CSUN softball junior Taylor Glover has been named a Third Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), becoming the first Matador to earn the prestigious honor since 2004. A center fielder from Los Angeles, CA, Glover batted .429 for the season and saved her best for the top competition in the nation, sporting a .522 batting average in 21 games vs. the RPI top 75.

“I was pretty speechless when I got the call from Coach Flowers. It is something that I wanted really bad and when it happens, it shows that all the work pays off,” Glover said. “Receiving the award really got me amped for next year. As far as what we have coming back with the team and our newcomers, this award really amped me up to get out there and play.”

Glover had a sensational junior campaign and was rewarded by becoming the first CSUN player since Christen Bedwell in 2004 to earn the award. Against the RPI top 75, Glover batted .522 (35-67) in 21 games and totaled eight runs, nine RBIs, seven doubles, a home run, three walks, five stolen bases and just two strikeouts against some of the nation’s elite teams. She finished with 12 multi-hit games against the RPI top 75, including four against Wichita State and three against Oregon, San Diego State, Illinois, Long Beach State twice and Weber State.

“When I got the word, the first thing I actually thought about was my defense. I have put a lot of work into my defense, working on covering more ground and making sliding catches, and thinking about all the big defensive plays I made for my team was awesome,” she added. “As far as hitting, I cannot remember any specific moment during the season because I try and keep the same mindset in each at-bat.”

For the season, Glover batted .429 with 78 hits to lead the Matadors and posted CSUN’s best figures in each respective category in 20 years. She added 39 runs, 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 31 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 56 games. Glover ranked among the Big West Conference’s top 10 in 10 major offensive categories and earned her third-straight First Team All-Big West award for her production at the plate and in the outfield, where she sported .952 fielding percentage in 62 chances.

“This is a great day for Taylor and the CSUN softball program. She and her teammates have put in a lot of work over the past three seasons and this award is representative of that dedication and success,” CSUN head coach Tairia Flowers said. “Taylor had a fantastic year both on and off the field for the Matadors and has been a great teammate. We look forward to a sensational senior season from her and the rest of the Matadors.”

In late May, Glover earned 2016 First Team NFCA All-West Region honors for the second time in her career, becoming the first Matador to achieve the feat in over a decade. She has been named ot the NFCA All-West Region team following each of her three seasons and matched a career high with two four-hit performances and three two-stolen base games during the year.

“This award pushes me to better. It also makes me think about next year and continuing to be a teammate that can be counted and relied upon for the rest of my squad,” Glover said. “I want to be that person that they want to compete with and that pushes them to reach new heights and goals. The first thing this award made me think about was how I was going to make our outfield even better.”

For her career, Glover has a .392 batting average in 171 career games and 169 starts. She has totaled 219 hits, 30 doubles, 14 triples, 16 home runs, 108 RBIs, 47 walks and 69 stolen bases in her three seasons as a Matador. She already ranks seventh in Big West Conference history with the 69 career stolen bases and is tied for 10th in conference history in triples. Glover owns the CSUN Division I program record for career stolen bases and ranks third in career triples, seventh in career RBIs and hits, fourth in career runs and tied for 10th in doubles.

“I would like to thank all my coaches. They have all worked tirelessly with me and the rest of the team all season, helping me open up my game offensively and I wouldn’t be here without them. I also want to thank my teammates, who constantly push me to keep performing at my best. Finally, my family is a big part of my success both on and off the field and their love and support inspires me every day.”