LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Junior pitcher Madelayne Ruffner (Charles Town, W.Va./Washington) of the Shepherd University softball team has been named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) DII Pitcher of the Week as announced by the NFCA on Tuesday. Ruffner gained NFCA weekly honors for the third time this season.

Ruffner, who continues to strike out her opponents at a nation's best clip, fanned 28 more batters over 17 innings and did not surrender a run in a 2-0 week. She matched a career-best with 19 punchouts in a 10-inning, three-hit shutout of Kutztown. Ruffner struck out nine more in a six-hit shutout of No. 25 Shippensburg. Leading Division II in strikeouts (243), strikeouts per seven innings (12.6), and WHIP (0.68); Ruffner surpassed the 800 career strikeout mark last weekend.