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Tigerettes make mark on next level
Tyra Graham makes a break for second.
Former Tigerette Tyra Graham was named to the Academic All-District team for her play on the field and her excellence in the classroom at Cumberland during her sophomore season. The Smithville native batted .426 while holding a 3.75 grade point average.

A pair of Tigerettes now playing for Cumberland have received prestigious post-season honors for their play this past softball season. They include Tyra Graham and Kayley Caplinger.

Cumberland sophomore Tyra Graham earned CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 College Division honors, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) recently. Graham is now entered into the pool of candidates for Academic All-America accolades.

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.

The Smithville native batted .426 with 20 doubles, six home runs, 37 RBIs and 62 runs scored this season for the Phoenix, 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.

She has also been honored by being given honorable mention from the NAIA as All-American. She is only the second All-American in the team’s history.

Cumberland’s Kayley Caplinger, Tawnee Hegre and Taylor Woodring were 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, while Hegre posted 155 total chances without an error, including 129 chances at first base. Woodring was one of three outfielders without a miscue, recording 95 total chances with five assists.