Nelson and Papp Named to C-USA Softball All-Academic Team

2019 InTouch Credit Union C-USA Softball All-Academic Team

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – C-USA announced on Monday that Southern Miss senior second baseman Chase Nelson and senior catcher Samantha Papp were named to the 2019 InTouch Credit Union C-USA Softball All-Academic Team.

Southern Miss head softball coach Wendy Hogue on Nelson and Papp being selected to the 2019 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team
"Chase and Papp are so very deserving of this honor! They both work extremely hard in the classroom as well as on the field. It is great to see them recognized for their efforts. They have set the standard for Southern Miss softball, and for that I am very grateful."

Nelson, a native of Paragould, Ark., currently boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.8 in her major of communication studies. 2019 marks the first year that Nelson has garnered C-USA All-Academic Team honors.

Nelson transferred to Southern Miss from the University of Missouri after the 2015-16 academic year. Over the course of her three years at Southern Miss, Nelson has accumulated multiple academic honors. She was named to the President's List for the fall of 2017 and the fall of 2018 semesters, the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years and she received the prestigious C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal for the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.

Throughout her three years, Nelson has been active on the campus of Southern Miss and in the local Hattiesburg community. Nelson is a member of the Southern Miss Leadership Academy and she has served as a volunteer at Grace Christian Elementary School, the Special Olympics of Hattiesburg and she has also assisted with Operation Christmas Child.

In addition, the senior second baseman was awarded Southern Miss' Voyageur Outward Bound Award in May of 2018 and was recently selected as a Who's Who on the campus of Southern Miss.

The left-handed hitting Nelson has been an integral part of Southern Miss' success on the softball field in 2019. Nelson has started 50 games for the Golden Eagles at second base this season and is currently batting .315 (47-for-149) with a .802 on-base plus slugging percentage, a .403 slugging percentage and a .399 on-base percentage. Nelson has collected 32 runs scored, 47 hits, nine doubles, two triples, eight runs batted in, 60 total bases, 20 walks and five stolen bases. Nelson's two triples currently rank as a team best.

Nelson currently ranks in the top 10 in C-USA in triples (2), sac bunts (8) and sac flies (2).

Nelson on being selected to the 2019 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team
"This is a huge honor and accomplishment and I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to achieve things such as this – thank you Southern Miss for that! Congratulations to Papp as well, she is one of the most hardworking, dedicated people that I know and I cannot wait to see all of the amazing things that she will do in life!"

Papp, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss. is currently sporting an unblemished GPA of 4.0 in her major of special education. 2019 marks the second time that Papp has landed a spot on the C-USA All-Academic Team.

Over the span of her four years at Southern Miss, the local product has made quiet the name for herself.

Papp has earned a vast amount of academic honors during her time at Southern Miss. She is a Presidential Scholar, has been selected to the President's List and C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll every semester since the fall of 2015, received the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal every semester since the fall of 2015, was named a Who's Who and was one of 10 students recently selected to Southern Miss' Student Hall of Fame. Papp was named the Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Special Education in the School of Education.

Papp's campus involvement includes: serving as the Vice President of SAAC, the Community Life Committee Chair of the Honors College Leadership Council and being a member of the Student Athlete Leadership Academy, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Student Marketing Advisory Committee and FCA.

Papp's accolades garnered as a student-athlete are just as impressive as she was named to the 2019 Preseason All-Conference Team and the 2018 C-USA All-Conference Second Team. In 2018, Papp received the C-USA Spirit of Service Award, the Rankin A. and Lucy R. Clinton Scholarship Endowment and was named the MVP of the Southern Miss softball team. Papp was tabbed Southern Miss softball's Co-Defensive Player of the Year for the 2017 season, was a finalist for the Southern Miss Outstanding Freshman of the Year in 2016 and was named Outstanding Freshman Female Scholar Athlete in 2016.

Papp has served her local community by volunteering with The Arc of Southeast Mississippi, the Special Olympics of Hattiesburg, Tornado Relief Team, reading to elementary schools in the Hattiesburg area and by serving as a volunteer coach for the Mississippi Thunder 14U softball team.

During the 2019 season, the senior catcher is batting .225 (31-for-138) with a .547 on-base plus slugging percentage, a .275 slugging percentage and a.272 on-base percentage. Papp has totaled 13 runs scored, 31 hits, seven doubles, 14 runs batted in, 38 total bases, seven walks and three stolen bases.

Papp's presence behind the plate has been vital to Southern Miss' success in 2019 as she has provided veteran leadership as a batterymate to a Southern Miss pitching staff that features two newcomers and four freshmen. Papp has started all 51 of Southern Miss' games this season at the catcher position.

Papp currently ranks in the top 10 in C-USA in fielding percentage (.996), chances (279), and putouts (264).

Papp on being selected to the 2019 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team
"I am incredibly honored to have been named to this team! So many people have supported my academic and athletic careers in my four years at Southern Miss. I am so beyond thankful for all of those people! Congratulations to Chase – she is beyond deserving of this honor as well, and I am happy to have been a part of her amazing career at Southern Miss!"

2019 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team
Katie Manring | Charlotte | So. | 4.0 | Elementary Education
*Meredith Harris | Charlotte | GS | 4.0 | Master of Business Administration
Emma Ocker | Charlotte | Sr. | 3.855 | Elementary Education; American Studies Minor
Jolie Duffner | Florida Atlantic | Jr. | 3.989 | Health Sciences
***Morgan Turkoly | Louisiana Tech | Sr. | 3.717 | Accounting
Kailee Williamson | Marshall | Jr. | 3.80 | Accounting
Lexi Cushing | Middle Tennessee | Jr. | 3.743 | Business Administration; Economics; Finance
Nicole Ochotnicki | North Texas | Jr. | 3.918 | Kinesiology
*Samantha Papp | Southern Miss | Sr. | 4.0 | Curriculum and Instruction
Chase Nelson | Southern Miss | Sr. | 3.829 | Communication Studies
***Bailee Baldwin | UTSA | Sr. | 3.95 | Criminal Justice
***Three-time selection
*Repeat Selection
**2017 selection

For all of the latest Southern Miss softball news, fans can follow the official Southern Miss softball Twitter account (@SouthernMissSB), Instagram account (@southernmisssb) and Facebook account (Southern Miss Softball).

Nelson and Papp Named to C-USA Softball All-Academic Team

Players Mentioned

Chase Nelson

Samantha Papp

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