Hoyt honored with prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarship

NEW CONCORD, OHIO - Former Muskingum College softball All-American pitcher Erica Hoyt has been awarded a prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarship. The NCAA awarded 58 postgraduate scholarships of $7,500 each to 29 male and 29 female student-athletes across all divisions this spring.

Hoyt ended her illustrious career with an overall mark of 120-14 and an Ohio Athletic Conference record 814 strikeouts, which ranks seventh in Division III history. She started 138 games throughout her career, which ranks second in Division III behind former Muskingum pitching coach and Muskie All-American Jennifer Segner-Filtz. Hoyt owns the Muskingum records for lowest career ERA (1.08) and fewest losses (14).

The Tipp City native was a 10-time OAC Pitcher of the Week, two-time John Wells OAC Pitcher of the Year, two-time Gayle Lauth OAC Player of the Year, four-time first team All-OAC performer and was named NFCA/Louisville Slugger Division III National Player of the Week in 2004.

Hoyt led Division III in wins as a sophomore (37) and junior (38) and was a four-time All-Central Region honoree. She was awarded Muskingum's William F. Lange Outstanding Freshman Female Athlete Award and concluded her Muskie tenure with the Barbara Steiner Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award.

She helped lead Muskingum to a 173-25 overall record, which includes four straight Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles, four straight NCAA Regional titles and four consecutive appearances in the Division III World Series.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association’s most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership, are evaluated. In maintaining the highest standards in the selection process, the program aims to reward individuals whose dedication and effort are reflective of those characteristics necessary to succeed and thrive through postgraduate study in an accredited graduate degree program.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

Nomination forms are sent to faculty athletics representatives for all sports in the fall. Selections are made three times each academic year. The application must be submitted during the appropriate seasonal category for the sport to the NCAA National Office. Candidates are screened by seven regional selection committees, and the award recipients are selected by the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee