CHARLOTTE, N.C.- For the seventh consecutive season, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers have multiple NJCAA All-Americans as Tuesday it was announced that sophomore Belle Sardja earned 1st Team All-American honors while freshman Sydney McCray was a 2nd Team selection.
Sardja was spectacular for the Bucs this season, leading one of the Nation's top pitching staffs to their third straight NJCAA National Championship and a 54-5 overall record. She earned 25 wins and 5 saves in the circle this season for the Bucs, both of which ranked in the Top 10 in the NJCAA Division I ranks. She logged 175 innings, striking out 121 and walking just 22 while posting a 0.88 ERA which was the 3rd best mark in the country. She was key in FSW's run to the 2023 Title as she started all five games at the World Series for the Bucs, going 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA including back to back shutouts against Grayson and Odessa in the tournament quarter and semifinals.
McCray was a firecracker on both sides of the ball for FSW, playing Gold Glove caliber defense in the corner outfield spots while also hitting .410 in 55 games at the plate. She accounted for nearly two runs per game with 44 RBIs and 58 runs scored while collecting eight doubles, a team high six triples, and a pair of home runs. Thanks to being beaned a school record 17 times throughout the course of the year, she posted an even .500 on base percentage which led the FSW lineup. She had four multi-hit games during the 2023 postseason including three at the NJCAA World Series to earn her All-Tournament Team honors.
The 1st Team All-American squad was made up of players from 16 different teams. FSW was one of 11 schools to have multiple All-Americans with Grayson leading the way with four selections and Indian Hills and Walters State picking up three each.
FSW has now had 20 players named NJCAA All-Americans in just eight years (All-American award not given out during 2020 Covid shortened season) as a program.