Bannister and Harrison Headline 2017 GSC Softball All-Conference Honors
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference has announced the 2017 softball all-conference awards, as voted on by the league’s coaches. UAH’s
Kaitlyn Bannister has been named the GSC Player of the Year, and her Charger teammate
Tyler Harrison has been named the GSC Pitcher of the Year. West Georgia’s
Raven Smith has been named the GSC Freshman of the Year, and UAH head coach Les Stuedeman has been named the GSC Coach of the Year.
North Alabama’s
Hillary Carpenter was named First Team All-GSC for the fourth time in her career.
For the second time in her career, Bannister has been named the GSC Player of the Year. The senior will go down as one of the best players in GSC history. She is not only a two-time player of the year, but a four-time all-conference selection, and the league’s career leader in RBIs, knocking in 262 runs in her career, crushing the old mark of 239. This year, Bannister dominated, leading the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, and home runs. Her .476 batting average is the fourth best average in a season in GSC history.
Harrison is four-time all-conference honoree, and this is the first time in her career that she has been named GSC Pitcher of the Year. The 2014 GSC Freshman of the Year led the league in strikeouts this season, and she ranked in the top five of ERA, batting average, innings pitched, complete games, and wins. The senior appeared in the circle in 33 games for the regular season champions, including 24 starts and 17 complete games. Harrison is the first pitcher from UAH to win this award since Kimberly Jack in 2013.
Smith has been named the GSC Freshman of the Year after leading the GSC Tournament bound Wolves in batting average, RBIs, and on-base percentage in 2017. Smith hit .376 for UWG, playing in all 52 games and starting 50 contests. In conference play, Smith started every game and was better statistically, raising her average to .388. Against conference opponents, Smith led the team in home runs, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. She was also a perfect 12-for-12 in stolen bases attempts in league play.
This is the 10
th time in her illustrious career that Stuedeman has been named the league’s coach of the year, and the third time she has won the award in the last five seasons. Stuedeman’s club boasts the GSC Player and Pitcher of the Year, and her Chargers finished the season on top of the GSC standings. Under Stuedeman’s watch, the Chargers have seen unbelievable success, qualifying for the national tournament every year since 2003.
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| DP |
Jacey Castro |
West Florida |
Sr. |
Chuluota, Fla. |
| C |
Carly Crawford |
Mississippi College |
Fr. |
Hattiesburg, Miss. |
| 1B |
Audrey Diekmann |
West Alabama |
Jr. |
Niceville, Fla. |
| 2B |
Sierra Stella |
West Georgia |
So. |
Warner Robins, Ga. |
| 3B |
Kaitlyn Bannister ^** |
UAH |
Sr. |
Albertville, Ala. |
| SS |
Jessica Mohl |
Valdosta State |
Jr. |
West Palm Beach, Fla. |
| OF |
Taylor Hartenbach |
Valdosta State |
Jr. |
Marietta, Ga. |
| OF |
Katherine Lee |
Mississippi College |
Jr. |
Monroe, La. |
| OF |
Brandy Morgan ^ |
Valdosta State |
Jr. |
Jasper, Fla. |
| P |
Hillary Carpenter *** |
North Alabama |
Sr. |
Hatton, Ala. |
| P |
Tyler Harrison ^^* |
UAH |
Sr. |
Mobile, Ala. |
| P |
Becca Taylor |
West Florida |
Sr. |
Panama City, Fla. |
| At-Large |
Tylan Buckley |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Miss. |
| At-Large |
Ericka Bynum |
Shorter |
Sr. |
Ringgold, Ga. |
| At-Large |
Rhiannon Sassman ^ |
West Florida |
So. |
Orlando, Fla. |
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
| DP |
Marissa Hancock |
North Alabama |
Jr. |
Geraldine, Ala. |
| DP |
Mari Alex Sandridge |
Delta State |
Fr. |
Hernando, Miss. |
| C |
Caitlin Steel |
West Florida |
Sr. |
Concord, N.C. |
| 1B |
Hayley Cruthers |
Valdosta State |
Sr. |
Swartz Creek, Mich. |
| 2B |
Meghan Toney ^ |
West Florida |
Jr. |
Huntsville, Ala. |
| 3B |
Chelsea Canara |
Valdosta State |
Sr. |
Milton, Ga. |
| SS |
Abi Gibson |
Delta State |
So. |
Coldwater, Miss. |
| OF |
Tiffany Holland ^ |
Shorter |
So. |
Chickamauga, Ga. |
| OF |
Haley Thompson |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Booneville, Miss. |
| OF |
Shelby Woodard |
North Alabama |
So. |
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. |
| P |
Leigh Beatenbough |
Lee |
Jr. |
Canon, Ga. |
| P |
Kathryn Carter |
Valdosta State |
Fr. |
Hinesville, Ga. |
| P |
Kalei Clark |
Shorter |
Sr. |
Chickamauga, Ga. |
| P |
Taylor Moran |
Lee |
Fr. |
Chattanooga, Tenn. |
* Indicates previous First Team All-GSC selection
^ Indicates previous Second Team All-GSC selection
Player of the Year: Kaitlyn Bannister, UAH
Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Harrison, UAH
Freshman of the Year: Raven Smith, West Georgia
Coach of the Year: Les Stuedeman, UAH