University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Three Golden Eagles Collect Postseason Awards
5/8/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
IRVING, Texas – The Conference USA league office announced the 2018 softball all-conference teams and postseason superlative awards, as selected by a nomination and vote by the league's 12 head coaches.
Southern Miss takes home three awards with Ciarra Cherry and Samantha Papp landing Second Team All-Conference honors and Destini Brown named to the All-Freshman Team.
Cherry led the team in batting average with a .341 overall and is atop the stat sheet with a team best .350 in C-USA game. The senior ranked first in slugging percentage, on-base percentage and walks while being second on the team in RBI (23) and runs (24). She had 10 multi-hit games including a 5 hit game against Saint Louis when she went 5-for-5 with 3 runs and 3 RBI. Cherry also had six multi-RBI games with two 3 RBI games and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in the series finale against UTEP to clinch the sweep.
Papp ranked fourth on the team in overall batting average with a .285 and second best in C-USA play with a .313 average. She ranked second on the team in multi-hit games with 10 and 6 multi-RBI games while leading the team in hits (51), RBI (28), total bases (71) and at bats (179). In C-USA play she led the team in hits (26) and doubles (6). The junior is one of two players to start all 55 games, 54 of those behind the plate.
Brown, a McComb native had a standout freshman campaign where she ranked second on the team with a .333 overall batting average and hit a squad fourth‐best .262 in C‐USA games while leading the team in runs with 23. Brown also ranks second on the squad in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits (45), triples, homeruns, and total bases at the conclusion of the season. Not only did she lead in those categories but she led the team with 14 multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games, including the two, two homerun games versus Southern and UTSA. She hit a stunning .360 against SEC teams played and is one of two players to start all 55 games.
This marks the first time since 2013 a Golden Eagle has been named to the All-Freshman Team, Morgan McKeever, and the second year in a row that Southern Miss has two players on the Second Team All-Conference.
Player of the Year
Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
Pitcher of the Year
Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
Newcomer of the Year
Katie Clark, North Texas
Freshman of the Year
Aly Harrell, Marshall
Coach of the Year
Joan Joyce, Florida Atlantic
All-Conference USA First Team
C - Taylor McCord, Marshall
C - Morgan Harris, Middle Tennessee
INF - Courtney Clayton, UTEP
INF - Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic
INF - Natalie Erwin, UAB
INF - Haley Pace, Charlotte
INF - Kasandra Castle, FIU
OF - Madisyn Palmer, Florida Atlantic
OF - Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
OF - Jackie Schoff, FIU
OF - Bailee Baldwin, UTSA
DP/Utility - Aly Harrell, Marshall
P - Shannon Saile, FIU
P - Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
P - Cori Jennings, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference USA Second Team
C - Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
C - Samantha Papp, Southern Miss
INF - Elicia D'Orazio, Marshall
INF - Lacy Gregory, North Texas
INF - Lexi Cushing, Middle Tennessee
INF - Jessica Rivera, FIU
INF - Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
OF - Destini England, UAB
OF - Katie Clark, North Texas
OF - Jordan Colliflower, Marshall
OF - Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee
DP/Utility - Ciarra Cherry, Southern Miss
P - Tatum Buckley, Florida Atlantic
P - Hope Trautwein, North Texas
P - Haley Wiseman, Charlotte
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Aly Harrell, Marshall
Hope Trautwein, North Texas
Sloane Stewartson, Louisiana Tech
Jordan Thomas, WKU
Emily Kachel, UAB
Amber Baldwin, Middle Tennessee
Venessa Gallegos, FIU
Ashlynn Walls, UTSA
Destini Brown, Southern Miss
Ariana Valles, UTEP
Shelby Nunn, WKU
Maddie Bowlds, WKU
