Lincoln Memorial’s Walker, Lenoir-Rhyne’s O’Connor, Carson-Newman’s Hickam Named Softball All-Americans

ROLLO, MO -- Lincoln Memorial University's Brittney Walker (Ooltewah, TN) has been named Daktronics First Team All-America by the sports information directors across the country, while Lenoir-Rhyne pitcher Meredith O'Connor and Carson-Newman second baseman Whitney Hickam were both named to the Third Team.

The announcement came Thursday afternoon from the national coordinator for softball.

Walker, a 5-7 pitcher/outfielder, earned All-America honors for her efforts at the plate and in the outfield. During the 2007 season the four-year starter hit .429, crossing the plate a team-best 56 times. In addition, she had 82 hits, 26 doubles, two triples and a team-best 16 homeruns while recording 50 RBI this season. Walker's .838 slugging percentage and .495 on base percentage were also at the top of the Lady Railsplitter statistics.

Brittney Walker

Meredith O'Connor

Whitney Hickam

Walker ends her career at Lincoln Memorial University as a three-time All-Gulf South Conference First Team selection, a Daktronics All-South Region First Team selection and 2007 Daktronics South Region Player of the Year. Over the past four years the Ooltewah, Tennessee native has literally rewritten the Lady Railsplitter record book, finishing her collegiate career at the top of nearly all of the school's career statistical categories.

The Lady Railsplitters ended the 2007 season with an overall record of 37-18-1, tying the 2001 and 2006 LMU softball team's single-season marks for most wins. Including Walker, the Lady Railsplitters lose four seniors this season to graduation and will be competing next season for the first time as a member of the South Atlantic Conference.

Hickam hit .394 for the Lady Eagles while leading the team with 10 homeruns, 62 RBI, and a .700 slugging percentage. Hickam also earned second team All-South Atlantic Conference honors.

O'Connor (Charlotte, N.C./Appalachian State University), the 2007 South Atlantic Conference Pitcher Of The Year and Food Lion SAC Tournament MVP, went 24-3 on the year with a 1.05 earned run average and a league-record 319 strikeouts.

Lock Haven junior pitcher Kristen Erb, who is trying to lead her team to a second straight NCAA Division II national championship, and Florida Gulf Coast junior third baseman Carmen Paez, who set an Division II home run record during the 2007 season, head up the inaugural Daktronics, Inc.,/NCAA Division II softball All-America team as the pitcher and player of the year, respectively.

Erb, who has the nation's best earned run average of 0.41 heading into the national championship tournament taking place this weekend in Akron, Ohio, has posted a 36-2 record with 264 strikeouts in 240 2.3 innings of work. Her possible counterpart in the first game of the tournament, Columbus State's Amber Browning, was also a first-team selection after a season in which she went 25-1 with a 0.75 earned run average and nearly 20 strikeouts for every walk.

Daktronics All-America Softball Team (First team)
P Megan Brown Florida Southern College
P Amber Browing Columbus State University
P Kristin Erb Lock Haven University
C Jeaniel Pati Henderson State University
1B Steph Denlinger Kutztown University
2B Kandi Wieberg University of Missouri-Rolla
3B Carmen Paez Florida Gulf Coast University
SS Rachel Adams University of Central Missouri
OF Jenny Dunn University of Arkansas-Monticello
OF Stacy Haney University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
OF Brittany Walker Lincoln Memorial University
DP Kaycee Taylor Angelo State University
UT Katie Veltri Nova Southeastern University

Daktronics All-America Softball Team (Second team)
P Malissa Magee St. Mary's University
P Lizzy Prescott Humboldt State University
P Molly Yetman Wayne State University
C Christie Softy Long Island University - C.W. Post
1B Meredith Heckel University of Arkansas-Monticello
2B Rachel Hancock University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
3B Sophia Blue North Carolina Central University
SS Jaclyn Corroto Gannon University
OF Erin Brown Columbus State University
OF Tricia Corbin Bowie State University
OF Sherri Rabenold Rollins College
DP Jill Fisher Long Island University - C.W. Post
UT Michelle Ishida North Carolina Central University

Daktronics All-America Softball Team (Third team)
P Kaitlin Colosimo Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
P Meredith O'Connor Lenoir-Rhyne College
P Courtney Reed Emporia State University
C Jessica Strickland University of South Carolina Aiken
1B Natalie Galletly Humboldt State University
2B Whitney Hickam Carson-Newman College
3B Keidra Bailey Georgia College & State University
SS Macy Baker Angelo State University
OF Casie Hanson University of North Dakota
OF Kandace Kubat Angelo State University
OF Taras Wallace Dowling College
DP Megan Russell University of Indianapolis
UT Sarah Mueller Ferris State University