The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2008 Softball All-America Teams.  The selection is made by the NAIA Softball Officers and comprises a First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention Team. Heather Vaughn, a senior catcher for the Emmanuel College (EC) Lady Lions Softball team, was named the 2008 NAIA Player of the Year.

Vaughn started all 55 games for EC Lady Lions and led the team with .527 batting average.  She had 56 RBIs, 19 homeruns, 18 doubles, 49 walks and scored 52 runs. Heather was also recently named as the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) 2008 Softball Player of the Year.

Heather, daughter of Billy & Judy Vaughn of Royston, is a Senior Early Childhood Education major. She maintains a rigorous academic and personal schedule, while maintaining an impressive 3.11 cumulative grade-point-average,

Heather also earned several other honors during the 2008 season. She was selected as a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) South Region ‘All-Region Team”. Heather is also nationally ranked in several hitting categories.

Ricky Sanders, Head Coach for the EC Lady Lions Softball team, notes that Heather’s recognition is significant. Heather is an outstanding student-athlete. This award is the end result of her dedication to her team and her sport, as well as recognition of her dedication to academics. “Heather really is a complete package.”

Coach Sanders also points out that Heather is the epitome of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Champions of Character initiative. She displays responsibility, respect, servant leadership, integrity, and sportsmanship in every aspect of her life.

Please visit the NAIA web site at http://naia.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/052108aau.html for a complete list of the 2008 NAIA All-American teams.