Barjaktarovich and Chesson Land on NFCA All-Region Teams
5/20/2021 3:06:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Two Lehigh softball players have been named to the NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region teams announced Thursday. Junior shortstop Carley Barjaktarovich was named to the first team, while junior outfielder Jaelynn Chesson earned a spot on the second team. Barjaktarovich and Chesson were both top contributors for the Mountain Hawks during the 2021 season.
This is the first career All-Region honor for both players.
Barjaktarovich earns first team all-region honors to a 2021 resume that already includes the Patriot League's Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She leads the Patriot League with a .471 batting average, 57 hits and 19 stolen bases, while ranking second among league players with 36 runs scored. A second team All-Patriot League honoree, Barjaktarovich capped her season by going 9-for-12 in the Patriot League Tournament to earn All-Tournament Team recognition.
For her career, Barjaktarovich has started all 106 games of her Lehigh career at shortstop. Her .471 batting average in 2021 is the second-highest single-season total in school history.
One of the nation's top power hitters and run producers, Chesson hit .389 in 2021 with a Patriot League-leading eight home runs and 50 RBI. Chesson also leads the Patriot League with 16 doubles, 82 total bases and a .759 slugging percentage. She was a two-time Patriot League Player of the Week during 2021 and had four games during the season in which she had five RBI, including going a pair of five RBI games in both ends of a doubleheader sweep at Lafayette on May 8.
Chesson currently ranks in the top five nationally in doubles per game (0.47) and runs batted in per game (1.47). She started all 34 games in right field and is now a two-time first team All-Patriot League selection.
Barjaktarovich and Chesson are Lehigh's first NFCA All-Region honorees since Christine Campbell and Carolyn Wright earned third team honors in 2017.
The Mountain Hawks finished the 2021 campaign at 18-16 and made their fourth consecutive appearance in the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
This is the first career All-Region honor for both players.
Barjaktarovich earns first team all-region honors to a 2021 resume that already includes the Patriot League's Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She leads the Patriot League with a .471 batting average, 57 hits and 19 stolen bases, while ranking second among league players with 36 runs scored. A second team All-Patriot League honoree, Barjaktarovich capped her season by going 9-for-12 in the Patriot League Tournament to earn All-Tournament Team recognition.
For her career, Barjaktarovich has started all 106 games of her Lehigh career at shortstop. Her .471 batting average in 2021 is the second-highest single-season total in school history.
One of the nation's top power hitters and run producers, Chesson hit .389 in 2021 with a Patriot League-leading eight home runs and 50 RBI. Chesson also leads the Patriot League with 16 doubles, 82 total bases and a .759 slugging percentage. She was a two-time Patriot League Player of the Week during 2021 and had four games during the season in which she had five RBI, including going a pair of five RBI games in both ends of a doubleheader sweep at Lafayette on May 8.
Chesson currently ranks in the top five nationally in doubles per game (0.47) and runs batted in per game (1.47). She started all 34 games in right field and is now a two-time first team All-Patriot League selection.
Barjaktarovich and Chesson are Lehigh's first NFCA All-Region honorees since Christine Campbell and Carolyn Wright earned third team honors in 2017.
The Mountain Hawks finished the 2021 campaign at 18-16 and made their fourth consecutive appearance in the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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