May 8, 2012
FRISCO, Texas - Texas State senior pitcher Chandler Hall was named the 2012 Southland Conference Softball Player of the Year by vote of the conference's head coaches and sports information directors, the league office announced Tuesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference softball teams. She was also named the conference pitcher of the year.
Hitter of the year honors went to Sam Houston State junior first baseman Kim Damian. Nicholls State junior second baseman Ashley Bertot was selected newcomer of the year and UTSA's Megan Low was tabbed freshman of the year. Texas State coach Ricci Woodard received coach of the year honors.
Hall became the seventh player in Southland history to be named player and pitcher of the year in the same season and first since Texas State's Ragan Smith accomplished the feat in 2008. Hall, a first-team all-conference selection, is the conference's second player to be named pitcher of the year three times, joining Louisiana-Lafayette's Kim Eisnaugle (1983-85). A native of Baytown, Texas, Hall led the Southland with a perfect 11-0 record in the circle this season against conference opponents. Hall was the only starting pitcher to go undefeated in league play this season. Hall was second in league play in strikeouts (82), third in ERA (0.71) and opponent batting average (.153) and fourth in innings pitched (79.2). Hall ranks second in Texas State history in career wins (82) and strikeouts (811) and is fourth in career doubles (39). She is the fifth different Texas State player to be named player of the year and the third Bobcat to win player and pitcher of the year in the same year, joining Smith and Katie Ann Trahan (2006).
Damian is the fourth Sam Houston State player to be named hitter of the year and first since Jennifer Jimenez (1993). A first-team all-conference selection at first base, Damian ranked in the top 10 in eight offensive categories. The Angleton, Texas, native led the Southland in slugging percentage (.701), home runs (10) and total bases (94), was third in RBI (32), fourth in batting average (.373), fifth in triples (two), seventh in doubles (10) and ninth in on-base percentage (.418). Damian is joined by junior teammates Shelbi Tucker and Tori Benavidez, who were named first-team all-conference at third base and outfield, respectively, to give the Bearkats three first-team selections, the most in the program since 1993.
Bertot, a League City, Texas, native, is the fifth Nicholls State player to be honored as newcomer of the year, joining teammate Ashley Ray (2011). Bertot's league-leading .388 batting average ranks seventh all-time in Nicholls State single-season history. She also led the Southland with a .459 on-base percentage. Bertot, who transferred from University of Buffalo after two seasons, ranks second in the conference in steals (15), fifth in hits (54) and seventh in runs scored (30).
Low is the second consecutive Roadrunner to be named freshman of the year after Molly Fichtner took the distinction last season. A first-team all-conference selection at catcher, Low led the conference behind the plate, picking off four runners this season. Low ranked in the top 10 in six offensive categories in the Southland. A Spring, Texas, native, Low was third in batting average (.375), fourth in on-base percentage (.456), fifth in hits (54), slugging percentage (.542) and total bases (78) and 10th in RBI (27).
Woodard received coach of the year honors after leading the Bobcats to their sixth Southland regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Woodard, Texas State's all-time winningest coach, earns her fourth coach of the year honor and first since 2008. The Bobcats posted an 18-2 mark in conference play, marking their highest conference winning percentage (.900) since 2001 (.963). Woodard's 436 wins is the most by any Southland coach at their current institution.
Thirteen players made a return appearance to the all-conference teams led by Texas State's Hall, who is making her fourth consecutive appearance. Central Arkansas junior Melanie Bryant and Nicholls State senior Megan Gaspard each make their third appearance on the all-conference teams. Ten additional players made their second consecutive all-conference appearance led by Fichtner, Benavidez, Ray, McNeese State senior Claire Terracina, Texas State juniors Haley Lemons, Anna Hernandez and Anne Marie Taylor, UT Arlington junior Teri Lyles, Central Arkansas senior Katie McGregor and Northwestern State senior Samantha Roberts.
Central Arkansas led all teams with eight all-conference selections. Regular-season champion Texas State and runner-up Sam Houston State each had six selections. The Bears and Bearkats led the league with three first-team all-conference selections each. UTSA received five all-conference selections. McNeese State had four, Nicholls State had three and Northwestern State earned two selections. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, UT Arlington and Stephen F. Austin each had one all-conference selection apiece.
The 2012 Southland Conference Softball Tournament is slated to get underway Thursday at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio, Texas, with game one starting at 11 a.m. Texas State won its sixth regular-season title and is the No. 1 seed. The tournament fields a six-team double elimination format with the winner punching its ticket to the NCAA tournament.
2012 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams
First Team |
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Pos. | Name | University | Class | Hometown |
1B | Kim Damian | Sam Houston State | Jr. | Angleton, Texas |
2B | Ashley Bertot | Nicholls State | Jr. | League City, Texas |
3B | Shelbi Tucker | Sam Houston State | Jr. | Montgomery, Texas |
SS | Molly Fichtner2 | UTSA | So. | Houston, Texas |
C | Megan Low | UTSA | Fr. | Spring, Texas |
UT | Melissa Bryant | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Hernando, Miss. |
DP | Ashley Modzelewski | McNeese State | Fr. | Sour Lake, Texas |
OF | Claire Terracina2 | McNeese State | Sr. | Lake Charles, La. |
OF | Nicole Beals | Central Arkansas | Sr. | Phoenix, Ariz. |
OF | Tori Benavidez2 | Sam Houston State | Jr. | Midlothian, Texas |
P | Chandler Hall4 | Texas State | Sr. | Baytown, Texas |
P | Kelsie Armstrong | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Hot Springs, Ark. |
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Second Team |
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1B | Haley Lemons2 | Texas State | Jr. | Rockwall, Texas |
2B | Anna Hernandez2 | Texas State | Jr. | Buda, Texas |
3B | Ashley Ray2 | Nicholls State | Sr. | Lafayette, La. |
SS | Tara McKenney | Northwestern State | So. | Red Oak, Texas |
C | Hillary Adams | Sam Houston State | Fr. | Elgin, Texas |
UT | Teri Lyles2 | UT Arlington | Jr. | Keller, Texas |
DP | Katie McGregor2 | Central Arkansas | Sr. | Lake Jackson, Texas |
OF | Alanna DiVittorio | McNeese State | So. | Harahan, La. |
OF | Stephanie Lasley | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Enola, Ark. |
OF | Brooke Baker | Texas State | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
P | Anne Marie Taylor2 | Texas State | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
P | Greta Cecchetti | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Sr. | Bollate, Italy |
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Third Team |
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1B | Ashley Boswell | Central Arkansas | Fr. | Tahlequah, Okla. |
2B | Ashley Kappler | UTSA | Sr. | Lake Jackson, Texas |
3B | Tiffany Roby | Central Arkansas | Fr. | North Little Rock, Ark. |
SS | Sarah Allison | Sam Houston State | So. | College Station, Texas |
SS | Selena Hernandez | Texas State | Fr. | Austin, Texas |
C | Melanie Bryant3 | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Hernando, Miss. |
UT | Elizabeth Arana | Stephen F. Austin | So. | The Woodlands, Texas |
DP | Ashley Isbell | Sam Houston State | Jr. | Katy, Texas |
OF | Samantha Roberts2 | Northwestern State | Sr. | Natchitoches, La. |
OF | Megan Gaspard3 | Nicholls State | Sr. | Coteau, La. |
OF | Courtney Buchman | UTSA | Fr. | Katy, Texas |
P | Tiffany Denham | McNeese State | Sr. | Alvin, Texas |
P | Haylee Staton | UTSA | Jr. | Austin, Texas |
2 Two-time all-conference selection
3 Three-time all-conference selection
4 Four-time all-conference selection
Honorable Mention - First Base: Brianna Rodriguez, Northwestern State; Caitlyn Ivy, UTSA; Second Base: Cali Burke, Northwestern State; Megan McCollum, Southeastern Louisiana; Lauren Langner, McNeese State; Third Base: Nikki Goff, UTSA; Short Stop: Lissa Avitia, Central Arkansas; Catcher: Erica LeFlore, UT Arlington; Utility Player: Kylie Roos, Northwestern State; Outfield: Marissa Koetting, McNeese State; Cassie Redman, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Hannah Schwarz, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Michelle Duhe, Southeastern Louisiana; Pitcher: Shelby Lancaster, Sam Houston State; Tomi Garrison, Sam Houston State.
Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Chandler Hall, Texas State
Hitter of the Year: Kim Damian, Sam Houston State
Pitcher of the Year: Chandler Hall, Texas State
Freshman of the Year: Megan Low, UTSA
Newcomer of the Year: Ashley Bertot, Nicholls State
Southland.org
