SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Southern Conference regular season champion Georgia Southern earned two first team all-conference team selections, one second team all-conference selection, an all-freshman team honoree and an individual award in balloting conducted by the league’s nine softball coaches, the conference office announced Monday.
The Eagles’ head coach Annie Smith was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in her first year at the helm. Georgia Southern clinched just its second regular-season title after finishing the 2012 campaign 38-17 with a 22-2 league record.
Chattanooga senior designated player Michelle Fuzzard was named the league’s Player of the Year and was selected to the all-conference first team. Fuzzard is second in the league in batting average, hitting .424 overall and .458 in league play. She led the league in RBI (61), was second in the conference in slugging percentage (.842), and recorded 59 hits. Fuzzard also hit 14 home runs on the year, 10 of which came in conference play. As a team, Chattanooga hit 58 homers on the year.
Georgia Southern’s Sarah Purvis garnered the Pitcher of the Year Award, while also receiving first team all-conference honors. The Eagle tallied 20 wins on the season, including 13 in league play. The sophomore pitched a league-high 184.2 innings and registered 220 strikeouts. The right-hander from Warner Robins, Ga. posted an impressive 1.52 ERA on the year and a 1.21 ERA in conference.
Joining Purvis on the first team for the Eagles was senior outfielder Marie Fogle. Teammate Hanna Ennis, a second baseman, earned a spot on the second team. Pitcher Brooke Red represents the Eagles on the all-freshman team.
Chattanooga led the way with nine all-conference selections. Joining Fuzzard on the first team for the Lady Mocs were senior catcher Vivian Morimoto, junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco and second baseman junior Sara Poteat. Teammates Taylor Deason, Jessica Traxler, Sarah Beth Roberts, Stephanie Rieck and Cheyenne Willis earned spots on the second team. Deason was also named to the all-freshman team.
Appalachian State utility player Sarah Warnock was tabbed the league’s Freshman of the Year and was named first-team all-conference. Warnock hit .386 during the regular season, including a .403 batting average during conference play. The Jamestown, N.C., native tallied 54 hits and 13 RBI in her freshman campaign and was second on the Mountaineer squad with nine doubles. She recorded a .450 slugging percentage and a .442 on-base percentage.
Behind the Lady Mocs’ nine all-conference selections, Appalachian State had four, followed by College of Charleston and Georgia Southern with three each. Furman had two honorees while Elon, UNCG and Western Carolina were represented with one apiece.
College of Charleston and Chattanooga placed three on the all-freshman team, while Appalachian State had two selections. Georgia Southern and Samford earned one honoree.
The 2012 Southern Conference Softball Championship begins Wednesday (May 9) at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium in Boone, N.C. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday (May 12) at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
2012 Southern Conference Softball All-Conference Teams
First Team
Pitcher: Stephanie Saylors, College of Charleston
Pitcher: Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern
Catcher: Vivian Morimoto, Chattanooga
1st Base: Kasey Tydingco, Chattanooga
2nd Base: Sara Poteat, Chattanooga
Shortstop: Megan Rembielak, Appalachian State
3rd Base: Jessie Homesley, Furman
Outfield: Allie Cashion, Appalachian State
Outfield: Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern
Outfield: Erin Foster, Western Carolina
Designated Player: Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
Utility Player: Sarah Warnock, Appalachian State
Second Team
Pitcher: Hope Klicker, College of Charleston
Pitcher: Taylor Deason, Chattanooga
Catcher: Michelle Lighton, Appalachian State
1st Base: Amanda Lonergan, College of Charleston
2nd Base: Hanna Ennis, Georgia Southern
Shortstop: Jessica Traxler, Chattanooga
3rd Base: Sarah Beth Roberts, Chattanooga
Outfield: Tomeka Watson, Elon
Outfield: Stephanie Rieck, Chattanooga
Outfield: Cheyenne Willis, Chattanooga
Designated Player: Katelyn Bedwell, UNCG
Utility Player: Lauren Collier, Furman
All-Freshman Team
Caroline Rogers, Appalachian State
Sarah Warnock, Appalachian State
Hope Klicker, College of Charleston
Allison Pedigo, College of Charleston
Mackenzie Maples, College of Charleston
Brooke Red, Georgia Southern
Madison Dickey, Samford
Taylor Deason, Chattanooga
Sarah Beth Roberts, Chattanooga
Cheyenne Willis, Chattanooga
Player of the Year
Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
Pitcher of the Year
Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern
Freshman of the Year
Sarah Warnock, Appalachian State
Coach of the Year
Annie Smith, Georgia Southern