Williams, Pinto Named MSU's Hallbrook Award Winners
Mississippi State's female student-athletes were presented the women's Hallbrook award in the Public Universities division for the third consecutive year in November after maintaining high academic standards, thus encouraging high graduation rates. Both Williams and Pinto were presented with plaques in a halftime ceremony between Mississippi State and Kentucky on Wednesday evening in Humphrey Coliseum.
Williams posted career highs across the board for the Maroon and White last season, hitting .274 (49-for-179) with 16 extra-base hits (3 HR) and 22 RBI in helping to lead the Bulldogs to their fourth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance. Along the way, she collected 12 multiple-hit games and six multiple-RBI contests while also turning in a team-best 18 two-out RBI. Having also taken home a pair of all-tournament team honors, Williams was also decorated with team Gold Glove honors after committing just nine errors in 259 chances for a .965 fielding percentage as MSU's every day second baseman. The fielding percentage was tops among all SEC players at the position.
In the classroom, Williams maintains a 3.61 cumulative grade point average as a Communication major and has been named twice to the SEC academic honor roll. She has also been decorated with NFCA all-America scholar athlete laurels on two occasions as well.
Williams, a Katy, Texas, native, is the lone senior on Mississippi State's 2006 softball roster.
Pinto is coming off a junior campaign where he was ranked as high as #95 in singles. He went 9-8 in singles dual matches, including a 6-5 mark against SEC competition primarily at the #3 and #4 positions. Pinto and teammate Luiz Carvalho were ranked as high as 10th nationally in doubles last spring and made an appearance in the NCAA Doubles Championships. This season, Pinto is 4-3 in singles play and 3-2 in doubles for the 24th-ranked Bulldogs.
In the classroom, Pinto holds a 4.00 GPA at MSU as a Banking and Finance major, as well as a 3.99 cumulative GPA with the inclusion of his academic work at Hampton University. Pinto is a two-time recipient of the ITA Scholar Athlete Award and the Academic all-SEC team. He has been a President's Scholar as well as a member of the Bulldog honor roll every semester at State.
Pinto, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is in his third year with the Bulldog tennis program.