Frisco, Texas – Senior pitcher Chandler Hall was named the 2012 Southland Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Year, and Ricci Woodard was selected the SLC Coach of the Year, announced today by the league office. Texas State had a total of six players voted to the all-conference teams.
Hall, a native of Baytown, Texas is a four-time all-conference selection as she was voted to the first-team. Her player and pitcher of the year accolades make Hall the seventh SLC player and third Bobcat (Ragan Blake, 2008 and Katie Ann Trahan, 2006) to accomplish the feat in SLC history in the same year. She is also only the second SLC player to earn pitcher of the year honors at least three times in their career. Hall finished the regular season with a perfect 11-0 conference record in the circle. She threw her second career no-hitter on March 16 against Stephen F. Austin to pad her resume. Hall has fanned a total of 191 batters so far this season. In league play she posted a .321 batting average with 18 hits and nine RBI.
The Bobcats had four players named to the second-team: Haley Lemons, Anna Hernandez, Brooke Baker and Anne Marie Taylor.
Lemons, a two-time all-conference selection at first base hails from Rockwall, Texas. The junior has tallied 35 hits for a .263 batting average. Lemons has knocked in 15 runs and has just one error at first for a .997 fielding percentage.
Hernandez, a native of Buda, Texas, was selected to the all-conference team for the second time in her career. The second baseman leads Texas State at the plate in all games with a batting average of .315, in addition to a trio of home runs. She has also been walked a team-high 18 times.
Baker, a native of Houston, earned all-conference honors for the first time. The Bobcats speedy outfielder has scored 19 runs and is 14-of-16 in stolen base attempts. She's currently batting .310 with 40 hits and 13 RBI.
Taylor, a two-time all-conference selection, has an overall record of 15-8 in the circle. The junior from Houston recorded an ERA of 0.32 in conference play to lead the pack. Taylor has fanned 149 batters and started 26 games for the Bobcats. She pitched a no-hitter against Stephen F. Austin on March 17, and followed it up one week later with a perfect game against Southeastern Louisiana on March 24. Taylor earned pitcher of the week honors twice this season.
Texas State freshman shortstop Selena Hernandez was named to the all-conference third-team. Hernandez has a team-high 46 hits and 26 runs scored. The Austin, Texas native leads the team with 23 RBI and eight doubles.
Woodard, Texas State's all-time winningest coach, received coach of the year honors for the fourth time in career. She led the Bobcats to their sixth Southland Conference regular season championship and the top seed in the conference tournament. Texas State went 18-2 in conference play, marking their highest winning percentage (.900) since 2001 (.963).
The 2012 Southland Conference Tournament will begin on Thursday, May 10 in San Antonio, Texas, hosted by UTSA. The three-day tournament will conclude on Saturday, May 12 with the championship game. The tournament fields a six-team double elimination format with the winner earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2012 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams
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First Team
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Pos.
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Name
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University
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Class
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Hometown
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1B
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Kim Damian
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Sam Houston State
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Jr.
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Angleton, Texas
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2B
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Anna Bertot
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Nicholls State
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Jr.
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League City, Texas
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3B
|
Shelbi Tucker
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Sam Houston State
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Jr.
|
Montgomery, Texas
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|
SS
|
Molly Fichtner2
|
UTSA
|
So.
|
Houston, Texas
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|
C
|
Megan Low
|
UTSA
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Fr.
|
Spring, Texas
|
|
UT
|
Melissa Bryant
|
Central Arkansas
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Jr.
|
Hernando, Miss.
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|
DP
|
Ashley Modzelewski
|
McNeese State
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Fr.
|
Sour Lake, Texas
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|
OF
|
Claire Terracina2
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McNeese State
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Sr.
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Lake Charles, La.
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|
OF
|
Nicole Beals
|
Central Arkansas
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Sr.
|
Phoenix, Ariz.
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OF
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Tori Benavidez2
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Sam Houston State
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Jr.
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Midlothian, Texas
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|
P
|
Chandler Hall4
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Texas State
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Sr.
|
Baytown, Texas
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|
P
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Kelsie Armstrong
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Central Arkansas
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Jr.
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Hot Springs, Ark.
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|
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|
|
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Second Team
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|
|
|
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1B
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Haley Lemons2
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Texas State
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Jr.
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Rockwall, Texas
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2B
|
Anna Hernandez2
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Texas State
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Jr.
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Buda, Texas
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3B
|
Ashley Ray2
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Nicholls State
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Sr.
|
Lafayette, La.
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|
SS
|
Tara McKenney
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Northwestern State
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So.
|
Red Oak, Texas
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|
C
|
Hillary Adams
|
Sam Houston State
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Fr.
|
Elgin, Texas
|
|
UT
|
Teri Lyles2
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UT Arlington
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Jr.
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Keller, Texas
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|
DP
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Katie McGregor2
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Central Arkansas
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Sr.
|
Lake Jackson, Texas
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OF
|
Alanna DiVittorio
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McNeese State
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So.
|
Harahan, La.
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OF
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Stephanie Lasley
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Central Arkansas
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Jr.
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Anola, Ark.
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OF
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Brooke Baker
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Texas State
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Jr.
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Katy, Texas
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|
P
|
Anne Marie Taylor2
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Texas State
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Jr.
|
Houston, Texas
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|
P
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Greta Cecchetti
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Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
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Sr.
|
Bollate, Italy
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Third Team
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|
|
|
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1B
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Ashley Boswell
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Central Arkansas
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Fr.
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Tahlequah, Okla.
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|
2B
|
Ashley Kappler
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UTSA
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Sr.
|
Lake Jackson, Texas
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|
3B
|
Tiffany Roby
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Central Arkansas
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Fr.
|
North Little Rock, Ark.
|
|
SS
|
Sarah Allison
|
Sam Houston State
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So.
|
College Station, Texas
|
|
SS
|
Selena Hernandez
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Texas State
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Fr.
|
Austin, Texas
|
|
C
|
Melanie Bryant3
|
Central Arkansas
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Jr.
|
Hernando, Miss.
|
|
UT
|
Elizabeth Arana
|
Stephen F. Austin
|
So.
|
The Woodlands, Texas
|
|
DP
|
Ashley Isbell
|
Sam Houston State
|
Jr.
|
Katy, Texas
|
|
OF
|
Samantha Roberts2
|
Northwestern State
|
Sr.
|
Natchitoches, Texas
|
|
OF
|
Megan Gaspard3
|
Nicholls State
|
Sr.
|
Coteau, La.
|
|
OF
|
Courtney Buchman
|
UTSA
|
Fr.
|
Katy, Texas
|
|
P
|
Tiffany Denham
|
McNeese State
|
Sr.
|
Alvin, Texas
|
|
P
|
Haylee Staton
|
UTSA
|
Jr.
|
Austin, Texas
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2 Two-time all-conference selection
3 Three-time all-conference selection
4 Four-time all-conference selection
Honorable Mention – First Base: Brianna Rodriguez, Northwestern State; Caitlyn Ivy, UTSA; Second Base: Cali Burke, Northwestern State; Megan McCollum, Southeastern Louisiana; Lauren Langner, McNeese State; Third Base: Nikki Goff, UTSA; Short Stop: Lissa Avitia, Central Arkansas; Catcher: Erica LeFlore, UT Arlington; Utility Player: Kylie Roos, Northwestern State; Outfield: Marissa Koetting, McNeese State; Cassie Redman, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Hannah Schwarz, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Michelle Duhe, Southeastern Louisiana; Pitcher: Shelby Lancaster, Sam Houston State; Tomi Garrison, Sam Houston State.
Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Chandler Hall, Texas State
Hitter of the Year: Kim Damian, Sam Houston State
Pitcher of the Year: Chandler Hall, Texas State
Freshman of the Year: Megan Low, UTSA
Newcomer of the Year: Ashley Bertot, Nicholls State
Coach of the Year: Ricci Woodard, Texas State
