2019 Sun Conference Softball Awards Announced
Paul Dodson
CLERMONT, Fla. (May 1, 2019) –The Sun Conference handed out its postseason softball awards Wednesday evening at the annual Softball Awards banquet held at Showcase of Citrus in Clermont on the eve of The Sun Conference Championship Tournament.
Regular season Sun Conference Champion Coastal Georgia produced three First-Team All-Sun Conference picks, including Player of the Year Page Alt. The senior from Schaumburg, Illinois, hit .361 with a conference-best nine home runs while posting a 15-8 record in the circle with 88 strikeouts (No. 3 in the conference)and a 2.11 ERA (No. 9 in the conference). Joining Alt on the first-team all-conference squad were fellow Mariners Kylie Young (Infielder) and Mary Waldron (Outfielder).
Southeastern senior Hannah Bodenhorn was named this year’s Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year and was one of two first-team selections for the Fire. The native of Nashville, Tennessee, posted an 11-9 record and collected one save with 1.64 ERA (No. 2 in the conference). Bodenhorn struck a league-best 164 batters and held the opposition to a .199 batting average (No. 3 in the conference). Also representing SEU on this year’s first team is Bailee Moll (Infielder).
Warner’s Ashton Owens has been named this year’s Freshman of the Year. The native of Bartow, Florida, hit .397 (tied for No. 2 in the conference) with 19 RBI and 25 runs scored. The first-year Royal was a perfect 14-of-14 in stolen bases this past regular season. Warner produced two first-team selections as Sara Bruno (At-Large) joins Owen.
Regular season runner up USCB recorded the most first-team selections with Natassja Hatcher (Catcher), Shania Dominque (Infielder), Kayla Boyle (Outfielder), Taylor Boykin (At-Large) and Sloan Ducey (At-Large).
Both Webber International (C Victoria Atkinson, P Emma Maitland, At-Large Mary-Margaret Maggard) and Keiser (INF Avery Miller, OF Lexi Northway, P Autumn Green) had three first-team all-conference selections while St. Thomas (INF Alliyah Sands), Ave Maria (OF Kalie Romig) and Thomas (OF Barbara Woll) each had one.
Coastal Georgia Head Coach Mike Minick was named Coach of the Year after leading the Mariners to a 28-17 overall regular-season record a 16-8 mark in league play. Minick’s squad won the regular season conference title to earn the top seed in the Sun Conference Championship.
St. Thomas’ Sands was selected as The Sun Conference Champion of Character Award winner. The native of Clayton, North Carolina, is an outstanding student who not only serves as a resident assistant at STU but is a work-study for the athletic department. She is the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the secretary of the Economics Club, and a member of Cafeteria Improvement Committee. Having worked with the Jason Taylor Foundation on a number of occasions, Sands has also volunteered at Glades Middle School where she has been a part of a Thanksgiving food drive, handing out food to families in need. She is also active in volunteering at two different minor league baseball winter meetings.
In addition, 50 student-athletes were named to the All-Academic Team by maintaining at least a 3.5 GPA after at least two full semesters at their current institutions. USCB led the way with 15 All-Academic selections.
The Sun Conference Softball Championship Tournament begins Thursday at the Legends Way Ballfields at PFX Athletics in Clermont, Florida.
2019 Softball All-Sun Conference Teams
First Team
| Catcher |
Victoria Atkinson |
Webber International |
Jr. |
Leesburg, Fla. |
| Catcher |
Natassja Hatcher |
USCB |
Sr. |
Chesterfield, S.C. |
| DP |
Ashton Owen |
Warner |
Fr. |
Bartow, Fla. |
| INF |
Shania Domingue |
USCB |
Jr. |
Oceanside, Calif. |
| INF |
Avery Miller |
Keiser |
Sr. |
Sarasota, Fla. |
| INF |
Bailee Moll |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Crest Hill, Ill. |
| INF |
Alliyah Sands |
St. Thomas |
Sr. |
Clayton, N.C. |
| INF |
Kylie Young |
Coastal Georgia |
Sr. |
Titusville, Fla. |
| *OF |
Kayla Boyle |
USCB |
Sr. |
Coral Springs, Fla. |
| *OF |
Mary Waldron |
Coastal Georgia |
Jr. |
St. Augustine, Fla. |
| *OF |
Kalie Romig |
Ave Maria |
Jr. |
Windermere, Fla. |
| *OF |
Lexi Northway |
Keiser |
Fr. |
Keystone, Fla. |
| *OF |
Barbara Woll |
Thomas |
Jr. |
Curitiba, Brazil |
| Pitcher |
Hannah Bodenhorn |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Nashville, Tenn. |
| Pitcher |
Autumn Green |
Keiser |
Sr. |
Vero Beach, Fla. |
| Pitcher |
Emma Maitland |
Webber International |
Jr. |
Plantation, Fla. |
| UTL |
Paige Alt |
Coastal Georgia |
Jr. |
Schaumburg, Ill. |
| At-Large |
Taylor Boykin |
USCB |
Jr. |
Fort Pierce, Fla. |
| At-Large |
Sara Bruno |
Warner |
Jr. |
Auburndale, Fla. |
| At-Large |
Sloan Ducey |
USCB |
Fr. |
Indian Trail, N.C. |
| At-Large |
Mary-Margaret Maggard |
Webber International |
So. |
Lake Wales, Fla. |
*- Tie in voting
Second Team
| Pitcher |
Ansley Bowen |
Coastal Georgia |
So. |
Statham, Ga. |
| Pitcher |
Sheala Brown |
Thomas |
So. |
Douglas, Ga. |
| DP |
Cheyenne Blumberg |
Keiser |
Jr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
| INF |
Holly Campbell |
Thomas |
Jr. |
Lake Park, Ga. |
| INF |
Angela Cataldo |
Ave Maria |
Fr. |
Melbourne, Fla. |
| OF |
Heather Faulk |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| OF |
Haleigh Harrell |
Southeastern |
So. |
Lakeland, Fla. |
| INF |
Sam Holcomb |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Niceville, Fla. |
| INF |
Breyonna Shell |
Warner |
Fr. |
Lakeland, Fla. |
| INF |
Hannah Wilde |
Thomas |
R-Fr. |
Whigham, Ga. |
Player of the Year: Page Alt (Coastal Georgia)
Pitcher of the Year: Hannah Bodenhorn (Southeastern)
Freshman of the Year: Ashton Owen (Warner)
Champion of Character: Alliyah Sands (St. Thomas)
Coach of the Year: Mike Minick (Coastal Georgia)
Sun Conference All-Academic Team
Abagail Love, Ave Maria
Michella Davis, Ave Maria
Brooke Pierron, Ave Maria
Paige Alt, Coastal Georgia
Maura Grace Dickens, Coastal Georgia
Kailiann Sadeski , Coastal Georgia
Ansley Bowen, Coastal Georgia
Mackensey Solomon, Coastal Georgia
Autumn Green, Keiser
Avery Miller, Keiser
Heather Faulk, Southeastern
Haleigh Harrell, Southeastern
Sam Holcomb, Southeastern
Natalie Hughes, Southeastern
Dayna McDonald, Southeastern
Ramsey Sullivan , Southeastern
Lauren Watters, Southeastern
Emily Santos, St. Thomas
Nanet Manieri, St. Thomas
Dayma Pla, St. Thomas
Grethell Santos, St. Thomas
Alexis Castroman, St. Thomas
McKenna Delaware, St. Thomas
Nicole Maribona, St. Thomas
Emily Bowne, Thomas
Gabriella Mora, Thomas
Shelby Stephens, Thomas
Hannah Wilde, Thomas
Maria Molloseau, USCB
Kaitlyn O'Hearn, USCB
Brianna Sapienza, USCB
Emily Phillips, USCB
Lauren Hawkins, USCB
Kaila Billingsley, USCB
Rachel Catt, USCB
Shania Dominque, USCB
Canyon Crosby, USCB
Kayla Boyle, USCB
Caroline Heaton, USCB
Abby Pac, USCB
Taylor Boykin, USCB
Kaleigh Furbush, USCB
Katelyn Mangum, USCB
Megan Garfinkel, Warner
Kasey Heslin, Warner
Abigail Oliver, Warner
Brittany Winget, Warner
Caitlyn Yockey, Warner
Sabrina Hebding, Webber International
Cassidy Roberts, Webber International