DAHLONEGA – The No. 11 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team had three players named to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Southeast All-Region Team Monday afternoon.

Freshman catcher Carleigh Knowles and junior outfielders Sydnee Reaves and Natalie Ray were all named to the D2CCA All-Region First Team. 

Knowles currently leads all NCAA Division II hitters with 21 home runs this season. She also ranks third in the country in slugging percentage and total bases, seventh nationally in RBIs and 24th in runs scored. Those ranks make her the only player in the country to rank in the top 25 nationally in homers, RBIs, runs, slugging and total bases. 

Ray added to her impressive accolades this season with Monday announcements. This is the first honor from the D2CCA in her career. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region and Peach Belt Conference All-Conference First Teamer currently ranks in the top 35 nationally in home runs, RBIs, runs scored, slugging percentage and total bases. 

She entered the NCAA Tournament ranked third in the PBC in batting average and on-base percentage while ranking second in slugging. 

Reaves earned the third D2CCA honor of her career Monday after being a South Region First Team and Third Team All-American at Montevallo last year. In her first season with the Nighthawks, Reaves ranked fourth in the nation in runs scored. The center fielder also ranked 17th nationally in total bases, 22nd in doubles and 33rd in total hits. 

Reaves dominated the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for UNG. Her five-game performance helped lead the Nighthawks to their fifth consecutive Southeast Super Regional appearance. Reaves' 10 hits on the weekend rank second among all NCAA Tournament competitors. She's also second in the tournament with 14 total bases, fourth with six RBIs and fifth with five runs scored.

Knowles, Ray, Reaves and UNG now head to Florence, S.C. to face No. 2 and top-seeded Francis Marion (FMU) for the 2025 NCAA Southeast Super Regional. The Nighthawks look to defeat the Patriots in the best-of-three series and return to the NCAA Softball Championship for the first time since their National Championship run in 2023.