Nine student-athletes have been named winners of the 2008 adidas Golden Shoe Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top baserunners.

Presented annually by adidas, the NFCA’s “Official Footwear,” the Golden Shoe Award recognizes student-athletes from NFCA member schools in each of the following nine divisions: NCAA (Divisions I, II and III), NAIA, NJCAA (Divisions I, II and III), Cal JC and NWAACC.

Division I NCAA
Rhea Taylor, Missouri
A second-team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American as a freshman, Taylor also garnered Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2008. She finished her freshman season with a team-leading .402 batting average and as the national leader in stolen bases with 57. She also set school records in at-bats (219), runs scored (64) and hits (88) as the Tigers won their first-ever NCAA Regional and advanced to Super Regionals where they fell to eventual NCAA semifinalist Alabama.

NCAA Division II
Kenyona Johnson, Miles
Johnson was a critical part of the Miles College team this season, hitting .448 (62-127) with an NCAA Division II-high total of 63 stolen bases on 66 attempts. She also contributed 72 runs scored, nine doubles, eight triples, three home runs, 36 RBI, 32 walks and a .756 slugging percentage for the Golden Bears during her senior season.

NCAA Division III
Lindsay Shepherd, Capital University
Shepherd led the Crusaders during the 2008 season, hitting a team-best .447 on the year. She went 59-for-132 at the p late with 32 runs scored, two triples and 42 stolen bases on 46 attempts, all of which are team-high totals. Shepherd also contributed five doubles, 13 RBI and a .515 slugging percentage with six sacrifice hits on the season.

NJCAA Division I
Whitney Little, Indian River Community College
Whitney Little hit a team-high .445 for Indian River during the 2008 season, turning in 77 hits with 14 RBI, 13 walks and an eye-popping 75 stolen bases on 77 attempts. She was perfect defensively on 24 chances. Indian River won the NFCA/Junior College Leadoff Classic, where Little was named to the All-Tournament Team.

NJCAA Division II
Samantha Waters, Iowa Central Community College
Waters led the Tritons with 206 at-bats, 75 runs scored, 97 hits, nine triples and 52 stolen bases on 55 attempts. She was one point shy of the team lead in batting average, checking in with a .471 clip for the season, along with 13 doubles, 14 walks and 44 RBI. Iowa Central Community College won a school record-tying 52 games and finished fourth in the Ringor/NJCAA Division Ii National Softball Poll. Waters earned NFCA All-Midwest

NJCAA Division III
Danielle DePasquale, Gloucester Community College
A first-team All-American representing Glouchester Community College, DePasquale hit .488 during the 2008 season, recording 45 runs scored, 61 hits, six doubles, 13 walks and 36 stolen bases without being caught stealing during the season. The Roadrunners reached the semifinal round of the Region XIX tournament.

Cal JC
Capree Williams, Cerritos College
Williams caught the final out of the State Championship game as the Falcons took home the Cal JC Championship for 2008. Williams led the team with a .469 batting average, scoring 70 runs with eight doubles, 23 RBI, 14 walks and 48 stolen bases on 51 attempts. She earned South Team All-America honors in 2008.

NWAACC
Kelly Smith, Pierce College
Smith won a second consecutive Western Division Title as the Raiders were led by Kelly Smith. Smith hit .405 on the season, going 32-for-79 with 29 runs, 16 RBI and seven stolen bases.

NAIA
Amanda Addie, Point Loma Nazarene
An NFCA first-team All-American, Amanda Addie turned in a .455 batting average on the season, going 90-for-198 with six doubles, three triples, two home runs, 21 RBI, 11 walks and 51 stolen bases on 53 attempts. The Sea Lions finished third at the NAIA Softball National Championship, where Addie was named to the All-Tournament Team.