BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Florida Atlantic University softball player Kiley Channell, a 2023 Keystone Heights High School graduate, was named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.
Channell, who plays shortstop, has started all 55 games this season for FAU, which is taking a 41-14 record into NCAA regional play. She’s batting .333, which ranks her fourth on her team and 12th in the AAC. Channell has hit a team-leading 19 doubles, which is second most in the AAC. She has also hit a triple and a home run and has 34 RBI (fourth on the team, 13th in the AAC).
The former Indian had three RBI in six games:
—In a 10-2 win over Maine on Feb. 16, she batted 2 for 3 with two doubles.
—In a 13-1 win over Central Arkansas on March 5, she batted 2 for 2 with a double.
—In an 11-3 win over UAB on March 15, she batted 3 for 4 with three doubles.
—In a 6-0 win over Florida International on March 19, she batted 4 for 4 with a double.
—In a 7-1 win over Memphis on March 23, she batted 2 for 3 with a double.
—In a 10-7 win over East Carolina on March 29, she batted 3 for 4 with a double and a home run.
Channell will be playing close to home this weekend when FAU takes part in the Gainesville Regional hosted by the University of Florida. The Owls will play South Alabama on Friday, May 17, at 2:30 p.m., following a noon game between Florida Gulf Coast and Florida, the nation’s number-four seed.
If FAU defeats South Alabama, it’ll play the Florida-FGCU winner on Saturday, May 18, at 1 p.m. If the Owls lose to South Alabama, they’ll play the Florida-FGCU loser on May 18 at 3:30 p.m.
A third game will be played on May 18 between the loser of the first game and the winner of the second game.
The championship will be determined on Sunday, May 19, at a time to be determined. The tournament is double elimination, so a second game could be played that same day if necessary.
