2024 NewBalance/NFCA Golden Shoe Award collegiate recap
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Over the course of the NFCA’s 2024 collegiate awards season, the Association recognized nine student-athletes as New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe Award recipients. Announced during a division’s All-America or Special Awards release, the distinction is bestowed on the student-athlete who was voted as the top base stealer.
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association’s All-America Committees, or in the case of NJCAA Division III, Cal JC and NWAC, teams are voted on by the respective membership’s head coaches. The High School recipient will be announced on July 19.
This year’s recipients are as follows:
NCAA Division I
Megan Delgadillo – Cal State Fullerton
The senior outfielder led NCAA Division I with 44 stolen bases in 46 attempts and ranked fourth at .76 per game. Delgadillo, an NFCA All-West Region first teamer, also topped the Titans with a .417 batting average, 86 hits, 49 runs, .515 slugging percentage and .957 OPS.
NCAA Division II
Tristyn Stewart – Wilmington
A second-team All-America outfielder, Stewart was 54-for-56 on the base paths, third in NCAA Division II. She swiped at a .964 percentage and .90 in per game. She finished second on the team with a .424 batting average, leading the way with 81 hits and 57 runs scored. Stewart hit three doubles as well as an inside-the-park homer, adding 21 RBI on the season.
NCAA Division III
Caelee Clark – Texas Lutheran University
Clark, a repeat winner, blew away her stolen base total from last season (66) and the competition with an NCAA Division III-record 87 steals in 2024, 35 more than her nearest competitor. Additionally, it is the third highest total across all three NCAA divisions. The first-team All-American also led TLU with 63 hits and 49 runs scored to go along with a .467 batting average, 1.052 OPS and 19 RBI.
NAIA
Chelsea Kurtz – Avila University
For the second straight season, Kurtz, a repeat winner, led the nation with 80 steals, which was 17 more than second place Morgan Yeater of Indiana Wesleyan, who had 63. Kurtz, who set the single-season record two consecutive years, was successful on 96.4 percent of her attempts (83) and averaged 1.51 steals over her 53 games. She was Avila’s leader in batting average (.409), on-base percentage (.503), hits (63), and runs scored (55).
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NJCAA Division I
Cassidy Patterson – Indian River State College
Patterson stole 76 bases (second in NJCAA Division I) for the Pioneers and was caught just three times in 79 attempts. The sophomore outfielder batted .433 with 70 runs and 84 hits to earn second-team NFCA All-America recognition this season, and was named to the All-Tournament team at the NJCAA Division I World Series.
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NJCAA Division II
Katy Olive – North Iowa Area Community College
Repeat winner Olive led NJCAA DII with 70 stolen bases in 75 attempts. She swiped four bases on three separate occasions and registered three steals three times. Olive’s hits, runs scored, RBI and steals are all single-season program records. Also named NFCA NJCAA DII Player of the year, Olive batted .472 and was ranked tied for third in NJCAA DII with 27 home runs to go along with 20 doubles, 81 RBI, 92 base hits and 95 runs scored.
NJCAA Division III
Laila Rodriguez – Patrick & Henry Community College
Rodriguez played a pivotal role in the Patriots’ first national title for any Patrick & Henry athletic program. She swiped an NJCAA DIII-best 63 bases, 19 more than her nearest competitor. Rodriguez stole five bases in game two of a doubleheader against Camp and recorded four steals three times and three four more times. She topped the team with a .486 average, 65 runs, 28 walks and a .559 on-base percentage.
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Cal JC
Jazmine Macia – Cerritos College
Sophomore right fielder Macias was a top baserunning threat this season for the Falcons. The South Region All-American was 52 of 53 swiping bases and extended 22 of her 61 hits to extra-base status. Macias finished with a .418 average, 54 runs, 17 doubles, a triple, four homers, 32 RBI and 28 walks. Her 84 plate appearances were second in 3C2A play, and she ranked in the top 10 in runs (third), doubles and walks (both fifth), and at-bats (seventh).
NWAC
Lexi Grumbois – Lower Columbia College
Grumbois, the NWAC batting champion, swiped a conference-best 37 bases in 39 attempts. Along with her .593 batting average, Grumbois also topped the conference with a .644 on-base percentage, 108 base hits and 26 doubles. The freshman infielder ranked fourth with 77 runs scored and 10th with a .912 slugging percentage.
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