All-SoCon softball teams announced

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford infielder Olivia Shaw has been named the Southern Conference Player of the Year and UNCG right-hander Brooklyn Shroyer has been named the SoCon Pitcher of the Year in voting of the league’s eight head coaches. Spartans’ catcher/infielder Avery Bouquin was voted the SoCon Freshmen of the Year and UNCG’s Janelle Breneman was recognized by her peers as the league’s coach of the year.

The coaches also named All-SoCon first and second teams and an all-freshman team. Due to a tie in the voting, an extra utility/pitcher is on the first team. On the second team, an extra infielder and outfielder were included based on a tie in the voting.

Shaw, who was the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year, finished the season in the top 10 in the SoCon in seven offensive categories, including leading the conference in doubles (17). The native of Hoschton, Georgia, leads the Bulldogs in batting average (.381), hits (64) and runs (43). The junior, who played and started all 55 games for Samford, finished the season with 18 multi-hit games and two or more RBIs in a game on 15 occasions. Shaw is the Bulldogs’ fourth SoCon Player of the Year, the first since Mary Katherine Tedder in 2022. 

Shroyer amassed 18 wins and two saves with a 1.58 ERA, striking out 163 batters in 141.1 innings pitched over 30 appearances (19 starts) this season. The junior tossed nine shutouts this season, which is ranked third in the NCAA. Shroyer was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 23, March 9 and March 30. The product of San Dimas, California, became UNCG’s second winner of SoCon Pitcher of the Year, joining the 2021 and 2022 recipient Morgan Scott.

Bouquin played in 52 games with 51 starts for UNCG, completing the regular season with a .362 batting average, five home runs, 16 doubles, which is second in the SoCon, and 35 RBIs. The Palmetto, Florida, native had two or more hits in 14 games, with six of those coming in league contests. Bouquin is UNCG’s fifth recipient of the SoCon Freshman of the Year award.

Breneman earned SoCon Coach of the Year for the fifth time, marking her first win since the 2023 season. In her 14^th year at the helm, Breneman led UNCG to a 39-17 overall record and a 17-4 mark in SoCon games. The Spartans won the SoCon regular season crown for the seventh time and will be the conference tournament’s No. 1 seed. UNCG leads the league in ERA (2.22), strikeouts (291) and doubles (90), while placing second in hits (449), RBIs (294) and home runs (60). 

UNCG led the league with eight all-conference selections. The Spartans had three first-team selections as Shroyer was joined by infielder Macy Michael and outfielder Kaylyn Belfield on the squad. Samford, Western Carolina and Wofford had three selections on the first team. Shaw made the squad alongside teammates, catcher Katie Campbell and utility/pitcher Brandy Phillips. The Catamounts were represented by pitcher Amanda Fulton, infielder Maya McPherson and outfielder Sydney Dirks. The Terriers’ first team selections were outfielder Desirae Devine and Brianna Stanley, who was selected as an infielder and designated player. Mercer’s Grace Jones rounded out the first team as an utility/pitcher.

UNCG had five selections on the second team as Bouquin, pitcher Rhyann Jones, infielder Laney Deane, outfielder Rylie Williams and designated player Nya South made the squad. Western Carolina had three picks on the second team with infielders Lily Bell and Tate Stewman and outfielder Becka Wonsick making the team. Samford’s selections were pitcher Makinley Turner and outfielder Addison Smith. ETSU outfielder Abigail Taylor, Furman utility/pitcher Kristyn Embler, Chattanooga infielder Baileigh Pitts and Wofford catcher Addison Lucier completed the second team picks.

Bouquin and Embler also made the all-freshman team. They were joined by ETSU’s Riley Croley and Hailey Porter, UNCG’s Jazmin Mejia, Samford’s Reese Hickey, Chattanooga’s Ava Cowart, and Western Carolina’s Briony Bunsic, Kayden Lyda and Amari Burce.

The Southern Conference Softball Championship gets underway on Wednesday at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The tournament runs through Saturday, with each game slated to be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
Player of the Year

Olivia Shaw, Jr., INF, Samford

Pitcher of the Year

Brooklyn Shroyer, Jr., RHP, UNCG

Freshman of the Year

Avery Bouquin, C/INF, UNCG

Coach of the Year

Janelle Breneman, UNCG

First Team

P – Brooklyn Shroyer, UNCG

P – Amanda Fulton, Western Carolina

C – Katie Campbell, Samford

INF – Macy Michael, UNCG

INF – Olivia Shaw, Samford

INF – Maya McPherson, Western Carolina

INF – Brianna Stanley, Wofford

OF – Kaylyn Belfield, UNCG

OF – Sydney Dirks, Western Carolina

OF – Desirae Devine, Wofford

DP or UT/Non-P – Brianna Stanley, Wofford

UT/P – Brandy Phillips, Samford

UT/P – Grace Jones, Mercer

Second Team

P – Rhyann Jones, UNCG

P – Makinley Turner, Samford

C – Addison Lucier, Wofford

INF – Avery Bouquin, UNCG

INF – Laney Deane, UNCG

INF – Baileigh Pitts, Chattanooga

INF – Lily Bell, Western Carolina

INF – Tate Stewman, Western Carolina

OF – Abigail Taylor, ETSU

OF – Rylie Williams, UNCG

OF – Addison Smith, Samford

OF – Becka Wonsick, Western Carolina

DP or UT/Non-P – Nya South, UNCG

UT/P – Kristyn Embler, Furman

All-Freshman

Riley Croley, UTL, ETSU

Hailey Porter, INF, ETSU

Kristyn Embler, INF/P, Furman

Avery Bouquin, C/INF, UNCG

Jazmin Mejia, INF/OF, UNCG

Reese Hickey, P, Samford

Ava Cowart, OF, Chattanooga

Briony Bunsic, P/INF, Western Carolina

Kayden Lyda, INF, Western Carolina

Amari Burce, P/DP, Western Carolina