Idaho State Release
NCAA Rankings
OGDEN, Utah (June 14, 2017) – One of the most decorated players in the Big Sky’s brief softball history has achieved yet another feat. Idaho State’s Kacie Burnett was named the NCAA Softball Batting Champion after leading the nation in batting average in 2017.
The 2017 Big Sky Player of the Year, capped a stellar career in great fashion with another well-earned accolade. The senior toted a batting average of .487 on the year, topping the national runner-up in the category by 0.11. Burnett finished the year with 75 hits in 154 at-bats.
At the end of the regular season, Burnett ranked third in the nation with a .463 average. She would up that average to .487 thanks to a 12-for-18 Big Sky tournament showing where she was named to her fourth career all-tournament team.
On top of her national lead in batting average, Burnett also ranked in the top 30 in the NCAA in various categories including doubles per game (16th, .33), hits (29th, 75), on-base percentage (21st, .524) and triples per game (24th, .11). She led the charge for an ISU team that ranked 28th in the country with a .306 batting average.
In Big Sky play, Burnett led the league in average, on-base percentage and stolen bases while ranking in the top three in slugging percentage, hits, doubles and triples. She became the league’s only four-time All-Big sky first team selection while additionally being a three-time NFCA second-team all-region player.
The senior finished her career with a school record 217 runs scored, 320 hits, 20 triples and 116 stolen bases. Her career average of .460 ranks as the ninth-best ever in NCAA softball history. Burnett was one of just six student-athletes from a non Power-Five conference to be named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year finalist.
Burnett wasn’t the only Big Sky player to rank well in the NCAA. Big Sky Freshman of the Year Takesha Saltern from Weber State ranked sixth nationally in batting average (.451), while being one hit away from the NCAA lead with 92 on the year. Saltern also ranked second in triples with nine and ninth in triples per game (0.15)
Montana’s Delene Colburn ranked seventh nationally with 19 doubles and 14th with 134 total bases. Sacramento State’s Zamari Hinton was rated as the fifth-toughest player to strike out with a 52.3 rating. In the team statistic rankings, WSU ranked in the top 15 in batting average (15th, .319), double plays per game (10th, .57) and triples per game (7th, .37) while ISU was 13th in stolen bases per game (1.91).