SAC Places Four On Daktronics All-America Softball Team

Rolla, Mo. -- Four softball players from the South Atlantic Conference were selected to the 2008 Daktronics All-America Softball Team, including three selected to the first team.

Carson-Newman pitcher Zoe Heim, Lincoln Memorial third baseman Sara Henn and Mars Hill college outfielder Natalie Haithcox were all named to the first team, while Carson-Newman second baseman Whitney Hickam was selected to the second team.

The second annual squad was voted on by sports information directors in NCAA Division II.

Zoe Heim, Whitney Hickam

Zoe Heim

Whitney Hickam

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Pitcher Zoe Heim (Gallatin, Tenn.) was named to the first team, while second baseman Whitney Hickam (Knoxville, Tenn.) earned a second team spot.

The national honors come after Carson-Newman turned in a 49-8 season, setting a school-record for wins, and earning the highest national ranking, 4th, in conference history.

Coach Vickee Hollifield's squad won both the South Atlantic Conference regular season and tournament titles, while finishing with the second most wins in SAC history.

Heim and Hickam were each named to the Daktronics, Inc. All-America squad.

Heim fired the Lady Eagles to their school-record 49 wins, compiling a 31-7 record on the year, with a 1.04 ERA.

The Ohio-transfer finished the year ranked sixth nationally in wins, and was on the cusp on the nation'a top ten in strikeouts per innings pitched (12th), and ERA. Her 291 strikeouts this season is the fourth most in SAC history.

The Gallatin, Tennessee-native tossed a no-hitter against Pfeiffer in mid-April. She followed an impressive finish to the regular season with a 4-0 record at the 2008 Food Lion SAC Tournament, leading C-N to the tournament title and earning Most Valuable Player honors. She allowed only four earned runs in four games as C-N swept through the tournament.

Hickam was named All-American for the second straight season. She was Third-Team All-American last season. The Knoxville-native batted .379 as a senior, belting eight home runs. She finished with 69 RBIs and a .629 slugging percentage.

Against Pfeiffer in the NCAA Tournament, Hickam ripped her 27th career blast, setting a new career record at C-N for home runs in a career.

A four-year starter, Hickam was part of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including earning the top-seed at the regional this season.

Sara Henn

Lincoln Memorial University softball third baseman Sara Henn (Kettering, OH) was selected to the 2008 Daktronics All-America first team. Henn had been selected as the South Atlantic Region Softball Player of the Year.

Sara Henn

A 5-7 sophomore, Henn led the conference in hitting this year with a .487 batting average, totaling 74 hits, 21 doubles, 13 homeruns and 57 runs batted in. For her efforts, she received SAC Player of the Week honors once this season, First Team All-South Atlantic Conference honors, and South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year. All these accolades came while finishing with the second highest season batting average in SAC softball history.

Henn was recognized at Lincoln Memorial University's annual athletics banquet as the softball team's Most Valuable Player and the 2007-08 co-recipient of the University's Female Athlete of the Year award.

This spring, Henn led the Lady Railsplitters to a 32-16 season finish along with a 7-7 regular season South Atlantic Conference mark. The Lady Railsplitters ended the 2008 spring schedule in the semifinals of the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament in Newberry, South Carolina.

Natalie Haithcox

MARS HILL, N.C. - Natalie Haithcox, a freshman outfielder from Asheboro, N.C., was selected as a first team Daktronics All-American. Haithcox was the lone freshman on the first team. The squad is voted on by sports information directors in NCAA Division II.

Haithcox, who attended Southwestern Randolph High School, was named the South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year. She led the conference in RBI per game and was second in the league in batting average and slugging percentage.

At the conclusion of the 2008 season, Haithcox hit .428 with 50 runs scored, 20 doubles, 11 homeruns and a pair of triples. She posted a .757 slugging percentage and a .412 on-base percentage.

Natalie Haithcox

In the national statistical ranks, Haithcox placed 17th in RBI, 25th in doubles per game and 29th in slugging percentage.

Haithcox also gets the job done in the classroom. At the conclusion of her freshman campaign, Haithcox has a 3.38 grade point average as a History major. Those numbers qualified her as a member of the 2007-08 SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Mars Hill set a school record for wins in 2008 with 39 and made it to the championship game of the SAC Tournament for the first time in school history. Records will continue to fall as MHC lost only one senior off of the this year's squad. Haithcox is the first softball All-American in the history of Mars Hill's program.

Mars Hill Head Softball Coach David Williams stated, "Natalie is a tremendous talent and a valuable asset to the program. This honor is a testament to her hard work. Her teammates and myself are proud of what she has accomplished and what she will continue to accomplish in the future."

2008 Daktronics All-America Softball Team
First Team

PITCHER: KRISTIN ERB, Jr., Lock Haven University (Reading, Pa.)
Two-time Daktronics "Pitcher of the Year" leads Division II in earned run average and is second in three other categories
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
42-7 0 0.27 42 28/2 332.0 152 25 13 19 401
PITCHER: ZOE HEIM, Sr., Carson-Newman College (Gallatin, Tenn.)
South Atlantic Tournament MVP helped Eagles set a school record with 49 wins in 2008 season
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
31-7 1 1.04 25 8/3 221.2 154 59 33 37 291
PITCHER: AMBER JACK, Jr., Barry University (Homestead, Fla.)
Owns second-best earned run average in Division II to help pace team to spot in Elite Eight
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
30-3 2 0.66 27 19/1 242.1 136 27 23 13 187
CATCHER: JESSIKA ANASTOS, So., Fort Hays State University (Broomfield, Colo.)
First-team All-MIAA receiver ranks among top 15 in Division II in both hitting and slugging
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.462 158 45 73 16 1 13 44 .835 18 18 .525 6 .995
FIRST BASE: SHERRI RABENOLD, Sr., Rollins College (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Named first-team All-SSC after leading conference in runs scored, triples and stolen bases
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.424 172 58 73 11 8 9 41 .738 28 6 .507 44 .989
SECOND BASE: GINA CAPARDI, Jr., Caldwell College (West Caldwell, N.J.)
CACC "Player of the Year" was eighth-toughest player to strike out in Division II
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.422 187 52 79 15 4 7 51 .658 10 4 .438 8 .967
THIRD BASE: SARA HENN, So., Lincoln Memorial University (Kettering, Ohio)
Sixth-best slugging percentage in Division II and tenth-best batting average posted by South Atlantic's "Player of Year"
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.487 152 50 74 21 0 13 57 .882 22 15 .551 9 .954
SHORTSTOP: HEATHER EBERT, Sr., Adams State College (Rosthern, Sask., Canada)
RMAC and Daktronics "Player of Year" led Division II in home runs and ranks second in slugging percentage
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.505 182 62 92 16 2 22 75 .978 33 12 .583 6 .948
OUTFIELD: NATALIE HAITHCOX, Fr., Mars Hill College (Asheboro, N.C.)
Lone freshman on the Daktronics first team finished third in SAC in hitting and second in slugging
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.428 173 50 74 20 2 11 64 .757 14 16 .471 8 .976
OUTFIELD: CASIE HANSON, Jr., University of North Dakota (St. Peter, Minn.)
Ranks in top five in Division II in hitting and slugging as well as tenth in home runs per game
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.534 131 50 70 7 3 13 42 .931 12 19 .574 16 .954
OUTFIELD: TARAS WALLACE, Sr., Dowling College (Barnegat, N.J.)
East Coast Conference "Player of Year" ranks first in nation in walks, second in on-base percentage and fourth in doubles
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.457 138 44 63 26 1 3 44 .725 54 8 .608 24 .964
DESIGNATED PLAYER: COURTNEY DAVIS, Jr., Adams State College (Stockton, Calif.)
Ranked as one of top hitters in RMAC and also won 12 games as a pitcher in 2008
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.429 154 28 66 12 0 4 52 .584 23 13 .500 1 1.000
UTILITY: ASHLEY FITZGERALD, Jr., Kutztown University (Kitchener, Ont., Canada)
Second Canadian native on first team was the PSAC East Division's "Player of Year"
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.434 182 35 79 23 0 16 59 .824 21 10 .495 0 .988

Second Team

PITCHER: MANDY CHANDLER, Jr., Georgia College & State University (Covington, Ga.)
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
25-9 2 0.98 28 12/0 236.2 125 48 33 68 311
PITCHER: MARJORIE JOHNSON, Jr., Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Tulsa, Okla.)
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
27-5 7 1.47 24 8/3 223.2 69 69 47 179 394
PITCHER: ASHLEY LYNN, Sr., Bloomsburg University (Riverside, Pa.)
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
26-5 4 0.97 25 10/2 217.0 155 36 30 22 221
CATCHER: JESSICA SHIERY, Jr., Abilene Christian University (Windsor, Calif.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.440 175 48 77 20 0 12 44 .760 53 14 .576 3 .983
FIRST BASE: NATALIE GALLETLY, Jr., Humboldt State University (San Ramon, Calif.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.394 226 42 89 18 1 11 57 .628 36 25 .498 7 .994
SECOND BASE: WHITNEY HICKAM, Sr., Carson-Newman College (Knoxville, Tenn.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.379 182 42 69 19 1 8 69 .626 19 19 .448 9 .959
THIRD BASE: MIRANDA CAMPBELL, So., Emporia State University (Bogata, Texas)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.410 183 58 75 18 3 17 56 .820 31 18 .495 12 .950
SHORTSTOP: JENNY GENSCH, Sr., St. Cloud State University (Apple Valley, Minn.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.406 165 50 67 11 2 17 62 .806 36 18 .512 17 .965
OUTFIELD: BRITTANY BERRIER, Sr., University of North Carolina Pembroke (Lexington, N.C.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.400 200 50 80 23 1 3 46 .570 9 14 .435 24 .960
OUTFIELD: CRISTINA DeTAGLE, Sr., Barry University (North Miami Beach, Fla.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.427 164 35 70 5 2 0 7 .482 6 26 .450 16 1.000
OUTFIELD: RACHEL LYNN, Sr., Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Skiatook, Okla.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.414 220 66 91 3 1 4 24 .491 13 11 .491 48 .944
DESIGNATED PLAYER: SARA LOETE, So., University of Southern Indiana (Pekin, Ill.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.405 158 25 64 9 0 10 54 .652 24 20 .487 1 N/A
UTILITY: ASHLEY URBANIK, Jr., Saint Leo University (Riverview, Fla.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.306 160 36 49 9 0 14 44 .625 16 33 .369 2 .984
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
27-10 1 1.04 31 14/2 235.1 145 61 35 91 259

Third team

PITCHER: MALISSA MAGEE, Sr., St. Mary's University (Katy, Texas)
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
36-8 1 1.22 35 18/1 280.2 166 70 49 51 336
PITCHER: LIZZY PRESCOTT, Sr., Humboldt State University (Castro Valley, Calif.)
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
46-11 3 1.16 42 18/2 386.0 246 84 64 80 421
PITCHER: MOLLY YETMAN, Sr., Wayne State University, Mich. (Cambridge, Ont., Canada)
W-L S ERA CG ShO IP H R ER BB K
28-5 0 0.79 25 10/3 203.2 103 39 23 65 265
CATCHER: AMANDA ROOSA, Jr., Lock Haven University (Pompton Lakes, N.J.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.364 176 33 64 11 0 13 61 .648 14 17 .415 0 .998
FIRST BASE: STEPH DENLINGER, Jr., Kutztown University (Harleysville, Pa.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.345 168 53 58 12 1 16 55 .714 44 24 .485 1 .983
SECOND BASE: ERIN GRAY, Sr., Bowie State University (Pasadena, Md.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.452 115 54 52 14 1 9 33 .826 25 7 .549 18 .932
THIRD BASE: KELSEY MUSSELMAN, Sr., Missouri University of Science & Technology (Springfield, Ill.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.422 147 42 62 7 0 14 47 .755 21 23 .500 2 .953
SHORTSTOP: KELCIE GLIDDEN, Sr., Henderson State University (Angelton, Texas)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.422 180 50 76 10 2 15 46 .750 17 14 .470 31 .956
OUTFIELD: ASHLEY GRAHAM, Sr., Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Grand Prairie, Texas)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.332 208 35 69 6 0 11 61 .519 9 20 .359 3 .953
OUTFIELD: CHRISTINA PANE, Jr., Pace University (Stony Brook, N.Y.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.438 162 40 71 7 6 3 29 .611 12 10 .474 13 1.000
OUTFIELD: KRISTINA PRATER, So., University of Alabama-Huntsville (Athens, Ala.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.406 143 52 58 12 3 3 37 .678 16 12 .528 24 .952
DESIGNATED PLAYER: MEGAN YOUNG, Jr., Barry University (Linden, Calif.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.363 168 19 61 21 0 5 34 .577 8 16 .393 0 .969
UTILITY: JORDAN DAHL, Sr., California State University San Bernardino (Vacaville, Calif.)
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB K OBP SB FLD
.376 221 56 83 17 2 12 51 .633 17 18 .438 27 .955