The Southern Conference today named its softball All-Conference teams as voted on by the league’s eight head coaches. First-year program Western Carolina led the way, sweeping all but one of the individual accolades, as head coach Megan Smith was chosen the league’s Coach of the Year, Mendy McKenzie was dubbed the conference’s Pitcher of the Year and teammate Jenny Jackson was selected as the league’s top freshman.

The Catamounts also garnered the most All-Conference performers with six total (five first team).

Georgia Southern’s Shanita Black commandeered the league’s top individual award, earning Player of the Year accolades after a 2006 campaign that saw her finish the regular season first in the league in four major statistical categories, including hits (84), runs scored (58), triples (8) and stolen bases (30). The senior outfielder, who finished the regular season with the second-best batting average (.394), also collected the league’s longest hitting streak as well, hitting safely in 30 games at one point during the season.

Smith guided the Catamounts to the regular season championship in their first season as a softball program and in the SoCon, finishing with only four losses in league action. McKenzie acquired a plethora of the Catmounts’ victories. The freshman procured a league-high five SoCon Pitcher of the Week plaudits and concluded the regular season with a conference-high 22 wins. Jackson, who was also named to the All-SoCon first team as a utility player, hit .302 during the regular season, smacking 11 home runs while also going 15-5 from the pitcher’s circle.

P ? Mendy McKenzie, Western Carolina

P ? Melissa Laliberte, Georgia Southern

1B ? Heather Smith, Georgia Southern

2B ? Paige Goss, Elon

3B ? Lindsay Glover, Appalachian State

SS ? Heather Pritchard, Western Carolina

C ? Allyson McCubbins, Western Carolina

OF ? Jess Mathis, Furman

OF ? Shanita Black, Georgia Southern

OF ? Ashley Adams, Western Carolina

DP ? Shannon Howard, College of Charleston

UT ? Jenny Jackson, Western Carolina

P ? Yancy Moose, Appalachian State

P ? Logan Free, Georgia Southern

1B ? Jennifer Bonilla, UNC Greensboro

2B ? Gina Sterchi, Georgia Southern

3B ? Izmena Cabrera, College of Charleston

SS ? Kasey Motsinger, Appalachian State

C ? Jayme Durand, College of Charleston

OF ? Jennifer Golden, College of Charleston

OF ? Jeannie Cochran, Chattanooga

OF ? Amber Kiser, Furman

DP ? Savannah Filley, Western Carolina

UT ? Ashleigh Bull, Chattanooga

Player of the Year ? Shanita Black, Georgia Southern

Pitcher of the Year ? Mendy McKenzie, Western Carolina

Freshman of the Year ? Jenny Jackson, Western Carolina

Coach of the Year ? Megan Smith, Western Carolina

? SoCon ?