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ROCK HILL, SC – Carson-Newman College junior first baseman Lisa Rogers, who led the South Atlantic Conference in slugging percentage and on base percentage, and junior pitcher Megan Elliott, who led the league in earned run average and total strikeouts, were named Softball Player and Pitcher of the Year, the league announced today.

Rogers (Rossville, GA) batted .414, second in the SAC, with a slugging percentage of .672. She had 38 runs batted in with six home runs.

Elliott (East Ridge, TN) went 32-7 with a 1.1 ERA. The pair were among five players from conference champion Carson-Newman named to the All-Conference Team. Carson-Newman coach Vickie Hollifield, who guided the Eagles to a 35-8 record this season, was named Coach of the Year.

Presbyterian College outfielder Kellyn Henderson (Simpsonville, S.C.), who led the SAC in batting with a .433 average and hit a league-best nine triples, was named SAC Freshman of the Year. She was one of two Blue Hose named to the All-Conference Team.

Wingate University placed a league-high seven on the All-Conference team.

Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill, Newberry and Catawba each placed two on the squad, while Tusculum had one member.

Newberry pitcher Kayce McLeod was named SAC Scholar Athlete for softball. McLeod, a senior from Newberry, S.C., has a 3.925 GPA as a chemistry and biology major.

She is second in school history in career wins, starts, innings pitched, and earned run average. Her 1.89 ERA this season is the second-best in school history.

McLeod is a seven-time Dean’s List member and is a member of four honor societies.

In the community, McLeod is president of the Omicron Delta Kappa society and Kappa Delta sorority. She serves as a tutor and writing assistant on campus. She has also volunteered with the Girl Scouts, Families with Disabilities, Shriners Children’s Hospital, Cancer Center for Children, Operation Christmas Child, Meals on Wheels and has helped raise money for the March of Dimes and American Cancer Society.

Regular season statistical champions and senior awards were also announced.

2005 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE SOFTBALL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST TEAM
Catcher – Tessa Ashwell, Mars Hill
Pitcher – Megan Elliott, Carson-Newman
Pitcher – Alexis Kreske, Lenoir-Rhyne
1st base – Lisa Rogers, Carson-Newman
2nd base – Megan McPhail, Wingate
Shortstop – Cameron Langston, Wingate
3rd base – Mandy Stevens, Carson-Newman
Outfield – Erin Rutherford, Carson-Newman
Outfield – Kellyn Henderson, Presbyterian
Outfield – Grace Cunningham, Wingate
Utility – Christina Kirby, Newberry
Utility – Lacey Waldroop, Catawba
SECOND TEAM
Catcher – Sarah Lynch, Newberry
Pitcher – Lauren Powell, Wingate
Pitcher – Ashley Green, Wingate
1st base – Sarah Carleton, Wingate
2nd base – Chrissy Lunsford, Lenoir-Rhyne
2nd base – Rachel Bailey, Presbyterian
Shortstop – LeAndrea Johnson, Carson-Newman
Shortstop – Stacey Handy, Catawba
3rd base – Carey Bumgardner, Wingate
Outfield – Karen Reames, Lenoir-Rhyne
Outfield – Courtney Kline, Mars Hill
Outfield – Jessica Taylor, Tusculum

COACH OF THE YEAR – Vickie Hollifield, Carson-Newman
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Kellyn Henderson, Presbyterian
PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Megan Elliott, Carson-Newman
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Lisa Rogers, Carson-Newman
SAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE – Kayce McLeod, Newberry

STAT CHAMPIONS
Kellyn Henderson, Presbyterian, Batting Average, .433; Triples Per Game, 0.2
Jessica Jackson, Newberry, Stolen Bases Per Game, 0.57;
Courtney Lindler, Newberry, 0.57
Jessica Taylor, Tusculum, Runs Batted In Per Game, .97
Tessa Ashwell, Mars Hill, Home Runs Per Game, 0.20
Grace Cunningham, Wingate, Doubles Per Game, 0.38
Megan Elliott, Carson-Newman, Pitching Victories, 32; and Earned Run Average, 1.10
Candace Allwardt, Tusculum, Strikeouts Per Seven Innings, 7.95
Wingate, Batting Average, 0.321 Wingate, Runs Per Game, 5.33
Carson-Newman, Earned Run Average, 1.40
Carson-Newman, Fielding Percentage, 0.970
Carson-Newman, Win/Loss Percentage, .814 (35-8)