ALBANY, Ga. (May 2, 2018) – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) has announced its 2018 softball all-conference awards, as voted on by the league’s coaches and sports information directors. Claflin’s Kayla Cato has been selected as the 2018 SIAC Player of the Year alongside teammate Tiaria Norman who named 2018 Starting Pitcher of the Year. Fort Valley State’s Courtney Walker has been named 2018 Freshman of the Year along with Miles’ Kendruena McPherson who has been selected as the 2018 Utility Player of the Year. Miles’ head coach, Patrick Peasant, has been named 2018 SIAC Coach of the Year.
Cato earned the league’s highest honor after leading the Lady Panthers to a second place regular season finish in conference and leading the with a .389 batting average. The Decatur, Ga. native appeared in all 51 games for Claflin as she finished the season leading the conference and Panthers with 55 runs, including her 13 doubles and four triples, and 14 home runs. She recorded two of those homers in the Panthers, 8-1, victory over Fort Valley State in the last stretch of the season. Cato also led the Panthers in slugging percentage as she managed to tally a .778 on the season while finishing with 42 RBIs.
Norman is the SIAC’s two-time Starting Pitcher of the Year after posting a 3.15 ERA in her 40 appearances on the season. After posting only an 8-1 record last year, Norman returned and debuted her 18-14 record with six shutouts (ranked 39
th nationally), six sacrifice flies (ranked 11
th nationally), and 215 strikeouts (ranked 1
st in SIAC, 7
th nationally). The Greenwood, S.C. native recorded 602 career strikeouts on the season, was named SIAC Pitcher of the Week three times, and was invited to the Inaugural American Softball Association (ASBA) draft scheduled for Wednesday, June 6, 2018 in Mobile, Ala. Norman also averaged a .338 clip and 27 runs which included 16 doubles (ranked 1
st in SIAC) and three home runs while leading her team with 44 RBIs (ranked 2
nd in SIAC).
Fort Valley State’s freshman pitcher, Courtney Walker, earned the league’s highest freshman award after posting a 3.00 ERA in her first season with the Lady Wildcats. Walker started and appeared in all 33 games for Fort Valley State and finished with a 16-17 record. The Warner Robins, Ga. native finished the season with 189 strikeouts (ranked 2
nd in SIAC) and four shutouts.
McPherson led the Lady Golden Bears after being named Utility Player of the Year for her second consecutive year. The Hanesville, Ala. Native split her time with Miles playing multiple positions including pitcher, shortstop, and designated hitter for the Lady Golden Bears. In her 23 appearances, the senior finished with a 4.13 ERA and an 8-11 record, which includes her 110 strikeouts (ranked 3
rdin SIAC) and single shutout. McPherson led her team with 28 runs, 23, stolen bases, 13 walks in her 120 plate appearances.
Patrick Peasant, a former Miles College Golden Bear, returned to his alma matter and has now completed his 18
th season at Miles College. Since his tenure as head coach, Peasant has led his softball team to its first SIAC Division II Championship in 2008 while players under his leadership have been recognized by the SIAC as Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year, NCAA All Region Team, All-Academic Team, All-Tournament Team. This past season, Peasant coached his team to an 11-5 record which allowed them to finish second entering into the 2018 SIAC Softball Tournament.
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2018 SIAC ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Player of the Year: Kayla Cato, Claflin
Freshman of the Year: Courtney Walker, Fort Valley State
Utility Player of the Year: Kendruena McPherson, Miles
Starting Pitcher of the Year: Tiaria Norman, Claflin
Coach of the Year: Patrick Peasant, Miles
2018 SIAC Softball First Team
| POS. |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YEAR |
HOMETOWN |
| SP |
Tiaria Norman |
Claflin |
Senior |
Greenwood, SC |
| C |
Brianna Murillo |
Albany State |
Senior |
Chino Hills, CA |
| 1B |
Kayla Cato |
Claflin |
Junior |
Decatur, GA |
| 2B |
Mikiyah Harris |
Albany State |
Freshman |
Cochran, GA |
| SS |
Jittuan Thompson |
Kentucky State |
Junior |
Pomona, CA |
| 3B |
Starkeira Daniel |
Benedict |
Junior |
Ellenwood, GA |
| OF |
Brianna Billie |
Benedict |
Senior |
Monroe, GA |
| OF |
Jacey Gray |
Clark Atlanta |
Senior |
Toledo, OH |
| OF |
LaKaylin Lee |
Claflin |
Junior |
Decatur, GA |
| UT |
Kendruena McPherson |
Miles |
Senior |
Hayneville, AL |
2018 SIAC Softball Second Team
| POS. |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YEAR |
HOMETOWN |
| SP |
Kendruena McPherson |
Miles |
Senior |
Hayneville, AL |
| C |
Teyonna Clady |
Lane |
Sophomore |
San Diego, CA |
| 1B |
Jala Stewart |
Albany State |
Junior |
Hampton, GA |
| 2B |
Delaney Thomas |
Spring Hill |
Freshman |
Newark, DE |
| SS |
Khayreyah Parrish |
Benedict |
Senior |
Stockbridge, GA |
| 3B |
Lavette Tucker |
Albany State |
Junior |
Hampton, GA |
| OF |
Sarah Johnson |
Spring Hill |
Sophomore |
Eunice, LA |
| OF |
Jazzmyn Shelton |
Miles |
Freshman |
Chickamauga, GA |
| OF |
Jade Williams |
Albany State |
Senior |
Tallahassee, FL |
| UT |
Deandra Ealy |
Claflin |
Senior |
Fort Lawn, SC
|