Female Athlete of the Year

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The Southern Conference Female Athlete of the Year Award was inaugurated in 1990. The Southern Conference Sports Media Association selected the winner in 1989-90. Since 1990-91, each school’s athletic director and a designated media representative have participated in the voting.

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2011-12 Female Athlete of the Year
  Michelle Fuzzard 

  School:        Chattanooga 
  Class:           Senior
  Hometown:  Huntington Beach, Calif.
  Sport:           Softball

Fuzzard becomes the seventh Lady Moc to win the award and the first softball player in league history to be named the Female Athlete of the Year. She was named the Player of the Year this season after leading the league in slugging percentage (.846), on-base percentage (.543), RBIs (63) and runs scored (52). Fuzzard was second in the league in batting average (.416), total bases (126) and walks (39).

A first team all-conference selection as the league's top designated player, Fuzzard also pitched in 36 games and made 27 starts for UTC and posted a 15-7 record. During her senior season she became the league's career leader in RBIs. As a junior she knocked in 74 runs, which set a new SoCon single-season record.

The Huntington Beach, Calif., native was named first team all-conference four times and also garnered second team honors as a pitcher in 2009 to become the only player in league history earn all-conference accolades as both a position player and pitcher in the same season.

Fuzzard graduated in 2011 with a degree in criminal justice and is currently working towards her Master's degree. Away from the diamond she has spent over 270 hours as an intern at the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute, providing assistance with the forensics and treatment team. A three-year member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at UTC, Fuzzard also serves on the school's Gender Equity Committee.
 

Athletic Achievements
  • Two-time Southern Conference Player of the Year
  • Posted a .416 batting average and also finished in the top 20 nationally in RBI (63), slugging ((.846) and on-base percentage (.545)
  • Aided the Lady Mocs in leading the nation in bating average as a team through the regular season for the second-straight year
  • Set career-bests in average (.416), runs scored (52), doubles (16), home runs (16) and walks (39).
  • Posted a 15-7 mark with a 3.34 ERA from the circle
  • Tallied 85 strikeouts in 144.2 innings of work
  • Four-time SoCon first team honoree
  • First student-athlete in league history to be recognized on the first (1B) and second (P) All-SoCon teams during the 2009 season
  • Honored as the conference's freshman of the year in 2008
 

Academic Achievements
  • Graduated in August 2011 with a degree in criminal justice
  • Currently working towards her master's degree in criminal justice
  • Maintains a 3.33 GPA in her graduate work
  • Completed of 270 hours as an intern at Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute over the past two years, providing assistance with the forensics unit and treatment team
 

Civic Achievements
  • One of 30 national representatives for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
  • Three-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) assisting in planning comminuty activities for the student-athletes in Chattanooga
  • Serves on the Gender Equity Committee for the university providing a student's perspective
  • Volunteered in the local community by mentoring younger players as an assistant with the 14U Eagles in the summer of 2009 and the head coach of the 10U Lady Mocs in the Fall of 2011