DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University senior catcher Emerie Germ and junior outfielder Casey Hargett were named to the 2015 University Division All-State Softball First Team as announced by the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) on Tuesday.

The NCCSIA All-State SToftball Teams award release marked the second time this postseason that Germ and Hargett were honored together for their play on the diamond in 2015 as they were both named Second Team All-Conference by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in May.

Germ and Hargett had the Lady Eagles best two batting averages for a program that had much-improved season from a year ago. NCCU finished its season with 18 wins – doubling its win total from 2014 – with the duo combining for 100 hits.

Germ lived up to her MEAC Preseason All-Conference attention by batting .343 with 47 hits, 26 RBI, 26 runs, five doubles, two triples and seven home runs. The Canton, Georgia, product led the Lady Eagles with a 12-game hit streak and had a team-best 13 multiple hit games in her final campaign. Germ’s 14 extra-base hits translated into a .562 slugging percentage and she was strong behind the plate as NCCU’s primary catcher. Germ threw out a couple base runners attempting to steal and notched a pickoff on her way to sporting a .974 fielding percentage. Germ was named Capital One Academic All-District in May.

Hargett was consistent throughout her junior season finishing with a team-high 53 hits and a .361 batting average. Hargett batted mostly from the leadoff position and was productive with a team-best .390 on-base percentage including nine doubles that turned into 27 runs. The Greenville, North Carolina, resident also drove in 22 runs and tallied hit streaks of six, seven and 10 games throughout 2015. Hargett finished with a .967 fielding percentage chiefly patrolling right field including a couple outfield assists. 

Germ garnered MEAC Player of the Week laurels twice in her senior season on the way to being named NCCU’s team MVP for a second time, sharing that honor in 2015 with sophomore pitcher/utility Dominique Wilson. Hargett also earned MEAC Player of the Week accolades this year before being tabbed the squad’s “True Grit” award winner.

Twenty-four players representing seven different North Carolina universities were selected to the first and second teams. NCCSSIA selects all-state teams in the University (Division I) and College (Division II, III, NAIA) divisions for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, softball and baseball. Nominees were