May 6, 2009

Three Golden Eagles selected for all-OVC softball honors

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- After earning a spot in the 2009 OVC Softball Championships, the Tennessee Tech softball team had three players honored at the Awards Dinner Wednesday night. Sophomore Lacie Coquerille earned all-OVC first-team honors, while the freshman duo of Holly Thomas and Whitney Cummings took home spots on the OVC All-Newcomer team.

Coquerille, a native of Rocky Face, Ga., leads the Golden Eagles in batting average heading into the OVC Tournament (.316). She also leads the team in on base perctage (.364), runs scored (30), hits (50), sacrifice hits (2) and total plate appearances (182). Coquerille also ranks on the team in slugging percentage (2nd at .449), doubles (2nd with 9), homeruns (4th with 4) and total bases (2nd with 71).

A native of Ooltewah, Tenn., Thomas hit and pitched her way into her first season for Tech. She ranks on the team in several categories including home runs (2nd with 5) and walks (1st with 23). From the circle, she holds the lowest ERA on the team (2.90) and is second on opponents batting average (.244). She has also started the most games amongst all TTU pitchers this season (25).

Hailing from Tuttle, Okla., Cummings has proven to be a valuable assest to the team from the plate, field and circle. She leads the team in slugging percentage (.506), RBIs (32), doubles (14), triples (1) and homeruns (7). In the field she has a .997 fielding percentage, commiting only three errors in 388 attempts. From the pitching circle, she has made six appearances for 13.2 innings of work. She has struck out five batters while giving up only one home run. Cummings and Coquerille are two of the three players on the roster to play and start in every game for Tech this season.

Jacksonville State lead the way with the top awards with Nikki Prier taking home OVC Player of the Year honors while Karla Pittman earned OVC Player of the Year honors. UT Martin’s Jenny Bain was named the OVC Freshman of the Year. Southeast Missouri’s Lana Richmond and JSU’s Jana McGinnis were named OVC Co-Coaches of the Year.

Joining Prier, Pittman and Bain on the All-OVC first team are Morehead State junior pitcher Alex Gjevre (Billings, Mont.) and sophomore infielder Rebecca Butler (Pendleton, Ind.); Jacksonville State senior catcher Allie Barker (Gadsden, Ala.) and junior outfielder Chrissy O'Neal (Dallas, Ga.); Eastern Kentucky junior infielder Shyenne Hussey (Waimanalo, Hawaii) and freshman outfielder Diane Gallagher (Atwater, Calif.); Tennessee Tech sophomore infielder Lacie Coquerille (Rock Face, Ga.); UT Martin junior outfielder Megan Williams (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and sophomore utility player Caitlin Eaton (Baltic, Conn.).

Receiving All-OVC second team honors are Southeast Missouri freshman pitcher Giana Zimmerman (Westminster, Colo.), junior catcher Alex Ramierz (Corona, Calif.), sophomore infielder Nicole Troncoso (Palmdale, Calif.) and junior outfielder Jennifer Vasquez (Placetia, Calif.); Jacksonville State sophomore pitcher Ashley Eliasson (Vallejo, Calif.), senior outfielder Jackie Jarmen (Edmond, Okla.) and junior outfielder Hillary Downs (Childersburg, Ala.); Tennessee State junior infielder Bridget Metzger (Rochelle, Ill.) and sophomore infielder Brittany Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.); Eastern Illinois sophomore infielder Kiley Holtz (Elgin, Ill.); UT Martin junior outfielder Laura Roberts (Johnston City, Ill.); and Eastern Kentucky senior utility player Kalyn Fox (Murray, Ky.)

Along with Bain, making up the All-Newcomer team are Jacksonville State junior outfielder Hillary Downs (Childersburg, Ala.), freshman infielder Allison Svoboda (Gardendale, Ala.), and freshman designated player Meredith Sellers (Columbiana, Ala.); Eastern Illinois sophomore pitcher Amber May (Normal, Ill.) and freshman catchers Hailee Hanna (Newbury Park, Calif.); Southeast Missouri freshman pitchers Giana Zimmerman (Westminster, Ga.) and sophomore infielder Nicole Troncoso (Palmdale, Calif.), Tennessee Tech freshman infielder Whitney Cummings (Tuttle, Okla.) and freshman pitcher Holly Thomas (Ooltewah, Tenn.); and Morehead State freshman utility player Kayla Brill (Newmartinsville, W.Va.) and freshman outfielder Sam Woodall (Dublin, Ohio).

First-round action of the 2009 OVC Softball Tournament gets underway at 10 a.m. CDT Thursday and will resume at 10 a.m. CDT Friday with the championship game being held on Saturday.

2009 All-Ohio Valley Conference Softball Teams

FIRST TEAM
P - Karla Pittman (Jacksonville State) - Sr., North Canton, Ohio
P - Alex Gjevre (Morehead State) - Jr., Billings, Mont.*
C - Allie Barker (Jacksonville State) - Sr., Gadsden, Ala.*
IF - Nikki Prier (Jacksonville State) - Jr., Raleigh, N.C.*
IF - Jenny Bain (UT Martin) - Fr., Hendersonville, Tenn.
IF - Shyenne Hussey (Eastern Kentucky) - Jr., Waimanalo, Hawaii*
IF - Rebecca Butler (Morehead State) - So., Pendleton, Ind.%
IF - Lacie Coquerille (Tennessee Tech) - So., Rock Face, Ga.
OF - Chrissy O'Neal (Jacksonville State) - Jr., Dallas, Ga.*
OF - Megan Williams (UT Martin) - Jr., Murfreesboro, Tenn.%
OF - Diane Gallagher (Eastern Kentucky) - Fr., Atwater, Calif.
UTIL/DP - Caitlin Eaton (Tennessee State) - So., Baltic, Conn.

2009 OVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nikki Prier, Jacksonville State
2009 OVC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Karla Pittman, Jacksonville State
2009 OVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jenny Bain, UT Martin
2009 OVC CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR: Jana McGinnis, Jacksonville State;
Lana Richmond, Southeast Missouri

SECOND TEAM
P - Ashley Eliasson (Jacksonville State) - So., Vallejo, Calif.*
P - Giana Zimmerman (Southeast Missouri) - Fr., Westminster, Colo.
C - Alex Ramirez (Southeast Missouri) - Jr., Corona, Calif.
IF - Nicole Troncoso (Southeast Missouri) - So., Palmdale, Calif.
IF - Kiley Holtz (Eastern Illinois) - So., Elgin, Ill.
IF - Bridget Metzger (Tennessee State) - Jr., Rochelle, Ill.
IF - Brittany Webb (Tennessee State) - So., Knoxville, Tenn.
OF - Jackie Jarmen (Jacksonville State) - Sr., Edmond, Okla.
OF -Jennifer Vasquez (Southeast Missouri) - Jr., Placentia, Calif.
OF -Hillary Downs (Jacksonville State) - Jr., Childersburg, Ala.
OF - Laura Roberts (UT Martin) - Jr., Johnston City, Ill.
UTIL/DP - Kalyn Fox (Eastern Kentucky) - Sr., Murray, Ky.

* - 1st Team All-OVC in 2008 % - 2nd Team All-OVC in 2008

ALL-NEWCOMER
Jenny Bain (UT Martin) - Fr., INF, Hendersonville, Tenn.
Giana Zimmerman (Southeast Missouri) - Fr., P, Westminster, Ga.
Diana Gallahger (Eastern Kentucky) - Fr., OF, Atwater, Calif.
Amber May (Eastern Illinois) - So., P, Normal, Ill.
Hillary Downs (Jacksonville State) - Jr., OF, Childersburg, Ala.
Nicole Troncoso (Southeast Missouri) - So., INF, Palmdale, Calif.
Whitney Cummings (Tennessee Tech) - Fr., INF, Tuttle, Okla.
Holly Thomas (Tennessee Tech) - Fr., P, Ooltewah, Tenn.
Hailee Hanna (Eastern Illinois) - Fr., C, Newbury Park, Calif.
Kayla Brill (Morehead State) - Fr., UTIL, New Martinsville, W.Va.
Sam Woodall (Morehead State) - Fr., OF, Dublin, Ohio
Allison Svoboda (Jacksonsville State) - Fr., INF - Gardendale, Ala.
Meredith Sellers (Jacksonville State) - Fr., DP - Columbiana, Ala.