CRESCENT HILL, Kentucky--Four University of Hawai`i Hilo softball players from the 2019 team have been honored as Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes.

Pitcher Billi Derleth, outfielder Maria Steadmon, infielder Brandee Chinen and catcher Markie Okamoto all qualified for the honor, sponsored by Easton and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

To make the team, you must have a 3.5 grade accumulative grade point average, have spent at least two semesters at your school and have lettered this past season.

Derleth, a junior with a 3.917 GPA in Communications, is the group headliner. The pitcher was also UH Hilo's Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. The Huntington Beach, Calif. native is UHH's SAAC vice-president and was also named earlier this week to the Pacific West Conference All-Academic Team. 

Steadmon graduated this past season after a four-year career as a Vulcan. A Marine Biology major and a Chemistry minor, she takes a 3.725 GPA to the University of Hawaii in Manoa next year to pursue a PH-D in Biological Oceanograhy, in hopes of continuing research on Aquatic Pathogens. She is also from Huntington Beach.

Okamoto, a sophomore, has a 3.536 GPA in Biology. The Milillani, Hawai`i native was behind the dish for 43 of UH Hilo's 48 games this year. She was fourth on the Vulcans with 24 runs batted in. Chinen, a freshman infielder from Hilo's Waiakea HS, posted a 3.534 GPA in her major of Biology. She made 12 starts at second base for UH Hilo. 

Established in 1983, the NFCA is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. Over 5,700 coaches are members, representing all 50 states and 11 international countries.