FRISCO, Texas - Texas State’s Ragan Blake was named 2008 Southland Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year today, as the Southland Conference announced its 2008 All-Southland Conference Softball Awards and Teams.

Blake, who wins Pitcher of the Year honors for the second-straight year, led the league with 20 wins this season as she posted 183 strikeouts and a 2.26 ERA. Texas State has now won Pitcher of the Year honors for three-straight years and for the fifth time overall as Blake joins Katie Ann Trahan in 2006, Nicole Neuerburg in 2002 and Jessica Chase in 2001.

Hitter of the Year honors went to Texas State’s McKenzie Baack, as she hit .348 during the regular season. She becomes the second Bobcat to win the honor, after Kristen Zaleski won back-to-back honors in 2003 and 2004.

McNeese State’s Jenny Clay won her second-straight Utility Player of the Year honor as she hit .382 this season. Clay was a Co-National Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week selection on March 30.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Kim Connelly was voted Newcomer of the Year, after hitting .357 and finishing second in the league with 38 RBI. She becomes the first Islander to win the honor.

Freshman of the Year honors went to Stephen F. Austin’s Monika Covington as she led the league with 232 strikeouts and finished No. 2 in the league in ERA at 1.39. She is the first Ladyjack to win the honor.

Texas State Head Coach Ricci Woodard received Coach of the Year honors for the third time of her career, as she was also selected in 2001 and 2002.

 

Overall, Texas State placed eight players on the All-SLC teams, including six on the second-team. UT Arlington placed five, while Stephen F. Austin and UTSA each placed four players on the teams. Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana had three on the All-SLC teams, with Sam Houston State and McNeese State each placing two. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Northwestern State each had one player on the teams.

Blake, Clay, Covington and Connelly were all first-team selections.

 

Nicholls State’s Kat Harrell received first-team honors for the third-straight season at shortstop, becoming the seventh player in SLC history to attain that many first-team honors. Harrell led the league with a .400 batting average, 72 hits, 103 total bases and tied for the league lead with 40 runs scored.

UTA’s Katie Jones, the 2007 SLC Hitter and Player of the Year, and Samantha Chumchal also earned first-team honors at outfield and catcher, respectively. Jones became the 24th player in league history to post 200 career hits on April 22 and hit .345 this season, while Chumchal finished with a .340 batting average.

SFA’s Jessica Tullos also earned first-team honors at first base as she finished tied for third in the SLC in home runs with 10.

Southeastern Louisiana’s Heather Sherrill is also a first-team selection at third base, after leading the league with 39 RBI this season.

Sam Houston State’s Hailey Wiginton finished No. 2 in the SLC with a .389 batting average as she earned first-team honors in the outfield.

UTSA’s Rudi Cantu hit .320 and finished No. 8 in the SLC with 55 hits to round out the first-team at second base.

Six Bobcats earned second-team honors, including Baack at designated player, Leah Boatright at first base, Ali McCormack at third base, Ashton Peters at catcher and outfielders Jetta Weinheimer and Kristina Tello.

UT Arlington’s Cara Hulme and Amanda Swofford also earned second-team honors at pitcher and shortstop, respectively. Hulme won 16 games and finished with a 1.89 ERA, while Swofford finished No. 2 in the SLC with 11 home runs.

Rounding out the second team is Nicholls State’s Danielle Clayton at second base, Stephen F. Austin’s Kendal Harper in the outfield and UTSA’s Danye’ Holmes at pitcher. Harper hit .379 this season and finished tied for the league lead in runs, while Clayton hit .301 and Holmes finished 9-6 with a 2.23 ERA. Holmes also earned third-team honors at designed player with her 328 average.

On the third-team, Southeastern Louisiana placed two players, Rachel Ray and Arica Rodriguez at pitcher and second base, respectively.

Rounding out the third team is Nicholls State first baseman Amy Thibodaux, UT Arlington third baseman Whitney Simpson, Texas State shortstop Alex Newton, Stephen F. Austin catcher Kim Daley, UTSA outfielder Leanne Risberg, Northwestern State outfielder Cary Bruno, McNeese State outfielder Megan Beard and Sam Houston State pitcher Morgan Mikulin.

 

The SLC Softball Tournament begins Thursday in San Marcos, as No. 7 seed Sam Houston State enters as the defending champion. This year’s tournament is single elimination for the first time in league history.

No. 5 seed McNeese State and No. 8 seed Southeastern Louisiana open the tournament at 11 a.m., with No. 6 Nicholls State and No. 7 Sam Houston State in game two at 1:30. No. 4 seed Stephen F. Austin awaits the winner of game one at 4 p.m., while No. 3 UTSA will play the winner of game two at 6:30 p.m.

The game three and four winner will face No. 2 UT Arlington and No. 1 Texas State at 4 and 6:30 p.m., respectively, on Friday.

The championship game is set for Saturday at 4 p.m.

First Team -- School -- CL -- Hometown

1B -- Jessica Tullos -- Stephen F. Austin -- Sr. -- Lufkin, Texas
2B -- Rudi Cantu -- UTSA -- So. -- Alvin, Texas
3B -- Heather Sherrill -- Southeastern La. -- Jr. -- Alexandria, La.
SS -- Kat Harrell -- Nicholls State -- Sr. -- League City, Texas
C -- Samantha Chumchal -- UT Arlington -- So. -- Richwood, Texas
OF -- Katie Jones -- UT Arlington -- Sr. -- Cedar Hill, Texas
OF -- Hailey Wiginton -- Sam Houston State -- Fr. -- Friendswood, Texas
OF -- Kim Connelly -- A&M-Corpus Christi -- Jr. -- Beaverton, Ore.

DP -- Jenny Clay -- McNeese State -- Sr. -- Arnaudville, La.
P -- Ragan Blake -- Texas State -- Sr. -- Missouri City, Texas
P -- Monika Covington -- Stephen F. Austin -- Fr. -- Huffman, Texas

Second Team -- School -- CL -- Hometown

1B -- Leah Boatright -- Texas State -- So. -- Baytown, Texas
2B -- Danielle Clayton -- Nicholls State -- Jr. -- Patterson, La.
3B -- Ali McCormack -- Texas State -- Jr. -- Denton, Texas
SS -- Amanda Swofford -- UT Arlington -- Sr. -- Buda, Texas
C -- Ashton Peters -- Texas State -- Sr. -- LaCoste, Texas
OF -- Kendal Harper -- Stephen F. Austin -- So. -- Palmer, Texas
OF -- Jetta Weinheimer -- Texas State -- Jr. -- Stonewall, Texas
OF -- Kristina Tello -- Texas State -- So. -- Houston, Texas
DP -- McKenzie Baack -- Texas State -- Fr. -- Round Rock, Texas
P -- Cara Hulme -- UT Arlington -- So. -- Van, Texas
P -- Danye’ Holmes -- UTSA -- Fr. -- Sugar Land, Texas

 

1B -- Amy Thibodaux -- Nicholls State -- Sr. -- Prairieville, La.
2B -- Arica Rodriguez -- Southeastern La. -- Sr. -- Natalia, Texas
3B -- Whitney Simpson -- UT Arlington -- Fr. -- Arlington, Texas
SS -- Alex Newton -- Texas State -- Jr. -- LaPorte, Texas
C -- Kim Daley -- Stephen F. Austin -- Jr. -- League City, Texas
OF -- Leanne Risberg -- UTSA -- Jr. -- New Orleans, La.
OF -- Cary Bruno -- Northwestern State -- Jr. -- Pearland, Texas
OF -- Megan Beard -- McNeese State -- Sr. -- Baton Rouge, La.
DP -- Danye’ Holmes -- UTSA -- Fr. -- Sugar Land, Texas
P -- Rachel Ray -- Southeastern La. -- Sr. -- Payson, Ariz.
P -- Morgan Mikulin -- Sam Houston State -- So. -- Huntsville, Texas

Player Of The Year:  Ragan Blake, Texas State
Hitter Of The Year:  McKenzie Baack, Texas State
Pitcher Of The Year:  Ragan Blake, Texas State
Utility Player Of The Year:  Jenny Clay, McNeese State
Newcomer Of The Year:  Kim Connelly, A&M-Corpus Christi
Freshman Of The Year:  Monika Covington, Stephen F. Austin
Coach Of The Year:  Ricci Woodard, Texas State

Honorable Mention: April Clougherty, UT Arlington, Lauren Sanders, A&M-Corpus Christi, Allyson McCubbins, Southeastern La., Rachel King, McNeese State, Krista Sitka, UTSA, Brittany Stevens, UT Arlington, Keatha Tollett, Central Arkansas, Brandi Crnkovic, Sam Houston State, Laura Jones, UT Arlington.