by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Allison Kasick of Basehor-Linwood and Kaylynn Stratton of Turner are the recipients of Kansas City Kansas Community College’s most prestigious softball awards for the 2017 season.
A freshman first baseman, Kasick was named the Lady Blue Devils’ Most Valuable Player while Stratton, a sophomore outfielder, received the Justin Cothran Helmet Award for her performances on and off the field.
The Justin Cothran Award annually honors the life and contributions to softball of the late KCKCC assistant coach whose favorite expression was “Life’s Tough…Get a Helmet!” Cothran joined the KCKCC softball staff in 2000 and served as interim head coach one season. He resumed his role as assistant in 2000 until his passing at age 55 July 5, 2012.
“Kaylynn Stratton is the personification of what a student-athlete at KCKCC should be,” said KCKCC head softball coach Kacy Tillery. A two-time Academic All-American, Stratton compiled a 3.94 grade point average (4.0 her final semester) and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the KCKCC Honors Program.
Graduating with honors in May, she was also a two-time KJCCC honor roll recipient and on the KCKCC President’s Honor Roll all four semesters. Stratton has been accepted into the dental program at Johnson County Community College and will begin that program in August.
On the playing field, she finished 33rd in the nation in hitting with a .483 batting average. She was also third nationally in triples with five and 31st in on base percentage at .545 – statistics that ranked her fourth in the KJCCC in all three categories. She finished off her career by hitting for the cycle in the final week of the season. She was named to the All-Region second team and earned All-Jayhawk Conference honorable mention.
Off the field, Stratton took part in such community services as Unleashed Pet Rescue, Electronic Recycle Drive and the Campus Wonderland event.
“The perfect example of what a student-athlete should be – high character, great on the field and in the classroom, someone who we never had to worry about taking care of business,” Tillery said.
Hitting at a record .504 clip, Kasick was named to the All-Jayhawk and All-Region first teams and nominated for All-American recognition.
In addition to leading the Blue Devils in batting, she also led the team in doubles (15), home runs (10), runs-batted-in (60) and slugging percentage (.882). Nationally, her .504 average was 15th. She also finished third in the nation in walks and was 36th in runs-batted-in. As a team, led the Jayhawk in hitting with a .392 team average that was sixth in the nation.
“Allison is one of the most pure hitters I’ve had in my 16 years here at KCKCC,” Tillery said. “She’s also been accepted into the Nursing program here at the College and we’re hoping her schedule next spring will enable her to have a second season with us.”