FAYETTEVILLE- Arkansas head coach Courtney Deifel has added a veteran outfielder from the University of Iowa, signing Nia Carter to the roster as a graduate transfer. Carter will be immediately eligible with one year of eligibility remaining.
“We’re excited the Big Ten’s hits leader is going to be a Razorback,” said Deifel. “Nia has proven year in and year out to be one of the most electric players in the game. Her dynamic offense will quickly win over our incredible fan base, and we’re so thrilled she’s chosen Arkansas as her final home.”
Carter was a staple in the Hawkeye lineup throughout her four seasons, starting 177 games in her career while compiling an impressive .415 career batting average, which ranks first in Iowa’s program history.
This past season, she started all 62 games and hauled in a plethora of accolades including NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region, First Team All-Big Ten and Softball America Third Team All-America recognition. Carter was Iowa’s everyday right fielder and led the team in batting average (.479), hits (101), runs scored (45) and total bases (115). Carter slashed .479/.527/.545 while adding 30 RBI, 10 doubles, eight stolen bases and two triples. Her 101 hits paced the Big Ten while becoming just the second player in Big Ten history to eclipse 100 hits in a single season. Among the nation’s best, she ranked second and third nationally in hits and batting average.
As a junior in 2022, Carter started all 52 games and hit .405, leading the team in hits with 66. She also ranked second in the Big Ten in hits and batting average. Carter posted an incredible 20 multi-hit outings and three multi-RBI games. She finished the season with NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region honors. During her sophomore year, Carter amassed a .296 batting average while leading the Hawkeyes in hits with 42.
During the pandemic-shortened season in 2020 as a freshman, Carter made 19 starts and hit a Big-Ten leading .509 with nine RBIs, two doubles and one triple. She finished 11th nationally in batting average and was recognized as the Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week on March 24, making her the first player in program history to receive both honors in the same week.
Hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and St. Paul High School, Carter is the daughter of Clarence and Bettina Carter. Her father is in the Seattle University Athletics Hall of Fame for baseball and her mother played basketball for Seattle Pacific. Her brother, Trey, played baseball at Bethune-Cookman.
Deifel and the Razorbacks are coming off their third consecutive 40-win season and a top-four SEC finish along with the program’s sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. Earning the No. 11 national seed, all four of the program’s national seeds have been accumulated under head coach Courtney Deifel.
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Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Grace Taffola.
