she contributed with 49 runs batted in and 12 home runs, boasting a slugging percentage of .706. Kuma's defensive prowess was equally impressive, maintaining a .971 fielding percentage at second base. She committed only six errors throughout the season. Kuma recorded 109 putouts and 95 assists, both of which are career highs for a single season.
The two players mark the 23rd and 24th Bulldogs to achieve All-America status throughout the program's history. The Georgia softball team has now accumulated 37 NFCA All-America honors. Notably, Kearney became the first Georgia player to earn First Team honors since Alex Hugo in 2014 and only the seventh player overall at Georgia to achieve this distinction. This also marks the first time since 2014 and 2015 that Georgia has produced multiple All-America honorees in back-to-back seasons.
