June 5, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Cumberland sophomore Tyra Graham earned Honorable Mention All-America honors from the NAIA on Friday, as selected by the NAIA All-America committee and announced at the conclusion of the NAIA Championships in Clermont, Fla.
Graham becomes the first All-American for the Phoenix since Jessica Roper, a Second Team selection in 2014, and only the second All-American in the program’s history.
The Smithville, Tenn., native batted .426 with 20 doubles, six home runs, 37 RBIs and 62 runs scored this season, adding 35 stolen bases. She ranked sixth nationally in runs scored, seventh in hits (87), 10th in doubles and 13th in total bases (129) and stolen bases.
Graham led the Mid-South Conference in runs scored, hits, doubles and total bases and ranked second in batting average and stolen bases. Cumberland improved from 17-33-1 in 2017 and 36-23 this season, doing so with four freshmen or sophomores as well as four newcomers, all junior transfers from junior colleges.
Graham also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District® 2 College Division honors, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) recently.
Student-athletes must be a sophomore, junior or senior, hold a 3.30 GPA and above and be a starter or major contributor off the bench to be eligible for nomination for the CoSIDA Academic All-District® award. Graham posts a 3.75 GPA in Exercise and Sport Science.
Meanwhile’s Cumberland’s Kayley Caplinger of DeKalb County was named to the 2018 Mid-South Conference Gold Glove Team, as announced by the league office during the conference tournament in Bowling Green, Ky.
The 2018 Mid-South Conference Gold Glove Team is selected by the coaches and based solely on fielding percentage at each position from the regular season.
Caplinger did not make an error in 34 chances in the circle for the Phoenix, posting 23 assists.