OXFORD, Ala. — The Gulf South Conference announced its yearly awards and All-GSC selections following the 2023 softball season, as chosen by the conference's head coaches.
Headlining the major award winners was Mississippi College junior catcher McCall Lee as she was named GSC Player of the Year. Alabama Huntsville's Katie Bracken picked up Pitcher of the Year honors. West Alabama first baseman Ann Marie Stanbridge was voted Freshman of Year. Auburn Montgomery junior Gia Martin garnered the Gold Glove Award, while Mississippi College head coach Brooke O'Hair received Coach of the Year accolades.
Lee became the first Choctaw in program-history to be recognized with the league's top player honors. She finished the regular season as the GSC leader in RBI (67) and co-leader in hits (73), while also being among the conference's top-five in batting average (2nd/.437), slugging (5th/.814), doubles (5th/15), and home runs (5th/16). On the national charts, Lee ranked 30th in hits among Division II leaders, 23rd in home runs, eighth in RBI, and was sixth-overall in RBI per game (1.29).
Bracken picked up top pitching honors after a standout rookie season, becoming the fifth Charger all-time to capture the award and first since Tyler Harrison (2017). The right-hander was dominate from the circle finishing as the conference-leader in ERA (1.68) and opposing batting average (.179), while also being among the top-10 in strikeouts (4th/135), wins (5th/15), and innings pitched (10th/112.1). Among NCAA D2 leaders, Bracken was 21st in hits allowed per seven innings (4.42) and 30th in strikeouts per seven innings (8.4).
Stanbridge was tabbed as the conference's top freshman, becoming the first Tiger to win the award since Zane Smith in 1999. The rookie first baseman finished the season as the conference-leader in home runs (20), while also ranking second in RBI (64) and third in slugging (.837). Nationally, she was fourth in home runs, 10th in RBI, 12th in slugging, and 26th-overall in total bases (119).
In the inaugural year of existent to recognize defensive prowess, Martin became the first-ever recipient of the Gold Glove Award. The Warhawk utility player finished the regular season with .982 fielding percentage while recording 92 outs, 71 assists and just three errors in 166 chances. She also helped AUM turn three double plays.
O'Hair was named the GSC's top coach for the first time in her career, and became just the second Choctaw head softball coach to receive the award all-time since Rowanna Dozier in 1993. O'Hair guided Mississippi College to a 40-win season, tying a program mark originally set in 2019. Additionally, MC finished the regular season as the Division II leader in team slugging (.653), while also being among top-10 in batting average (3rd/.375), hits (6th/485), home runs (4th/81), scoring (3rd/8.5), total runs (4th/408), and win percentage (.833).
Along with the major awards, the coaches also selected the All-GSC team. Mississippi College led the way with eight all-conference selections, highlighted by five First Team picks. Auburn Montgomery followed with five honorees, while Alabama Huntsville and West Alabama had four picks apiece. Valdosta State had three selections. Lee, West Florida and Montevallo had two honorees each, while Union had one.
Attention will now turn to turn to the 2023 GSC Softball Championship, which returns this year to Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala. The tournament opens Wednesday, May 3 with the championship game scheduled for Saturday, May 6. For more information, including a complete schedule, ticket and streaming links, visit gscsports.org/sb23.
2023 SOFTBALL AWARDS & ALL-GSC TEAMS
Player of the Year: McCall Lee, Mississippi College
Pitcher of the Year: Katie Bracken, Alabama Huntsville
Gold Glove Award: Gia Martin, Auburn Montgomery
Freshman of the Year: Ann Marie Stanbridge, West Alabama
Coach of the Year: Brooke O'Hair, Mississippi College
First Team
P - Katie Bracken, Alabama Huntsville
P - Samantha Richards, Valdosta State^^
P - Madison Wright, West Alabama
C - McCall Lee, Mississippi College^
1B* - Hannah Harper, West Florida
1B* - Ann Marie Stanbridge, West Alabama
2B - Lawren Hayes, Alabama Huntsville
SS - Macey Neal, Union
3B - Chloe Derrick, Auburn Montgomery
OF - Shelby Samples, Mississippi College
OF - Kinley Adams, Alabama Huntsville
OF - Shelby Sloan, Montevallo
DP - Kamryn Eaton, Mississippi College
AL* - Erin Moon, West Florida#
AL* - Abby Sulte, Valdosta State
AL* - Jenna Ergle, Mississippi College
AL* - Jordan LaFosse, Mississippi College
Second Team
P - Camryn Bailey, Mississippi College
P - Avery Dickerson, Auburn Montgomery#
P - Morgan Ferguson, Auburn Montgomery
C* - Kelsie Gilliam, West Alabama
C* - Sidney Lee, Lee^
1B* - Jayme Prandine, Valdosta State
1B* - Taylor Robinson, Montevallo
2B - Brooke Fagan, Mississippi College
3B - Jordan Moore, Mississippi College
SS - LP Trammell, West Alabama
OF - Kaylee Vaught, Alabama Huntsville^
OF - Ana Macha, Lee
OF - Chloe Baynes, Auburn Montgomery
DP - Molly Cobb, Auburn Montgomery^
* tie in voting; no tiebreakers
^ previous First Team All-GSC selection
# previous Second Team All-GSC selection