Five Mississippi State Softball Players Earn All-Region Honors

EUGENE, Ore. — Five Mississippi State softball players received NFCA All-Region honors Thursday, the second-highest total in program history, according to school officials.

Peja Goold was named to the First Team as a pitcher. Alyssa Faircloth and Kiarra Sells earned Second Team honors, while Nadia Barbary and Morgan Stiles made the Third Team. The Bulldogs have had multiple all-region selections in nine consecutive seasons, excluding 2020 when no awards were issued due to the pandemic.

Mississippi State will face Saint Mary’s (California) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time in the Eugene Regional, with the game broadcast on ESPN+. A win would put the Bulldogs in a game Saturday at 4 p.m. against the winner of Oregon and Idaho State. A loss would send them to an elimination game at 6:30 p.m. against the loser of that matchup.

Goold, a senior pitcher, earned her second straight First Team honor. She ranks fourth nationally with eight shutouts and is among the top 15 in hits per seven innings and WHIP. Goold has allowed a .177 batting average against, which ranks among the top five in MSU history for a single season. She has thrown her first career no-hitter this year and is second in program history for single-season shutouts. Goold also ranks in the top 10 in strikeouts per seven innings and total strikeouts for State.

Faircloth, a sophomore, was named to the Second Team and was recognized as Southeastern Conference Newcomer of the Year. She leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally with 235 strikeouts, setting a school record for strikeouts looking. Faircloth also ranks fifth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings and has recorded eight games with double-digit strikeouts. This is her first all-region selection.

Kiarra Sells, an outfielder, received her first all-region honor after starting every game and leading the team in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs, doubles, home runs, total bases, walks, and stolen bases. She is among the top five in school history for career slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS and hit-by-pitches. Sells was a walk-on before developing into one of MSU’s top hitters and was selected in this year’s AUSL Draft.

Barbary, a third baseman, made her third consecutive all-region team, a rare achievement in the program. The senior started all 56 games, batting .331 with 57 hits and 37 RBIs. She ranks second on the team in hits and RBIs and is climbing the MSU career charts in doubles, homers, and RBIs. Barbary has tied the school record for grand slams and is among the top third basemen in fielding percentage.

Stiles, a sophomore shortstop, earned her first all-region nod after starting every game. She posted a .308 batting average, and her defensive efforts included a .977 fielding percentage with just three errors. Stiles ranked third on the team in several offensive categories and was fifth among SEC shortstops in OPS.

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