Softball's Carter Selected to NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Team
May 19, 2022

Softball's Carter Selected to NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Team

CLEVELAND - The National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) has announced its third annual Scholar-Athlete Team for 2022, and Jayelyn Carter of Santa Fe Softball was one of just 11 honorees on the Team, which consists of 10 different sports and six different districts throughout the country.

The complete release from NATYCAA is provided here: NATYCAA Announces the 2022 Scholar-Athlete Team

To be eligible for the award, nominees must meet the following criteria: minimum 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 scale with a minimum of 36 semester hours or 45 quarter hours with a minimum of 24 semester/36 quarter hours at the nominating institution; participation in a minimum of one complete season of varsity competition at the nominating institution; outstanding athletics success; and outstanding qualities of leadership and citizenship.

Carter excelled in both the classroom as a nursing major and on the field as the center fielder for the Saints.

When Carter wasn't in clinicals or labs for her demanding area of study in the health field, the Gainesville native...

  • Was selected to the Second Team All Mid-Florida Conference for the second time in her career after three seasons with the Saints
  • Played in 40 games, starting in center field and hitting from first or second in the order
  • Led the team in runs scored with 48 (No. 13 in the FCSAA) and on-base percentage at .490 (No. 12 in the FCSAA)
  • Had 45 hits in her 122 at-bats for a .369 batting everage
  • Produced ten multi-hit games
  • Held a 12-game hitting streak from Mar. 19 - Apr. 10 
  • Used her speed to swipe 24 bases to rank second on the team
  • Played a role in two double plays on the year with solid play from center field
  • Surpassed 100 career runs at SF, moving into fourth in program-history with a total of 102

By virtue of being selected for this distinction amidst a record number of nominations, Carter is now a finalist for NATYCAA's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award sponsored by Relation Insurance Solutions, which will be announced later this month. Both the male and female winners will be provided travel and a $1,000 scholarship as they are formally recognized at the NATYCAA Convention, June 26-28 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, NV.

"Jaye is a perfect example of what hard work, perseverance, and drive are, and where it can get you," said Head Coach Savanah Webster. "I can't think of a more deserving, hardworking, enthusiastic person to receive this award. We are extremely proud of Jaye and all her hard work on and off the field."
 
"This award is such a high honor to receive," expressed Carter. "I am very thankful and blessed to have this opportunity, but all glory must go to God. The coaches, players, and staff at Santa Fe are truly a blessing to me and I would not be where I am today without them. I would like to thank the following:
  • The nursing program - they accomodate me so that I could practice and play more games. 
  • My teammates who are always encouraging
  • The coaches and Director of Athletics Greg McVey who have been so supportive. Coach Webster's flexibility, support, and effort that she put forth for me were unreal and this award would definitely have not been possible without her.
  • My family and church family that pray and are a pillar for me
  • God - Most of all, I thank God. Any ability that I have comes totally from Him. I thank Him for sending his son Jesus to die on the cross and rise from the dead three days later to save all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."