Matautia, Rivera, Huss claim NFCA All-America honors

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (June 4, 2014) – Tallahassee Community College's softball team landed three players on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's (NFCA) NJCAA Division I All-America teams, released on Wednesday. 

Outfielder Te Reo Powhiri Matautia earned a spot on the second-team while pitcher Mariah Rivera and first baseman Alexis Huss were third-team selections. 

Matautia, a freshman from Mangere Bridge, Auckland, New Zealand, led the Eagles with a .371 batting average, .425 on-base percentage, 66 hits and 54 runs scored while hitting six home runs and driving in 40 runs. 

She helped lead the Eagles to their first Panhandle Conference Championship since 1998 and their first FCSAA State Championship since 1994. At the FCSAA State Tournament, she was named Most Valuable Player after batting .480 with three home runs and eight RBI over eight games. She also earned a spot on the FCSAA Gulf District All-Tournament team.

Matautia was also named FCSAA Second-team All-State and First-team All-Panhandle Conference. 

Rivera, a freshman from Tallahassee, Fla., was previously named a second-team All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). 

En route to being named Panhandle Conference Pitcher of the Year, she posted a 21-6 record with three saves and a 1.60 ERA in 30 appearances. She recorded 26 complete games (out of 27 starts), pitched 183.2 innings and struck out 141, leading the team in all the aforementioned categories. 

Rivera was also named First-team FCSAA All-State, First-team All-Panhandle Conference and earned a spot on the FCSAA All-Tournament and FCSAA Gulf District All-Tournament teams. 

Huss, a sophomore from Frankfort, Ill., batted .355 with 13 home runs, a school-record 53 RBI and a .628 slugging percentage. She, too, was an FCSAA First-team All-State selection and was named to the FCSAA All-Tournament and FCSAA Gulf District All-Tournament teams. 

Huss was previously named First-team All-Panhandle Conference.