LOUISVILLE, KY - Jennifer Rodriguez (Sylmar, CA/John F. Kennedy) and Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) of the Utica University softball team have garnered National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region III honors, as announced by the NFCA on Friday. Rodriguez was named to the NFCA All-Region III First Team as the designated player/utility while Joss captured second team honors as an outfielder. 
 
The duo became Utica's first NFCA All-Region honorees since Nicole Rice in 2018. 
 
Previously, Rodriguez was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year as well as to the All-Empire 8 First Team and Empire 8 All-Tournament Team. Joss also previously took in All-Empire 8 First Team honors as an outfielder. 
 
Rodriguez had a historic first season with the Pioneers as the California native set a new single-season program record with her .519 batting average (55-for-106), a mark that also still ranks top-10 nationally. Rodriguez mashed 16 extra-base hits including four home runs while leading the team with 33 RBIs. Her .755 slugging percentage and .544 on-base percentage were both top-three marks in the E8 while her OBP ranked top-35 in DIII. 
 
Joss set single-season highs with her .455 average, 51 hits, and .576 on-base percentage which also ranks first in the E8 and top-15 nationally. Her OBP, as well as her 43 runs scored, set new single-season program marks as well. She finished the year ranked second in the E8 in batting average, trailing only teammate Rodriguez. It is Joss's second time being named to an all-region team as she was named to the All-ECAC team in 2023.
 
For the entire list of NFCA All-Region Teams, visit here.