Kasie Buckley of Little Rock capped off a successful freshman season on East Central Community College’s championship fast-pitch softball team with her selection as an NJCAA Division II All-American.

Buckley, a shortstop/pitcher who was chosen on the 12-member squad as a utility player, had earlier garnered most valuable offensive player honors in the NJCAA Division II Softball Tournament after helping lead the Lady Diamond Warriors to a fourth-place finish in the May 20-22 competition held in Normal, Illinois. 

Buckley was a key player for East Central’s history-making softball team, which won three of five matchups in the double-elimination event. The Newton County High School product posted a .636 batting average, belted three home runs, a double and three singles, and collected seven RBIs during the five contests. 

She earlier received All-Region 23 and MACJC First Team All-State honors and was selected the Lady Diamond Warriors’ most valuable player. 

Prior to the competing in the NJCAA tournament, Buckley owned a .469 batting average with 10 home runs, three triples and 19 doubles, and was credited with 47 RBIs.

She also posted a 16-2 record on the mound with a 2.68 earned run average. She fanned 47 batters.

The Lady Diamond Warriors, who qualified for the program’s first trip to Nationals as Region 23 champions, completed the 2010 season with a 47-11 record under seventh-year head coach Scott Hill and second-year assistant Kristin Chaney.