SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Southern Conference regular season champion Chattanooga earned five first team all-conference team selections, two second team all-conference selections, an all-freshman team honoree and two individual awards in balloting conducted by the league's nine softball coaches, the conference office announced Monday.
The Lady Mocs' head coach Frank Reed was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth straight season and the fifth time in his career. UTC clinched its fifth straight regular-season title and 13th since joining the league after finishing the 2011 campaign 38-12 with a 20-3 league record.
Chattanooga junior designated player Michelle Fuzzard was named the league's Player of the Year and was selected to the all-conference first team. Fuzzard led the league in batting average, hitting .418 overall and .423 in league play. She also led the conference in slugging percentage (.752), RBI (67) and hits (64). Fuzzard also hit 13 home runs on the year, seven on which in conference play, as Chattanooga hit a team-record 52 homers on the year.
Joining Fuzzard on the first team for the Lady Mocs were senior pitcher Kandice Irwin, junior catcher Vivian Morimoto, senior third baseman Tiffany Baker and senior outfielder Lyndsey Stiles. Sophomore teammates Kasey Tydingco, a first baseman, and Sara Poteat, a second baseman, earned spots on the second team all-conference while catcher Natalie Powers was named to the all-freshman team.
College of Charleston's Alexa Datko earned garnered the Pitcher of the Year award, while also receiving first team all-conference honors. The Cougar senior tallied a league-best 16 wins on the season, including seven in conference play. Datko pitched 157.2 innings on the year and registered 134 strikeouts. The right-hander posted an impressive 1.95 ERA on the year, including a 1.83 ERA in conference play. Datko also threw five complete game shutouts on the year for the Cougars.
Georgia Southern pitcher Allie Miles was tabbed the league's Freshman of the Year and was named second team all-conference. Miles led the league in strikeouts with 153 in 130.2 innings. Her 75 strikeouts in conference play were also a league high. The freshman from Dacula, Ga., registered a 2.79 ERA on the year, including 2.36 in the conference, and notched a league-best nine conference wins.
Chattanooga led the way with seven all-conference selections, followed by Appalachian State with four. Elon, Georgia Southern and UNCG each had three honorees, while College of Charleston and Furman had two apiece.
College of Charleston placed three on the all-freshman team, while by Appalachian State had two selections. Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, Samford and Chattanooga each earned one.
The 2011 Southern Conference Softball Championship begins Wednesday at Eagle Field at the Softball Complex in Statesboro, Ga. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
2011 Southern Conference Softball All-Conference Teams
First Team
Pitcher: Alexa Datko, College of Charleston
Pitcher: Kandice Irwin, Chattanooga
Catcher: Vivian Morimoto, Chattanooga
1st Base: Alex Emeterio, UNCG
2nd Base: Morgan Hughey, Furman
Shortstop: Jessie Homesley, Furman
3rd Base: Tiffany Baker, Chattanooga
Outfield: Allie Cashion, Appalachian State
Outfield: Lyndsey Stiles, Chattanooga
Outfield: Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern
Designated Player: Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
Utility Player: Meghan Smith, Appalachian State
Second Team
Pitcher: Hannah Dow, Appalachian State
Pitcher: Allie Miles, Georgia Southern
Catcher: Kaitlyn Piazzolla, Elon
1st Base: Kasey Tydingco, Chattanooga
2nd Base: Sara Poteat, Chattanooga
Shortstop: Kaitlin Merkt, UNCG
3rd Base: Katie Boyd, Appalachian State
Outfield: Carly Corthell, College of Charleston
Outfield: Carleigh Nester, Elon
Outfield: Tomeka Watson, Elon
Designated Player: Eileen Horsmon, UNCG
Utility Player: Megen Smith, Georgia Southern
All-Freshman Team
Carly Corthell, College of Charleston
Kelsey Hodgson, College of Charleston
Lizzy Vaughn, College of Charleston
Carleigh Nester, Elon
Lauren Collier, Furman
Allie Miles, Georgia Southern
Katelyn Bedwell, UNCG
Aisha Figueroa, UNCG
Nicole Bobrowski, Samford
Natalie Powers, Chattanooga
Player of the Year
Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
Pitcher of the Year
Alexa Datko, College of Charleston
Freshman of the Year
Allie Miles, Georgia Southern
Coach of the Year
Frank Reed, Chattanooga