RADFORD, VA-- The Big South Conference softball honors were announced Wednesday evening at the annual softball awards banquet at Muse Hall on the campus of Radford University and Winthrop earned five honors.

Freshman Tessa Thomas was named to the All-Big South First Team, while Laura Hill and Hilary Peacock here named to the second team. It is Hill's third straight selection and the first for Peacock.

Thomas had an outstanding freshman season as she .375 with 35 runs, 66 hits, nine doubles, a triple, seven home runs, and 34 RBI. She set the Winthrop freshman record for runs scored, hits, total bases, and RBI in a single season. Hill had a solid season with a career-high batting average of .280 with 12 runs, a home run and 22 RBI. Peacock enjoyed her finest season as a Lady Eagle with career-highs in average (.299), runs (23), hits (52), doubles (14), RBI (35), total bases (72) and walks (15).

Thomas was also named the 2006 Big South Rookie of the Year. It's the second straight season the award has gone to a Lady Eagle as Stephanie Reid received the honor last season. It's just the third time since the award began in 1994 that a Winthrop player has been named Rookie of the Year.

Hill earned the fifth honor of the evening for Winthrop as she was named to the All-Big South Academic Team.

 

2005-06 Big South Conference Sotball Award Winners

First-team All-Conference
OF: Kelly Feely, Coastal Carolina
OF: Anne Tatum, Radford
OF: Tessa Thomas, Winthrop
1B: Nikki Rombough, Birmingham-Southern
2B: Dawn Jeffs, Liberty
3B: Sarah Hostetler, Coastal Carolina
SS: Jessica Moore, Liberty
C: Amanda Walling, Radford
DP: Meagen Johnson, Coastal Carolina
UTL: Jill Shondell, Charleston Southern
P: Ashley Taylor, Radford
P: Christine Doyle, Coastal Carolina
 
Second Team All-Conference
OF: Kayla Backlund, Birmingham-Southern
OF: Ashley Robinson, Charleston Southern
OF: Danyelle Gerdts, Coastal Carolina
1B: Hilary Peacock, Winthrop
2B (tie): Dorothy Page, Charleston Southern & Kristina Sheppard, Coastal Carolina
3B: Heather Fox, Birmingham-Southern
SS: Cassie Rhodes, Radford
C: Ashley Williams, Liberty
DP: Laura Hill, Winthop
UTL: Danielle Tompkins, Radford
P: Kristina Villavicencio, Birmingham-Southern
P: Breanna Felix, Radford

Academic All-Conference
Jennifer Wellborn, Birmingham-Southern
Katie McKay, Charleston Southern
Meagen Johnson, Coastal Carolina
Sarah Swor, Liberty
Michelle Carlson, Radford
Erica Armenta, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Laura Hill, Winthrop

Player of the Year
Meagen Johnson, Coastal Carolina

Pitcher of the Year
Ashley Taylor, Radford

Freshman of the Year
Tessa Thomas, Winthrop

Coach of the Year
Jess Dannelly, Coastal Carolina

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Meagen Johnson, Coastal Carolina