LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Senior third baseman Dayna Denner was named to the 2021 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Great Lakes Region First Team, the organization announced on Thursday. Denner is the first Rocket to be selected to the first team since Lena Richards in 1995.

"Dayna earning First-Team All-Region honors while going up against several Power 5 schools shows what type of respect coaches in our region have for her," Head Coach Joe Abraham said. "She could bat in any lineup in the country."

Denner also earned Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and First-Team All-MAC honors during the 2021 campaign. She started all 53 games for the Rockets and ranked second in the MAC with a .550 on-base percentage (17^th nationally), .841 slugging percentage (18^th nationally), 20 doubles (T-3^rd nationally) and 37 walks, third with a .421 batting average, and fourth with 13 home runs.

The awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second and third-team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region voted on the teams, and all student-athletes now become eligible for the 2021 NFCA Division I All-America squads. 

The 2021 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, June 2.