PHOTO GALLERY
SIUE's Alex McDavid was named the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the year while Eastern Illinois' Hanna Mennenga was tabbed the 2013 OVC Pitcher of the Year as voted on by the league's head softball coaches and sports information directors. SIUE's Haley Chambers earned OVC Freshman of the Year accolades while EIU's Kim Schuette was named the OVC Coach of the Year. The awards were given out Tuesday night at the softball banquet in conjunction with the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Championship.
A native of Suwanee, Ga., McDavid leads the league with a .699 slugging percentage while ranking second in batting average (.420) and runs batted in (43). The All-OVC first team selection has hit 10 home runs this year with a league-leading nine of them coming in OVC play. The sophomore outfielder drove in 31 runs and scored 22 times in league action which ranks first in the OVC. McDavid has recorded 18 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games so far this season, including a trio of four-RBI contests. She becomes the first Cougar to earn OVC Player of the Year honors.
Mennenga, a product of Gifford, Ill, ranked first in the leagues in ERA (1.21) wins (23), strikeouts (284), shutouts (7) and opponent batting average (.153). In OVC action, the first-team All-OVC selection tossed a league-leading 12 complete games while also topping the conference with 13 wins and 134 strike outs. The junior pitcher has recorded double-digit strikeouts 15 times so far this year, fanning a season-high 16 three times. She becomes the second Panther to win the honor joining Amber May who won the award in 2011.
Chambers, a freshman pitcher from Coatesville, Ind., leads the OVC with seven shutouts while ranking second with 20 complete games. The All-OVC first team and All-Newcomer selection ranks among league leaders in ERA (1.62), wins (19), innings pitched (155) and opponent batting average (.197). Chambers has posted 11 wins in OVC play with a conference-high five shutouts. She has recorded four double-digit strikeout performances, including fanning a season-best 13 twice this year. She is the first Cougar to earn Freshman of the Year honors.
Schuette earns her second OVC Coach of the Year honor after winning the award in 2011. The Panthers captured its second OVC regular-season title in the last three years with a 20-3 league mark. The 20 OVC wins are the second most in school history. The Panthers lead the Conference with 407 strikeouts and a 1.47 ERA. EIU also ranks in the league's top 5 in batting average (.280), slugging percentage (.411), doubles (69) and triples (11).
Joining McDavid, Mennenga and Chambers on the All-OVC first team are Eastern Illinois sophomore catcher Hannah Cole (Windsor, Ill.) and junior infielder Carly Willert (Bloomingdale, Ill.); Austin Peay junior utility/designated player Lauren de Castro (Torrance, Calif.); Belmont outfielder Kathryn Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas); Eastern Kentucky senior infielder Raquel Howes (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Jacksonville State sophomore outfielder Sara Borders (Alexandria, Ala.); Morehead State senior infielder Amber Riddle (Morehead, Ky.); Southeast Missouri junior outfielder Alexis Anderson (Buford, Ga.); and UT Martin utility/designated player Kenzi Tate (Opdyke, Ill).
Earning second-team honors are Eastern Kentucky sophomore pitcher Leanna Pittsenbarger (Urbana, Ohio), sophomore catcher Katie Tackett (Murrieta, Calif.) and freshman outfielder Sarah Fobbs (Lakewood, Calif); SIUE senior infielder Taylor Tooley (Joliet, Ill.), junior infielder Chelsea Yankolovich (Phoenix, Ariz.) and sophomore outfielder Brittany Tooley (Hendersonville, Tenn.); UT Martin sophomore infielder Lauren Smith (O'Fallon, Ill.) and senior outfielder Leah Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.); Austin Peay junior infielder Kayla Davidson (South Fulton, Texas);Belmont junior utility/designated player Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.); Eastern Illinois junior pitcher Stephanie Maday (Elk Grove Village, Ill.); Murray State sophomore Alexa Becker (Breese, Ill.); and Tennessee Tech senior outfielder Melody Christian (Kingston Springs, Texas).
Along with Chambers, making up are Eastern Kentucky freshman outfielder Sarah Fobbs (Lakewood, Calif.), freshman infielder Haley Schenasi (Palos Verdes Estates, Ill.) and freshman outfielder Kayla Joyce (La Palma,Calif.); Southeast Missouri junior outfielder Alexis Anderson (Buford, Ga.) and freshman catcher Chelsea Smith (Webb City, Mo.); SIUE junior pitcher Erin Greenwalt (Glen Carbon, Ill.) and freshman outfielder/utility player Jordan LaFave (Valrico, Fla.); Jacksonville State freshman outfielder Ella Denes (Pisgah, Ala.); Murray State freshman infielder Shelbey Miller (Goreville, Ill.); Tennessee State Kiarra Freeman (Knoxville, Tenn.); and UT Martin freshman catcher Deven Wilson (Eva, Tenn.)
The 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Softball Championship gets underway at 10 a.m. CT. The four-day event will be held at Williams Field on the campus of Eastern Illinois.
2013 All-Ohio Valley Conference Softball Teams
FIRST TEAM
P - Hanna Mennenga (Eastern Illinois) - Jr., Gifford, Ill.
P - Haley Chambers (SIUE) - Fr., Coatesville, Ill.
C - Hannah Cole (Eastern Illinois) - So., Windsor, Ill.
IF - Amber Riddle (Morehead State) - Sr., Morehead, Ky.%
IF - Alex McDavid (SIUE) - So., Suwanne, Ga.%
IF - Raquel Howes (Eastern Kentucky) - Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.*
IF - Carly Willert (Eastern Illinois) - Jr., Bloomingdale, Ill.
OF - Alexis Anderson (Southeast Missouri) - Jr., Buford, Ga.
OF - Sara Borders (Jacksonville State) - So., Alexandria, Ala.%
OF - Kathryn Hollingsworth (Belmont) - So., Carrollton, Texas
UTIL/DP - Lauren de Castro (Austin Peay) - Jr., Torrance, Calif.*
UTIL/DP - Kenzi Tate (UT Martin) - So., Opdyke, Ill.
2013 OVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Alex McDavid, SIUE
2013 OVC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Hanna Mennenga, Eastern Illinois
2013 OVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Haley Chambers, SIUE
2013 OVC COACH OF THE YEAR: Kim Schuette, Eastern Illinois
SECOND TEAM
P - Leanna Pittsenbarger (Eastern Kentucky) - So., Urbana, Ohio
P - Stephanie Maday (Eastern Illinois) - Jr., Elk Grove Village, Ill.
C - Katie Tackett (Eastern Kentucky) - So., Murrieta, Calif.%
IF - Alexa Becker (Murray State) - So., Breese, Ill.
IF - Lauren Smith (UT Martin) - So., O'Fallon, Ill.
IF - Taylor Tooley (SIUE) - Sr., Joliet, Ill.
IF - Kayla Davidson (Austin Peay) - Jr., South Fulton, Tenn.
IF - Chelsea Yankolovich (SIUE) - Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.%
OF - Sarah Fobbs (Eastern Kentucky) - Fr., Lakewood, Calif
OF - Brittany Toney (SIUE) - So., Hendersonville, Tenn.
OF - Leah Taylor (UT Martin) - Sr., Brownsville, Tenn.*
OF - Melody Christian (Tennessee Tech) - Sr., Kingston Springs, Tenn.
UTIL/DP - Mia Vierra (Belmont) - Jr., Palmdale, Calif.
(13 players appear on the second team due to ties)
* - 1st Team All-OVC in 2012 % - 2nd Team All-OVC in 2012
ALL-NEWCOMER
Haley Chambers (SIUE) - P, Fr., Coatesville, Ill.
Sarah Fobbs (Eastern Kentucky) - OF, Fr., Lakewood, Calif.
Alexis Anderson (Southeast Missouri) - OF, Jr., Buford, Ga.
Erin Greenwalt (SIUE) - P, Jr., Glen Carbon, Ill.
Haley Schenasi (Eastern Kentucky) - IF, Fr., Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Kiarra Freeman (Tennessee State) - OF, Fr., Knoxville, Tenn.
Kayla Joyce (Eastern Kentucky) - OF, Fr., La Palma, Calif.
Shelbey Miller (Murray State) - IF, Fr., Goreville, Ill.
Ella Denes (Jacksonville State) - OF, Fr., Pisgah, Ala.
Jordan LaFave (SIUE) - OF/UTIL, Fr., Valrico, Fla.
Chelsea Smith (Southeast Missouri) - C, Fr., Webb City, Mo.
Deven Wilson (UT Martin) - C, Fr., Eva, Tenn.