Shayla Harper Named Central Region Player of the Year

Shayla Harper, Emily Deramus, Jacee Minter, and Terin Ritz All Earn First Team All-Region Honors

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma's Shayla Harper has been named NCAA Division II Central Region Player of the Year by the Conference Commissioners Association, it was announced Tuesday.

The senior third baseman from Durant was joined on the first-team unit by three teammates – freshman shortstop Emily Deramus, junior outfielder Jacee Minter and sophomore utility/pitcher Terin Ritz.

SEE THE COMPLETE D2CCA ALL-REGION TEAM HERE

All four players move on to the All-America ballot, with those awards to be announced next week. The D2CCA All-Region team is voted on by sports information directors of member schools, with the Central Region made up of teams from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), the Great American Conference (GAC) and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

Harper has been an offensive and defensive ringleader all season for the No. 4-ranked Bronchos, who are 50-6 heading into the NCAA Central Super Regional they will host against Southern Arkansas Thursday and Friday.

Harper leads UCO in average (.406), runs (53), home runs (14), runs batted in (54), slugging percentage (.741), on-base percentage (.462) and sacrifice flies (five). She also has a team-high 103 assists from her third base post in leading Division II's best defense.

Deramus is hitting .361 with a team bests in at bats (194), hits (70) and doubles (19) to go along with 12 homers and 46 RBI. The Edmond rookie has also stolen 11 bases and made 101 assists from her shortstop spot.

Minter, a returning D2CCA All-American, is second on the team with a .364 average. The junior slugger from Edmond also has 12 doubles, 10 homers and 43 RBI.

Ritz has led UCO's pitching staff while having also seen action at first base and designated player. She's 24-1 with a 1.89 earned run average and just 28 walks in 174.1 innings in the circle in addition to hitting .354 with 11 homers and 49 RBI.

Harper, Minter and Ritz were named first-team NFCA All-Region last week, with Deramus earning second-team honors.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Shayla Harper: IF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#12 Jacee Minter: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#99 Terin Ritz: P/1B; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#5 Emily Deramus: IF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#11 Shayla Harper
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: IF

#12 Jacee Minter
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#99 Terin Ritz
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/1B

#5 Emily Deramus
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: IF