UF Softball: Echols, Adams, and Hightower Tabbed NFCA All-Americans

Courtesy of University Athletic Association
BY HERB BROOKS
It’s the first NFCA All-American award for all three student-athletes
The three players from the Florida softball team earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American accolades for the first time of their careers Wednesday afternoon.
Charla Echols, Hannah Adams, and Elizabeth Hightower achieved All-American status after successful 2021 campaigns.
Echols was tabbed a unanimous first team selection, while Adams and Hightower garnered third team honors. With the addition of this year’s selections, the program has developed 24 NFCA All-Americans, while 23 have earned 46 honors during head coach Tim Walton’s tenure.
In addition, since 2015, UF has produced at least three NFCA All-Americans every year the awards have been available.
Charla Echols | Junior | Infielder | Newnan, Ga.
- 2021 NFCA All-American First Team
- 2021 NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team
- 2021 All-SEC First Team
- 2021 All-SEC Defensive Team – 3B
- 2021 SEC All-Tournament Team
- 2021 SEC Player of the Week – 2x
- Produced two walk-off hits this season.
- Led the team with 18 multi-hit games, 15 multi-RBI games, and 36-game reached base safely streak and nine-game hit streak.
- Has only struck out three times in 154 at-bats and held a .763 slugging percentage.
- Hit .500 (4-for-8) in 2021 NCAA Gainesville Regional with a double, a triple, and home run.
Hannah Adams | Senior | Infielder | Hoschton, Ga.
- 2021 NFCA All-American Third Team
- 2021 NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team
- 2021 All-SEC First Team
- 2021 All-SEC Defensive Team – 2B
- 2021 USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist
- Produced three walk-off hits in 2021, including the RBI double in the 1-0 win over USF to open the 2021 Gainesville Regional, and has six over her career.
- Ranks second on the team with 17 multi-hit games, third in multi-RBI games with eight, and turned in a career-long 13-game hit streak earlier this year. Also, has reached base safely in 53 of the 56 games played this season.
- Scored the game-winning run 18 times this season.
Elizabeth Hightower | Junior | Pitcher | Monticello, Fla.
- 2021 NFCA All-American Third Team
- 2021 NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team
- 2021 All-SEC Second Team
- 2021 SEC Pitcher of the Week – 2x
- 2021 D1Softball.com National Pitcher of the Week
- Threw the first no-hitter of her career against USF in the Gainesville Regional Championship game. It was only the fourth complete-game no-hitter for the Gators in NCAA Tournament play.
- Finished the 2021 Gainesville Regional with 13.1 innings pitched with no hits and no runs allowed in two appearances.
- Has also thrown two additional complete-game one-hitters and two more combined one-hitters in 2021.