University of Tennessee Athletics
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2002 SOFTBALL AWARDS
May 07, 2002 | Softball
May 7, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
Auburn's Tina Deese, LSU"s Yvette Girouard and South Carolina's Joyce Compton were named as SEC Tri-Coaches of the Year by a vote of the league's head coaches on Tuesday afternoon. LSU teammates Britni Sneed and Trena Peel were named the SEC Pitcher and Athlete of the Year, respectively. In addition, Sara Dean of Auburn and Mandy Schuerman of Florida were selected Co-Freshmen of the Year. The Lady Vols did not place any student-athletes on either the first or second team for the third year in a row.
Sneed is a four-time All-SEC honoree and the lone unanimous choice on the team. The Houston, Texas, native leads the conference in earned run average (0.40), opposing batting average (.122), batters struck out (247), innings pitched (140) and wins (18). The fireballer has led the Tigers to a 49-9 overall record and a conference mark of 25-4, which was good enough for LSU's fourth consecutive crown.
Peel was among the league leaders in slugging percentage (.550), batting average (.360), total bases (55), hits (36), runs scored (25) and stolen bases (nine). She also led her team in at bats, average, runs, hits, stolen bases and triples in league action. The Aurora, Colorado, native also maintained a perfect fielding percentage on defense.
The three-way tie for Coach of the Year was a first for the SEC. Deese led the 2002 Tigers to a single-season record 37 victories and tied the program's best finish in conference play at 15-15. Auburn also achieved its highest seed, coming in at No. 5 for this week's SEC Tournament.
Girouard, in her second year at LSU, earned her second consecutive Coach of the Year accolade after the Tigers claimed the Western Division and overall regular-season championship. She has also directed the Bayou Bengals to a top-five national ranking.
Compton led South Carolina to another East title, reached the 40-win mark for the fourth year in a row and the 20-win SEC mark for the second time in school history.
Dean and Schuerman became the first athletes to share the SEC Freshman of the Year award. Dean belted four home runs in conference play, with three of them coming as game-winners. She finished second in league with 21 RBI, tied for fourth in doubles (eight) and tied for fifth in homers (five).
Schuerman is one of only four Florida players to have started 29 of the Gators' 30 SEC contests. The Riverview, Fla., native was UF's most versatile player on the diamond, playing in every position except center field, right field and catcher. She ranks in the top 10 in every fielding, hitting and pitching category among Florida freshmen.
The first and second teams consist of 12 positions: catcher (one), infielders (three), outfielders (four), pitchers (two), designated player/utility (one) and at-large (one).
First Team All-SEC
P - Britni Sneed, LSU*
P - Shelley Laird, Alabama
C - Lyndsey Angus, Kentucky
INF - Jackie McClain, Alabama
INF - Kim Wendland, Georgia
INF - Nikki Jones, Kentucky
INF - Christy Connor, LSU
OF - Ashley Moore, Auburn
OF - Nicole Barber, Georgia
OF - Trena Peel, LSU
OF - Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
DP/UTIL - Kellie Wilkerson, Mississippi State
* indicates unanimous selection
Second Team All-SEC
P - Kristin Schmidt, LSU
P - Megan Matthews, South Carolina
C - Lacy Prejean, Alabama
INF - Kasey Angulo, Auburn
INF - Jackie Marchetta, Florida
INF - April Janzen, LSU
INF - Amber Curtis, South Carolina
OF - Jackie Wilkins, Alabama
OF - Beth Fogle, Kentucky
OF - Erin Johnson, LSU
OF - Adrianna Baggetta, South Carolina
DP/UTIL - Mandy Schuerman, Florida
Pitcher of the Year: Britni Sneed, LSU
Athlete of the Year: Trena Peel, LSU
Tri-Coaches of the Year: Tina Deese, Auburn; Yvette Girouard, LSU; Joyce Compton, South Carolina
Co-Freshmen of the Year: Sara Dean, Auburn & Mandy Schuerman, Florida
