INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – With the 2024 softball season now in the rearview and statistics having been finalized by the NCAA, Colorado School of Mines shortstop Sidney Wilson can add one more accolade to her ledger from her time in Golden, being named the 2023-24 NCAA Division II Statistical Champion as being the Toughest Batter To Strike Out.
 
One of the most disciplined hitters in the RMAC and in Division II during her four seasons as an Oredigger, Wilson concluded her career with another stellar campaign at the plate in 2024, striking out just twice in 155 at bats, an average of once every 77.5 at bats, as she logged a total of 190 plate appearances over 51 games played in 2024.
 
Wilson went 31 games and 133 at bats into the season before being retired on strikes for the first time in 2024 on March 29 at Black Hills State. The second time was on April 13 at home against UCCS before she finished out the final 12 games of the season without a strikeout over a further 33 at bats.
 
For the season, Wilson posted a line of .335/.433/.406 with 52 hits, 19 runs scored, five doubles, two home runs and 28 runs batted in along with 21 walks and eight hit by pitches on her way to Honorable Mention All-RMAC honors for the second time in her career.
 
Over her career which spanned 184 games played, all of which she started out of a possible 187 games played during that period, Wilson struck out a mere 23 times in 548 at bats (23.8 AB/K) across 649 plate appearances. She recorded three seasons with five or fewer strikeouts in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and penned her name into the program record books with 60 career walks, good for eighth all-time, and 189 hits to slot in 11th all-time. For her career, Wilson batted .345 with three seasons of .335 or better with a .431 on-base and slugging percentage while she scored 90 runs, logged 32 doubles, five home runs and drove in 95. In addition to her all-time base on balls tally, she worked a further 28 free passes the hard way via the hit by pitch.
 
The rest of the top five nationally in terms of the toughest batters to strike out in Division II saw Lenoir-Rhyne's Julia Mardigian in second with an average of 62.0, striking out just four times in 248 at bats over 70 games played followed by Pitt State's Courtney Storey with an average of 54.3 in third, being rung up three times in 163 ABs over 59 games. Texas A&M International's Kennedy Griego ranked fourth with an average of 53.0 (3 K, 159 AB, 51 GP) while Lexi Jordan of Emmanuel (GA) was fifth with an average of 52.3 (4 K, 209 AB, 59 GP).
 
Additionally, Wilson was one of just three hitters in Division II nationally to strikeout only twice in 2024, the others being La'Taviona Parke from Savannah State (2 K, 103 AB, 35 GP) and Cianna Bullock of Livingstone (2 K, 64 AB, 30 GP).
 
Along with being the toughest batter to strike out in Division II, Wilson ranked 11th across all three divisions of the NCAA in 2024 when it came to strikeout average, and out of 174 players with at least 140 at bats and a minimum of 50 games played this season across all divisions, Wilson was the national leader.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on Twitter at @MinesSoftball and on Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.