O'Nan Named National Strength And Conditioning Association All-American
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Senior One Of 14 Softball Players To Capture National Award
| MSU senior Meagan O'Nan was one of 14 softball players across the country to be named to the 2004 National Strength and Conditioning Association's all-American squad. |
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State senior outfielder Meagan O'Nan was one of 14 softball players across the country to be named to the 2004 National Strength and Conditioning Association's all-American squad, the organization announced recently.
O'Nan, who also played basketball under MSU head coach Sharon Fanning as a sophomore, is the first Mississippi State softball player to garner the national honor. She joined 13 other collegiate softball players on the list, but was the only softball player from the Southeastern Conference.
The NSCA all-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year program recognizes those collegiate athletes whose athletic accomplishments, in the opinion of their strength coach, reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning. These athletes are also recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments and their integrity as student-athletes. Power Systems, Inc., is the official sponsor of the program.
"Meagan has been a leader both on and off the field for us," said Mississippi State softball head coach Jay Miller. "She is just a tremendous athlete. To play basketball for two years at the Divison I level, then change over to softball is a tremendous adjustment. She was used mainly as a pinch runner for us last season, but she came out every day at practice and worked hard to make herself a better ball player. She also made a switch from the right side of the plate to left side so she could contribute more offensively."
"She has just done a great job for us this season and has established herself as a starter. She has been a big contributor for our ballclub. Obviously, the hard work and effort that she puts in the weight room, it's nice to see that pay off and for her to get some recognition as an all-American in the weight room."
Limited mainly to pinch running duties last season, O'Nan started 14 games last season in rightfield and managed a pair of hits in four at-bats at the plate while scoring 13 runs. This season, the Starkville native has played and started all 44 games in the outfield for the Bulldogs, tallying a .342 (38-for-111) batting clip with eight RBI and 28 runs scored.
An active member in Mississippi State's Fellowship of Christian Athletes and M-Club community service organization, Meagan garnered academic all-SEC and NFCA academic all-American awards last season for State. Having already received her Bachelor's Degree in Education Psychology in August, O'Nan is currently working on her Master's Degree at Mississippi State University.
