Clemson’s Valerie Cagle has been named a National FastPitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Second Team All-American as a utility/pitcher, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Cagle becomes the first-ever All-American in Clemson softball history.

Cagle guided Clemson to an ACC regular season championship and an appearance in the 2021 ACC Championship title game in the program’s first opportunity to do so. She also became the first player in league history to earn ACC Player of the Year and ACC Freshman of the Year honors in the same year. Cagle is also the only player in the nation to pitch at least 200.0 innings while achieving at least a .400 batting average. Cagle (1.16) currently ranks second in the ACC in ERA.

Cagle was one of five ACC student-athletes to be named to the All-America list. The others included: Keely Rochard (Virginia Tech, First Team), Deja Davis (Duke, Second Team), Kathryn Sandercock (Florida State, Second Team) and Abby Sweet (Notre Dame, Second Team).

On May 20, Cagle and Clemson outfielder McKenzie Clark (Myakka City, Fla.) were named to the NFCA’s All-Region Southeast team. Only players who were selected to All-Region teams were eligible for consideration at the All-American level. Each All-American team is comprised of 18 players, including: three pitchers, one catcher, one first base, one second base, one third base, one shortstop, three outfielders, one utility/pitcher, one utility/non-pitcher, and five at-large positions. At-large positions were nominated by the NFCA All-Region committee representatives.

Notes on Valerie Cagle: First player in league history garner ACC Player or Pitcher of the Year, while also collecting Freshman of the Year honors … Led Clemson in batting average (.404), slugging percentage (.821), on-base percentage (.492), hits (63), RBI (45), doubles (12), home runs (17), total bases (128), walks (27), ERA (1.16), opposing batting average (.184), wins (28), saves (5), innings pitched (216.2), batters struck out (267), appearances (40) games started (32), complete games (26) and shutouts (11) … Cagle led the ACC in the following statistical categories: home runs, slugging percentage, total bases and victories … As of June 2, Cagle was second in the ACC in ERA and strikeouts.

—Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications