Huntingdon’s Payne, Giordana and Williams take top GSAC softball honors
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon women's softball team picked up three of the Great South Athletic Conference's top softball awards on Thursday. With the release of the GSAC All-Conference awards, senior Aleah Payne was named GSAC Player of the Year, senior Bree Giordana was named GSAC Pitcher of the Year and head coach Gynger Williams was named GSAC Coach of the Year.
"Being recognized my senior year, this is something I'm going to remember forever," Payne said. "With the three of us being recognized, I feel like this is a team recognition. We've all supported each other this season."
A total of six Huntingdon softball players were recognized as All-Conference or Academic All-Conference.
"These girls have done exactly what we've asked of them this season. They've worked hard to make this team successful," Williams said. "For Aleah and Bree, both of them are very deserving of Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. They have been very consistent all season and they've been leaders. Aleah has been a leader at the plate and in the field and Bree has held down the mound. I'm proud of all of these girls."
Entering this weekend's Great South Athletic Conference tournament, Payne is batting .467 with five home runs, 43 RBIs, 45 runs and 32 stolen bases this season. Through this past weekend, she led all of Division III with 12 triples, was ranked eighth in slugging percentage and 13th in stolen bases. She leads the GSAC in batting average, RBIs, runs, stolen bases and slugging percentage.
"Aleah is an excellent leader for us," Giordana said. "We look to her at the plate and in the field. Whatever role she has needed to fill for us, she has come through. I love having her on my team."
For Giordana, this is the second straight season she has been named GSAC Pitcher of the Year.
"There are so many great pitchers in the conference, it's an honor to be recognized," Giordana said.
Giordana was unbeaten in conference play during the regular season, posting a 9-0 record, a 0.73 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. Overall, she is 14-7 with a 2.92 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 117 innings this season. She has 26 wins and 234 strikeouts during the past two seasons.
"She has confidence on the mound and has played a big role for us," Payne said. "I can't tell you how many times we've been in a crucial situation with two outs and she has come through with a strikeout to end the inning. She's at her best when we need her the most."
For Williams, this is her first GSAC Coach of the Year recognition in four seasons with the Lady Hawks. Huntingdon is 25-13 this year and won the regular-season conference title with a 15-1 record in the GSAC.
"It's a great honor, but a coach can't be successful without great players and a good assistant," Williams said. "Our players have worked hard all season and you can't replace all of the things (assistant coach) Casey Chrietzberg does for this team. This recognition is for all them."
Joining Payne and Giordana on the All-Conference team are Brittany Richardson, Lauren Welch and Holly Ostrander. Payne, Giordana, Welch and Kristi Taylor were named Academic All-Conference. Taylor was also a GSAC Sportsmanship Award winner.
GSAC Softball Year-End Awards
Pitcher of the Year – Bree Giordana, Huntingdon
Player of the Year – Aleah Payne, Huntingdon
Freshman of the Year – Brittney Henry, Maryville
Coach of the Year – Gynger Williams, Huntingdon
All-Conference Pitchers
Bree Giordana, Huntingdon
Brittney Head, Piedmont
Kayla Folds, LaGrange
Chelsea Krafft, Covenant
All-Conference Catchers
Emily Cheek, Piedmont
Brittany Richardson, Huntingdon
Andrea Brew, Maryville
Utility/DP
Amber Bass, Salem
Brittany Henry, Maryville
All-Conference Infielders
Avignon Greene, Agnes Scott
Leah Kelley, Maryville
Kristi Morton, Salem
Shivani Ghodadra, Agnes Scott
Lauren Welch, Huntingdon
Courtney Wagoner, Covenant
Alex Giusti, Agnes Scott
Megan McClain, Piedmont
Aleah Payne, Huntingdon
All-Conference Outfielders
Melanie Ennis, Agnes Scott
Beth Harris, Covenant
Ellie Vizcanio, Salem
Hannah Youngdeer, Maryville
Holly Ostrander, Huntingdon
Amanda Posey, Piedmont
Taylor Morgan, Piedmont
All-Freshman Team
Brittany Henry, Maryville
Hannah Youngdeer, Maryville
Abby Settles, Salem
Colleen DeGraff, Wesleyan
Breahna Gillespie, Spelman
Amber Bass, Salem
Tiffany Cain, Agnes Scott
Kayla Kennedy, Salem
Jenna Ward, ASC
Alex Giusti, ASC
Ashley Monsrud, ASC
Kristin Hamby, Piedmont
Daniella Newbern, LaGrange
All-Academic Team
Agnes Scott
Laura Schaeffer
Ashley Berger
Avignon Greene
Covenant
Morgan Booker
Beth Harris
Meagan Hess
Chelsea Krafft
Huntingdon
Lauren Welch
Kristi Taylor
Bree Giordana
Aleah Payne
Maryville
Chastity Smith
Piedmont
Jamie Dennis
Megan Kesler
Amanda Posey
Taylor Morgan
Lauren Head
Brittney Head
Megan Studdard
Shanice Wheeler
Emily Cheek
Salem
Emily Devane
Ellie Vizcaino
Wesleyan
Kayla Lumley
Anna Jones
Individual Sportsmanship Award
Agnes Scott – Avignon Greene
Covenant- Grace Hooper
Huntingdon – Kristi Taylor
LaGrange – Kate Smith
Maryville – Kelsie Payne
Piedmont – Megan Studdard
Salem- Breanna Griffin
Spelman – Maia Easley
Wesleyan – Alexia Barrett