State Sends Three To All-SEC, McMichael Named Player Of The Year
McMichael And Jaspers Named To First Team, Guess Decorated With Freshman All-SEC
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Mississippi State sent a pair of players to first team all-SEC accolades, and rookie Hayle Guess became the first Bulldog to be named to the SEC all-freshman squad, as the Southeastern Conference awards were announced at opening ceremonies of the 2004 SEC Softball Tournament Wednesday evening at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Senior all-American Iyhia McMichael earned her third consecutive bid to the first team, while fellow senior Kate Jaspers earned her first all-conference award as a member of the first team as well. In their first year as official conference awards, Guess was named to the 12-member all-freshman team and Jaspers collected co-Scholar Athlete of the Year laurels. Starkville native Meagan O'Nan rounded out the Mississippi State awards as she was named to the 11-member SEC Softball Good Works Team.
With the honors, McMichael and Jaspers became the first Bulldog duo to be named first team all-SEC since McMichael and former MSU all-American Kellie Wilkerson were decorated with the same laurels in 2001. McMichael became the first repeat winner of the SEC Player of the Year award after becoming the first junior to garner the award last year.
Having finished the season with a .481 batting clip against SEC foes, McMichael reached base safely (hit or walk) in 28 of 29 SEC outings this season. She led the SEC in seven offensive categories and ranked second or third in two others. Her Player of the Year award and first team all-SEC nod comes just more than 24 hours after being named as a top three finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year honors.
Jaspers finished the season hitting .356 against conference foes with 22 RBI and 19 runs scored. She ranked in the top 10 of five offensive categories, and led the league in sacrifice bunts with 11. In the classroom, Jaspers was equally as impressive, finishing out her academic career at MSU with a cumulative 4.0 GPA ? one of just five Bulldog athletes in school history to accomplish that feat.
Guess, a Moss Point native, played and started all 29 conference games for the Bulldogs this season and closed out the campaign with 14 hits inside the conference, three RBI and five runs scored. Her solo home run in State?s series finale with then-No. 10 Alabama capped off a six-run first inning that helped the Bulldogs clinch its series with the Crimson Tide for the first time in school history.
A regular volunteer in the Starkville community, O'Nan is a member of Mississippi State's community service organization, the M-Club. As a member of the leadership team of MSU?s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Meagan has helped organize the Project Angel Tree service for FCA over the past two years.
Seventh-seeded Mississippi State (37-22) will draw second-seeded and SEC Eastern Division champion Tennessee (51-13) in the opening game of the 2004 SEC Tournament on Thursday morning. First pitch of the contest between the Bulldogs and No. 11 Lady Vols has been slated for 11 a.m. at the Alabama Softball Complex.
Ticket information for the 2004 SEC Tournament can be obtained by calling the University of Alabama Ticket Office at (205) 348-BAMA or toll free at (877) TIDE.TIX.
2004 SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE SOFTBALL AWARDS
FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC
Kristin Schmidt, LSU
Monica Abbott, Tennessee
Sara Dean, Auburn
Jackie McClain, Alabama
Kim Wendland, Georgia
Kate Jaspers, Mississippi State
Kristi Durant, Tennessee
Nicole Barber, Georgia
LaDonia Hughes LSU
Leslie Klein, LSU
Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
Stephanie Van Brakle, Alabama
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC
Kristin Keyes, Auburn
Jenny Gladding, Florida
Leigh Ann Danos, LSU
Staci Ramsey, Alabama
Mylin Prieto, Florida
Melissa Zick, Florida
Lauren Delahoussaye, LSU
Julie Wiese, LSU
Angela Brewer, Tennessee
Capper Reed, Alabama
Shannon Anderson, Auburn
Nancy Crane, South Carolina
Lauren Castle, LSU
DeDe Justice, Ole Miss
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Emily Turner, LSU
Monica Abbott, Tennessee
Michelle Diaz, Florida
Kristina McCain, Auburn
Lauren Roussell, Florida
Melissa Zick, Florida
Megan McAllister, Georgia
Sara Ghezzi, Auburn
Amber Janneck, Kentucky
Leslie Klein, LSU
Hayle Guess, Mississippi State
Kasi Carroll, Georgia
Player of the Year: Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
Pitcher of the Year: Monica Abbott, Tennessee
Freshman of the Year: Monica Abbott, Tennessee
Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Ashley Smith, South Carolina AND Kate Jaspers, Mississippi State
Coaches of the Year: Ralph and Karen Weekly, Tennessee