Bailey Backhaus named 1st-Team NJCAA All-American
June 6, 2025
Hutchinson Community College sophomore shortstop Bailey Backhaus earned another postseason award Wednesday being named first-team NJCAA Division I Softball All-American.
The sophomore from Newkirk, Oklahoma, became the first Blue Dragon in 33 years to be named a first-team NJCAA All-American. Infielder Chrissi Castro was the last Blue Dragon first-team All-American in 1992. Backhaus is the fourth first-team and 13th all-time NJCAA All-American in program history.
Backhaus' inclusion to the 2025 NJCAA All-America team marks the fifth-straight season a Blue Dragon has earned All-America honors, which extends a program-best streak. Backhaus joins Madison Grimes (2021), Riley Wertz (2022), Aspen Goetz (2023) and Olivia Sandoval (2024) in that streak of five-consecutive seasons with a Blue Dragon All-American.
Backhaus on Tuesday was named the NFCA/NJCAA Division I Golden Shoe Award winner. The two-year Blue Dragon starting shortstop was also named first-team All-Jayhawk Conference/Region 6 in May.
Backhaus concluded an incredible two-year run with the Blue Dragons that included 202 career hits (most by a two-year player in Blue Dragon history) and a career batting average of .502, which established new a Blue Dragon career record.
The Blue Dragon shortstop also set career records for total singles (166), triples (16) and tied the career record for stolen bases (82). Her career marks of 155 runs scored and 254 total bases are second on the Blue Dragon career charts, but are the most by a two-year player in team history.
Backhaus helped the Blue Dragons to 84 total wins, the program's first Region 6 Tournament championship since 1987, the 2025 Jayhawk Conference championship and the Blue Dragons' first-ever appearance and first victory in the NJCAA Softball World Series in 2024.
This season, Backhaus hit .530, the second-highest batting average in a single season in team history with 98 hits, second only to her record 104 hits from her freshman season in 2024. In 30 KJCCC games, Backhaus hit a torrid .608 (76 for 125) with 64 runs scored and 35 RBIs from the leadoff position.
Of her 98 total hits, nine went for doubles and she hit a single-season record 10 triples.
Backhaus broke the Blue Dragon single-season stolen base record with 57 steals in 58 attempts. Her 82 career steals tied Lexi Williams (2020-21) for first place in team history.
Backhaus also broke a Blue Dragon single-season record for runs scores with 78, again surpassing her own record of 77 set last season.
Backhaus had a season-long 16 game hitting streak this season and reached base in 33 consecutive games. She had 31 multi-hit games this season, including three five-hit games against Fort Hays Tech Northwest on March 1, Colby on March 16 and Garden City on April 17. She tied single-game record for runs with five against Pratt on February 26 and Garden City on April 17.
BLUE DRAGON SOFTBALL NJCAA ALL-AMERICANS
2025 – 1st Team: Bailey Backhaus, infielder
2024 – 2nd Team: Olivia Sandoval, infielder
2023 – 3rd Team: Aspen Goetz, infielder
2022 – 3rd Team: Riley Wertz, Pitcher
2021 – 2nd Team: Madison Grimes, infielder
2016 – 2nd Team: Holly Kelley, pitcher
2008 – 2nd Team: Jessica Glenn, outfielder
1992 – 1st Team: Chrissi Castro, infielder
1992 – 2nd Team: Kim Newbern, infielder
1990 – 2nd Team: Rhonda Rowley, catcher
1987 – 1st Team: Tammy Parrish, pitcher
1987 – Honorable Mention: Shelly Blair, infielder
1986 – 1st Team: Tammy Parrish, pitcher
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