Davidson, Leilua Named Preseason All-Americans
February 01, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Mia Davidson and Fa Leilua have been named preseason All-Americans by Justin's World of Softball.
Davidson was tabbed an at-large selection on the second team, while Leilua took the first base spot on the third team.
The three teams encompass 48 student-athletes playing for 29 different schools. Mississippi State is one of 11 teams with multiple representatives. The SEC was second among all conferences with 14 players recognized.
Davidson is coming off a down year that saw her hit .330 with a .659 slugging percentage. The 2019 All-American is a lifetime .363 hitter with 52 career home runs. She holds MSU's career records for home runs (52) and slugging percentage (.787). In 2019 she set the MSU and SEC single-season home run record with 26 long balls on her way to a school-record .882 slugging percentage.
In 2020, Davidson started every game, making 21 appearances behind the plate. The Hillsborough, North Carolina, native was tied for fifth in the SEC with a pair of triples and tied for third with five runners caught stealing. She enters the 2021 campaign needing just 16 home runs to surpass MSU legend Rafael Palmeiro (67) for the most by any Mississippi State student-athlete in baseball or softball.
Leilua returned for her fifth season of competition and sixth year in college after receiving an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA due to COVID-19. She is one of 12 active players nationally with 50 or more home runs in her career. She led MSU in total bases (66), hits (33) and RBIs (28) in 2020, while posting a .384 batting average.
In her last full season, the Hawthorne, California, native hit 26 home runs, which was tied for seventh in SEC single-season history and trailed only Davidson in MSU's single-season record books. She is currently second in MSU career history with a .768 slugging percentage.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
P - Megan Faraimo, UCLA
P - Gabbie Plain, Washington
C - Morganne Flores, Washington
1B - Alysen Febrey, Oklahoma State
2B - Janae Jefferson, Texas
3B - Sydney Sherrill, Florida State
SS - Jessie Harper, Arizona
OF - Kindra Hackbarth, Arizona State
OF - Aaliyah Andrews, LSU
OF - Kate Gordon, James Madison
P/UT - Rachel Garcia, UCLA
Non-P/DP - Bailey Hemphill, Alabama
At-Large - Sis Bates, Washington
At-Large - Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza, Arizona
At-Large - Bubba Nickles, UCLA
P - Shelby Wickersham, LSU
P - Carrie Eberle, Oklahoma State
C - Dejah Mulipola, Arizona
1B - Kendyl Lindaman, Florida
2B - Amber Bishop-Riley, Liberty
3B - Charla Echols, Florida
SS - Sami Williams, Iowa State
OF - KB Sides, Alabama
OF - Haley Cruse, Oregon
OF - Aaliyah Jordan, UCLA
P/UT - Valerie Cagle, Clemson
Non-P/DP - Jocelyn Alo, Oklahoma
At-Large - Mia Davidson, Mississippi State
At-Large - Cayla Kessinger, Missouri
At-Large - Cierra Bryan, Louisiana-Lafayette
P - Mariah Mazon, Oregon State
P - Brooke Yanez, Oregon
C - Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte
1B - Fa Leilua, Mississippi State
2B - Maya Brady, UCLA
3B - Jenna Cone, George Washington
SS - Kiley Naomi, Oklahoma State
OF - Tristen Edwards, Nebraska
OF - Hannah McEwen, Arkansas
OF - Taty Forbes, North Carolina State
P/UT - Danielle Williams, Northwestern
Non-P/DP - Aly Harrell, Marshall
At-Large - Taylor Pleasants, LSU
At-Large - Autumn Storms, Arkansas
At-Large - Autumn Humes, Kentucky
Davidson was tabbed an at-large selection on the second team, while Leilua took the first base spot on the third team.
The three teams encompass 48 student-athletes playing for 29 different schools. Mississippi State is one of 11 teams with multiple representatives. The SEC was second among all conferences with 14 players recognized.
Davidson is coming off a down year that saw her hit .330 with a .659 slugging percentage. The 2019 All-American is a lifetime .363 hitter with 52 career home runs. She holds MSU's career records for home runs (52) and slugging percentage (.787). In 2019 she set the MSU and SEC single-season home run record with 26 long balls on her way to a school-record .882 slugging percentage.
In 2020, Davidson started every game, making 21 appearances behind the plate. The Hillsborough, North Carolina, native was tied for fifth in the SEC with a pair of triples and tied for third with five runners caught stealing. She enters the 2021 campaign needing just 16 home runs to surpass MSU legend Rafael Palmeiro (67) for the most by any Mississippi State student-athlete in baseball or softball.
Leilua returned for her fifth season of competition and sixth year in college after receiving an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA due to COVID-19. She is one of 12 active players nationally with 50 or more home runs in her career. She led MSU in total bases (66), hits (33) and RBIs (28) in 2020, while posting a .384 batting average.
In her last full season, the Hawthorne, California, native hit 26 home runs, which was tied for seventh in SEC single-season history and trailed only Davidson in MSU's single-season record books. She is currently second in MSU career history with a .768 slugging percentage.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Justin's World of Softball Preseason All-Americans
First Team
P - Keely Rochard, Virginia TechP - Megan Faraimo, UCLA
P - Gabbie Plain, Washington
C - Morganne Flores, Washington
1B - Alysen Febrey, Oklahoma State
2B - Janae Jefferson, Texas
3B - Sydney Sherrill, Florida State
SS - Jessie Harper, Arizona
OF - Kindra Hackbarth, Arizona State
OF - Aaliyah Andrews, LSU
OF - Kate Gordon, James Madison
P/UT - Rachel Garcia, UCLA
Non-P/DP - Bailey Hemphill, Alabama
At-Large - Sis Bates, Washington
At-Large - Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza, Arizona
At-Large - Bubba Nickles, UCLA
Second Team
P - Summer Ellyson, Louisiana-LafayetteP - Shelby Wickersham, LSU
P - Carrie Eberle, Oklahoma State
C - Dejah Mulipola, Arizona
1B - Kendyl Lindaman, Florida
2B - Amber Bishop-Riley, Liberty
3B - Charla Echols, Florida
SS - Sami Williams, Iowa State
OF - KB Sides, Alabama
OF - Haley Cruse, Oregon
OF - Aaliyah Jordan, UCLA
P/UT - Valerie Cagle, Clemson
Non-P/DP - Jocelyn Alo, Oklahoma
At-Large - Mia Davidson, Mississippi State
At-Large - Cayla Kessinger, Missouri
At-Large - Cierra Bryan, Louisiana-Lafayette
Third Team
P - Montana Fouts, AlabamaP - Mariah Mazon, Oregon State
P - Brooke Yanez, Oregon
C - Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte
1B - Fa Leilua, Mississippi State
2B - Maya Brady, UCLA
3B - Jenna Cone, George Washington
SS - Kiley Naomi, Oklahoma State
OF - Tristen Edwards, Nebraska
OF - Hannah McEwen, Arkansas
OF - Taty Forbes, North Carolina State
P/UT - Danielle Williams, Northwestern
Non-P/DP - Aly Harrell, Marshall
At-Large - Taylor Pleasants, LSU
At-Large - Autumn Storms, Arkansas
At-Large - Autumn Humes, Kentucky
Players Mentioned
C/INF
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