SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s O’Neil Roberson and Chattanooga’s Celie Hudson have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games played Feb. 7-9, the conference office announced Monday.
 
Roberson started the 2020 campaign by going 10-for-17 from the plate, adding 11 RBIs, three home runs and three runs scored as Samford went 3-2 in the Samford Softball Tournament. The junior got things started on Friday with three hits, two RBIs and a run scored in a 4-3 win over Eastern Illinois in the season opener. She added a pair of hits, one of which was a grand slam, in an 8-5 loss to Winthrop later that afternoon. On Saturday, the first baseman from Birmingham, Alabama, started the day going 2-for-3 at the plate in a 10-9 walk-off win against Akron and followed up that performance by going 3-for-5 in a 16-11 setback against Eastern Illinois. Roberson concluded the tournament with a hit, an RBI and a run scored, drawing two walks in a 9-8 win over Akron.
 
Hudson, the SoCon preseason pitcher of the year, began the year with a win, throwing five innings in a 9-1 win over Austin Peay in the Mocs’ season opener in Chattanooga, Tenn. The senior gave up five hits but allowed just one earned run, tallying six strikeouts en route to the win. She finished with a 1.40 ERA.
 
Others nominated for player of the week: Kelly Warren (ETSU), Riley Ludlam (Furman), Micayla Rood (Mercer) and Hayleigh Weissenbach (Chattanooga).
 
Others nominated for pitcher of the week: Kelly Schmidt (ETSU), Morgan Smith (Furman), and Bailey Pattison (Mercer).  
 
2020 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 10 – O’Neil Roberson, 1B, Jr., Samford
 
2020 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 10 – Celie Hudson, Sr., Chattanooga