10 NCAA Softball Juniors to watch in 2017

Emanuel played in 61 games with a .404 batting average, 82 hits, 20 RBI, 56 runs and 33 stolen bases. That helped her earn a spot on the NFCA All-Region Second Team and All-SEC Second Team as well.Emanual also set the school record with a 23-game hit streak. She will be a threat to be All-American in 2017.

Gibson impressed in 2016 hitting .404 with six home runs, 30 RBI, eight doubles and five triples. The five triples were good enough to be fifth in the country.  She was only the fourth player in program history to bat .400 or above on the season.

Sanders saw a big increase in her power numbers in 2016. She led the team in RBI (58).  From 2015 to 2016 she went from four home runs to 18.  She also more than doubled her extra base hits total from freshman season, finishing with eight doubles and one triple to go along with those home runs.

Ellazar is coming off one of the best seasons in Maryland softball history, batting .399 with a .458 on-base percentage and a .574 slugging percentage. That batting average was the third-highest in school history. Ellazar led the Terps in batting average (.399), slugging percentage (.574), on-base percentage (.458), runs scored (32), hits (59), doubles (12), total bases (85) and assists (103). Any improvement upon that and she should rack up the honors this season.

Brown is coming off a strong season that landed her on the All-WCC second team, She set the program record with 20 doubles and was ranked 11th nationally in doubles per game (0.38). Brown posted a .388 batting average and led the team with a .687 slugging percentage.

Douglass transfers to Syracuse from SIUE wherein 2015 she was the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year.  Lasts season she ranked No. 16 nationally in saves with five and won 35 games on the year with a solid 185 ERA. She brings stability to the circle for Syracuse.

Carlson went 19-2 in 2016 and tossed four complete-game shutouts. Matter of fact she won her first 13 decisions. Impressive considering Auburn’s schedule. Carlson led Auburn in innings pitched (130.2). She held opposing hitters to just a .236 average. Carlson showed a lot of promise and a step forward could be a great thing for Auburn.

Hitchcock threw four shutouts and 19 complete games in 2016. The strength of her game is her accuracy. She finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation in “walks allowed per seven innings” with just 0.59 per game as she issued just 15 walks with a career-high 103 strikeouts in 177.0 innings.

Sertic was named to the 2016 NFCA All-Midwest Region First Team. She was also named the 2016 Summit League Pitcher of the Year and the All-Summit League First Team. Although her numbers do not jump off the page she should some great upside and should be even better in 2017.

Ward Led the Bulldogs with nine wins and two saves on the season in 2016. She held her opponents to a .227 batting average. She held the best ERA (2.74) on the team. Ward is a key player in a team that appears to be on the rise on the toughest conference in the nation.