YORK, Pa. – Salisbury University junior softball outfielder LeAnne Collins (Sparks, Md./Hereford) was selected by the Capital Athletic Conference athletic directors as the 2016-17 Female Athlete of the Year. This marks the second year of the awards' existence, with Christopher Newport's Briana Sutton winning the honor in 2015-16. 

The Female Athlete of the Year Award is presented to the CAC student-athlete who garnered superior athletic recognition and achievement, either individually or in conjunction with her team.

Collins completed the year as one of the top players in Division III, selected as one of 10 finalists for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Player of the Year Award. She was named an NFCA First-Team All-American, NFCA First-Team All-Atlantic Region, CAC Player of the Year, and First-Team All-CAC. She also earned National Player of the Week honors in mid-March. 

Collins' statistics were off the charts in 2017, as she hit .537 with 73 hits, 48 runs scored and 30 RBIs while playing all 40 games for the Sea Gulls. She hit three home runs, seven triples and 11 doubles, converted on 11-of-14 stolen-base attempts, and notched a .583 on-base percentage and .787 slugging percentage for the year. Her 73 hits ranked third-most in Division III in 2017, while her .537 batting average was also third-best in the nation. She ranked in the top-10 nationally in on-base percentage (7th) and triples (6th), while also finishing in the top 30 in runs per game, slugging, and total bases.