Posted: Jun 04, 2021
(Story courtesy of Texas Lutheran Athletic Communications)
SALEM, Va. -- Texas Lutheran University's Chassety Raines is the recipient of the 2021 NCAA Division III Softball Elite 90 award.
The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.
The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships.
Raines, a sophomore athletically and junior academically, holds a 4.0 grade point average. She is a double-major. She is majoring in social entrepreneurship and innovation. Her second major is environmental biology.
Raines is TLU's starting third baseman and also serves as a starting pitcher and occasional outfielder.
Raines is the second consecutive TLU Bulldog to win the Elite 90 for NCAA DIII Softball. TLU's DeAnna Hernandez won the Elite 90 in 2019, when the Bulldogs won the NCAA DIII national championship.
The 2020 Elite 90 for D3 Softball was not presented because of the cancellation of the spring championships due to COVID-19.
Raines also played on the 2019 national championship squad. She was the Most Outstanding Player of the national championship finals. As a true freshman, she tossed a complete-game three-hitter in the title-clinching victory over Emory (Ga.).
At this year's TLU Athletics Awards Program, Raines was named the Junior-Year Student-Athlete of the Year.
In helping the Bulldogs get back to the national championship finals this year, Raines is hitting .372 with a .484 on-base percentage. She has scored 29 runs and driven in 29. Raines has four doubles, two triples, and two home runs. She was named to the All-SCAC First Team and to the All-West Region First Team. She was also named to the NCAA Division III Seguin, Texas Regional All-Tournament Team.
In the circle, Raines is 7-0 with a 2.43 ERA. She has tossed 31-2/3 innings and struck out 15. Raines is 19-0 in her Bulldog career with a career ERA of 1.43.