University of Tennessee Athletics
Weekly & Pickens Garner SEC Awards, Lady Vols Land Five on All-SEC Teams
May 12, 2023 | Softball
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Southeastern Conference announced its post-season awards Friday morning with head coach Karen Weekly and freshman Karlyn Pickens garnering individual honors. McKenna Gibson, Kiki Milloy, Zaida Puni and Ashley Rogers garnered All-SEC First Team honors - while Pickens landed second-team recognition.
After leading Tennessee to a 41-8 record and its second SEC regular-season crown, Weekly was named SEC Coach of the Year. It is her third time garnering coach of the year accolades, previously winning the honor alongside co-head coach Ralph Weekly in 2004 and 2007.
In the circle, Pickens was tabbed as the league's freshman of the year – becoming the fifth Lady Vol to be recognized for the award. She joins Monica Abbott (2005), Kat Dotson (2010), Ellen Renfroe (2011) and Caylan Arnold (2017) in garnering rookie of the year from the SEC.
The hard-throwing righty was also named All-SEC Second Team. Pickens completed the regular season with a 9-6 record and two saves in a team-high 24 appearances. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native threw 81.2 innings during the year with 94 strikeouts, five complete games and five shutouts.
Since 1997, UT has collected 77 total All-SEC accolades from 43 student-athletes.
Voted on by the league's 13 head coaches, the All-SEC Teams consist of 21 student-athletes on the First Team, 21 student-athletes on the Second Team and a nine-member All-Defensive Team. No ties were broken in the selection process.
McKenna Gibson • 1B • So. • Santa Clarita, Calif.
A powerful bat and excellent defensive first baseman for the Big Orange, Gibson led the Lady Vols with a .359 average during SEC play. She mashed six home runs and drove in 21 RBIs in 24 games of league action, boasting a 1.230 OPS against SEC foes. The infielder also touted a .984 fielding percentage in conference games, recording 122 putouts and two assists.
Kiki Milloy • CF • Sr. • Woodinville, Wash.
A five-tool player, Milloy hit .352 during league play with a team-high 10 home runs and 22 RBIs – touting a team-best 1.317 OPS. Milloy scored 29 runs in SEC action and was a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen bases. In center field, the senior covered a lot of ground as she recorded 29 putouts with one assist and a .968 fielding percentage.
Zaida Puni • 3B • Jr. • Carson, Calif.
In her second season on Rocky Top, Puni was a steady bat in a lineup that produced 7.12 runs per game – tops in the SEC and second nationally. She hit .299 during SEC play with a .985 OPS, seven runs scored, four home runs and 22 RBIs. Playing at third, she recorded 36 putouts and 37 assists.
Ashley Rogers • P • Gr. • Athens, Tenn.
Named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Thursday, Rogers added All-SEC First Team recognition to her growing list of accolades. The righty is undefeated in conference play with an 8-0 mark and a 0.89 ERA. She has tallied 70 strikeouts in 63.0 innings of work in league play and leads the SEC with a .107 opposing batting average.
After leading Tennessee to a 41-8 record and its second SEC regular-season crown, Weekly was named SEC Coach of the Year. It is her third time garnering coach of the year accolades, previously winning the honor alongside co-head coach Ralph Weekly in 2004 and 2007.
In the circle, Pickens was tabbed as the league's freshman of the year – becoming the fifth Lady Vol to be recognized for the award. She joins Monica Abbott (2005), Kat Dotson (2010), Ellen Renfroe (2011) and Caylan Arnold (2017) in garnering rookie of the year from the SEC.
The hard-throwing righty was also named All-SEC Second Team. Pickens completed the regular season with a 9-6 record and two saves in a team-high 24 appearances. The Weaverville, North Carolina, native threw 81.2 innings during the year with 94 strikeouts, five complete games and five shutouts.
Since 1997, UT has collected 77 total All-SEC accolades from 43 student-athletes.
Voted on by the league's 13 head coaches, the All-SEC Teams consist of 21 student-athletes on the First Team, 21 student-athletes on the Second Team and a nine-member All-Defensive Team. No ties were broken in the selection process.
McKenna Gibson • 1B • So. • Santa Clarita, Calif.
A powerful bat and excellent defensive first baseman for the Big Orange, Gibson led the Lady Vols with a .359 average during SEC play. She mashed six home runs and drove in 21 RBIs in 24 games of league action, boasting a 1.230 OPS against SEC foes. The infielder also touted a .984 fielding percentage in conference games, recording 122 putouts and two assists.
Kiki Milloy • CF • Sr. • Woodinville, Wash.
A five-tool player, Milloy hit .352 during league play with a team-high 10 home runs and 22 RBIs – touting a team-best 1.317 OPS. Milloy scored 29 runs in SEC action and was a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen bases. In center field, the senior covered a lot of ground as she recorded 29 putouts with one assist and a .968 fielding percentage.
Zaida Puni • 3B • Jr. • Carson, Calif.
In her second season on Rocky Top, Puni was a steady bat in a lineup that produced 7.12 runs per game – tops in the SEC and second nationally. She hit .299 during SEC play with a .985 OPS, seven runs scored, four home runs and 22 RBIs. Playing at third, she recorded 36 putouts and 37 assists.
Ashley Rogers • P • Gr. • Athens, Tenn.
Named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Thursday, Rogers added All-SEC First Team recognition to her growing list of accolades. The righty is undefeated in conference play with an 8-0 mark and a 0.89 ERA. She has tallied 70 strikeouts in 63.0 innings of work in league play and leads the SEC with a .107 opposing batting average.
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