Kendal Harper Named Southland Softball Player of the Year

Kendal Harper Named Southland Softball Player of the Year

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FRISCO, Texas – After leading Stephen F. Austin to its first regular season conference title, senior outfielder Kendal Harper was named the 2010 Southland Conference Softball Player of the Year by vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the league office announced Tuesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference softball teams.

Stephen F. Austin received three of the six superlative honors, the most by any Ladyjacks team in a single season. In addition to player of the year, sophomore Kayla Gutowski was named hitter of the year and Gay McNutt was selected coach of the year. Pitcher of the year honors went to Texas State sophomore Chandler Hall. UT Arlington’s Teri Lyles was named freshman of the year and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi sophomore Hannah Schwarz received the newcomer of the year award.

Harper, a native of Palmer, Texas, is a two-time first-team all-conference selection and the first SFA player of the year recipient. Harper played a key role in the Ladyjacks first Southland Conference title, hitting .327 at the plate with 19 runs batted in. She started 45-of-46 games in the SFA outfield and was first on the team in total bases with 78. Palmer pounded out 49 hits in 150 at-bats including seven doubles, two triples and six home runs.

Gutowski is the third player in Southland history to be named hitter of the year in two consecutive seasons. A native of Tomball, Texas, Gutowski is a two-time first-team all-conference selection. She ranked sixth in the league in batting average (.358), ninth in slugging percentage (.555) and 12th in on-base percentage (.413).

McNutt received coach of the year honors after leading Stephen F. Austin to its first regular season title and most conference wins as a Southland member (20). A four-time coach of the year recipient, McNutt is the first coach to receive the league award with two different conference teams. McNutt was named coach of the year in three consecutive seasons with Northwestern State in 1998, 99 and 2000.

Hall’s pitcher of the year award is the fifth consecutive by a Texas State player and the seventh overall, the most among Southland teams. A native of Baytown, Texas, Hall makes a return appearance to the all-conference first-team. One of four players in conference history named pitcher of the year in two consecutive seasons, Hall tied for second in the league with 17 wins and 231 strikeouts. Appearing in a league-best 41 games, Hall started 32 games ranking second and led the Southland with 213.2 innings pitched.

Lyles led the league with a 1.64 ERA, was second in opposing batting average (.206) and fourth in innings pitched (196.1). Since the award’s inception in the 2000 season, UT Arlington has had more freshman of the year selections than any other Southland university. A native of Keller, Texas, Lyles is and a second-team all-conference selection and the third Mavs freshman award winner.

Schwarz is the second Islander in three years to be named newcomer of the year following Kim Connelly in 2008. A first-team all-conference selection, the Kerrville, Texas native led the Southland with a .416 batting average, 72 hits and ranked third with 36 runs scored.

Stephen F. Austin led all teams with six all-conference selections. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had its best season with five all-conference selections. McNeese State and UT Arlington had five selections as well followed by Central Arkansas and Nicholls with four each. Texas State had three while Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana and UTSA had one apiece.

Fourteen players made a return appearance to the all-conference teams led by Harper, Stephen F. Austin junior Monika Covington and UT Arlington senior Samantha Chumchal each with their third consecutive all-conference selection. In addition to Harper, Covington, Gutowski, Hall and Chumchal, eight additional players are making their second appearance all-conference appearance. UT Arlington junior first baseman Rebecca Collom and senior Cara Hulme who received dual honors as the third-team utility player and pitcher, Texas State senior outfielder Leah Boatright and junior third baseman Jenna Emery, Stephen F. Austin junior Ashley Struchtemeyer, McNeese State juniors shortstop Molly Guidry and outfielder Lindsey Langner, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior designated player Margo Hurdt and Nicholls senior pitcher Lacey Gros.

The 2010 Southland Conference Tournament is slated to get underway Thursday in San Marcos, Texas with game one starting at 11 a.m. Stephen F. Austin won a share of its first regular season title and is the No. 1 seed. The tournament fields a six-team double elimination format with the winner punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament.

2010 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams

First Team

      

Pos.

Name

University

Class

Hometown

1B

Kayla Gutowski2

Stephen F. Austin

So.

Tomball, Texas

2B

Caley Jeter

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Jr.

Huntsville, Texas

3B

Briana Bishop2

Stephen F. Austin

Sr.

College Station, Texas

SS

Caitlyn Ivy

UTSA

So.

Huntington, Texas

OF

Hannah Schwarz

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

So.

Kerrville, Texas

OF

Kendal Harper3

Stephen F. Austin

Sr.

Palmer, Texas

OF

Leah Boatright2

Texas State

Sr.

Baytown, Texas

C

Samantha Chumchal3

UT Arlington

Sr.

Richwood, Texas

UT

Audrey Wood

Nicholls

Sr.

Lawton, Okla.

DP

Shay Ristau

Central Arkansas

Jr.

Denton, Texas

P

Chandler Hall2

Texas State

So.

Baytown, Texas

P

Monika Covington3

Stephen F. Austin

Jr.

Huffman, Texas
         

Second Team

      

1B

Rebecca Collom2

UT Arlington

Jr.

New Boston, Texas

2B

Ashley Struchtemeyer 2

Stephen F. Austin

Jr.

Plano, Texas

3B

Jenna Emery2

Texas State

Jr.

Sugar Land, Texas

SS

Molly Guidry2

McNeese State

Jr.

Arnaudville, La.

OF

Liz Morvant

McNeese State

Sr.

Berwick, La.

OF

Candice Gauntt

Central Arkansas

Fr.

Burleson, Texas

OF

Cassie Redman

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

So.

New Lennox, Ill.

C

Brittany Tucker

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Jr.

Tucson, Ariz.

UT

Katie Duhe

Southeastern Louisiana

Jr.

Lutcher, La.

DP

Margo Hurdt2

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Sr.

Boerne, Texas

P

Teri Lyles

UT Arlington

Fr.

Keller, Texas

P

Meagan Bond

McNeese State

Fr.

Lumberton, Miss.
         

Third Team

      

1B

Kasey Britt

Central Arkansas

So.

Florence, Miss.

2B

Marissa Koetting

McNeese State

Fr.

Ferris, Texas

3B

Kayla Watterson

Nicholls

So.

New Iberia, La.

SS

Jessica Arana

Stephen F. Austin

So.

The Woodlands, Texas

OF

Lindsey Langner2

McNeese State

Jr.

Pearland, Texas

OF

Megan Gaspard

Nicholls

So.

Coteau, La.

OF

Erin Burford

Sam Houston State

So.

Austin, Texas

C

Melanie Bryant

Central Arkansas

Fr.

Hernando, Miss.

UT

Cara Hulme2

UT Arlington

Sr.

Van, Texas

DP

Samantha Roberts

Northwestern State

So.

Ruston, La.

P

Lacey Gros

Nicholls

Sr.

Schriever, La.

P

Cara Hulme2

UT Arlington

Sr.

Van, Texas


2Two-time all-conference selection
3Three-time all-conference selection

Honorable Mention - First Base: Heather Mosser, McNeese State; Second Base: Anna Hernandez, Texas State; Third Base: Dani Price, McNeese State; Kacie Smith, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Shortstop: Hailey Wiginton, Sam Houston State; Lauren Dodson, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Catcher: Whitney Corbello, McNeese State; Meghan Gomez, Southeastern Louisiana; Designated Player: McKenzie Baack, Texas State; Outfield: Claire Terracina, McNeese State; Jordan Logan, Southeastern Louisiana; Rudi Cantu, UTSA;  Pitcher: Kelsie Armstrong, Central Arkansas; Morgan Mikulin, Sam Houston State.

Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Kendal Harper, Stephen F. Austin
Hitter of the Year: Kayla Gutowski, Stephen F. Austin
Pitcher of the Year: Chandler Hall, Texas State
Freshman of the Year: Teri Lyles, UT Arlington
Newcomer of the Year: Hannah Schwarz, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Coach of the Year: Gay McNutt, Stephen F. Austin