BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – South Brunswick High’s Kina Davis was named the 2023-24 Gatorade North Carolina Softball Player of the Year according to Gatorade.
Per the announcement, Davis is the first South Brunswick High softball player to be selected for the award, which highlights athletes who succeed in the classroom and on the field and are active in the community.
Davis pitched 15 shutouts for the Lady Cougars, finishing the season with a 21-4 record. Additionally, the junior recorded five no-hitters and a .49 ERA. Over the course of 172.2 innings, she struck out 340 batters while only walking 18.
On offense, she finished the year with a .419 batting average, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.
“A devoted parishioner of her church community, Davis is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Health Occupations Student Association (HOSA), which promotes career opportunities in the healthcare industry and works to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare to all people. She has also donated her time as private instructor and camp counselor for youth softball players,” the release from Gatorade states.
In the classroom, Davis maintained a 4.16 GPA. She plans to play softball on scholarship for UNC Charlotte beginning in the fall of 2025.
Davis described the moments she realized she won Player of the Year, saying she is thankful and excited for her future.
“I was truly overwhelmed, I felt overwhelmed like I could finally take a breath, I completed it all, I’ve done it all and I am only a junior so there is more to come next year too,” said Davis.
Davis originally started softball to spend more time with friends and it quickly turned into a passion of her own. Davis also belongs to a travel league softball team. She says this year she focused on honing in on her skills and becoming the best she could be.
“I take practice very serious,” said Davis. “You can’t really have an off day at practice. I just know that if go out there and do 100% at practice then it’ll reflect in the games and it showed a lot this year,” she added.
However, Davis says she is most thankful for her teammates and coaches. She says she is looking forward to hitting the field next season to set new records.
“I am ready to do it again. I could relive the state championship over and over again if I could. I would literally choose that moment over anything that’s ever happened to me in my life. I would 100%, 1000% do it again and I am excited to maybe get there next year,” said Davis.
The South Brunswick High School Softball team will be recognized at the Boiling Spring Lakes Commissioner meeting on Tuesday at 6:30. The team will also be a part of the Southport Fourth of July Parade.
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