CHARLOTTE, NC - Fayetteville State softball earned two CIAA weekly honors following a strong Week 5 showing, as Claira Stone was named CIAA Defensive Player of the Week and Tamarah Lowery was selected as CIAA Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.

Stone, a junior elementary education major from Alberta, Canada, anchored the Broncos defensively behind the plate throughout the week, providing steady leadership and consistency across four games. She recorded 32 putouts and three assists, including seven putouts in an 8–3 win over Bluefield (VA), seven putouts and two assists in a 5–0 shutout of Bluefield, three putouts and one assist in a 6–5 victory over Carolina, and a standout 15‑putout performance in the extra‑inning nightcap. Stone managed multiple pitchers, controlled the running game, and handled late‑inning and extra‑inning situations without a charged error.

Lowery, a senior sports & fitness management major from Red Springs, N.C., delivered a dominant week in the circle, anchoring the pitching staff with 16.0 innings across two complete games. She struck out 22 batters while allowing just five earned runs, finishing the week with a 2.19 ERA. Lowery earned the win against Bluefield with a seven‑inning complete game, then followed with a nine‑inning performance against Carolina in which she recorded 15 strikeouts. Across both outings, she limited opponents to 12 hits and 11 walks, repeatedly working through high‑leverage innings to keep Fayetteville State competitive.

The Broncos now turn their attention to Raleigh, North Carolina, where Fayetteville State will compete in the CIAA Round‑Up, hosted by Shaw University, March 26–28. Fans can stay up to date on game times and opponents by visiting fsubroncos.com.