MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - Fresh on the heels of claiming the Hickory Regional of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, Anderson's Danielle Swygert and Jessica Neidigh have been named to the First-Team Daktronics Softball All-Southeast Region Team, as announced on Monday.
Neidigh earned the honor at second base, while Swygert claimed the accolade for first base. Both players have started every game this season, with each also earning first-team all-conference honors following a stellar regular season.
Swygert ranked second in the league in RBI (55), third in batting average (.404) and fifth in slugging percentage, while Neidigh led the SAC with her .456 batting average and 59 runs scored from her lead-off spot. Neidigh was also a perfect 19-for-19 in stolen bases during the regular season.
During the Trojans' three-game undefeated sweep through the Hickory Regional, Neidigh posted a .500 batting average, with a double, a triple and a home run, and scored five times, while driving in four runs. Swygert added five hits in 12 at-bats (.417) and six RBI, while crossing the plate four times. She also notched a double and a home run.
Fourteen student-athletes from eight different schools earned All-Southeast Region First Team distinction this season.
Catawba College's Carley Tysinger was named Southeast Region Pitcher of the Year, while Carson-Newman College's Brittany Hefner took Player of the Year Honors. Tysinger was 25-9 with a 1.21 ERA and 324 strikeouts over 237 1/3 innings this season. Hefner, a shortstop, hit .451 this season adding 19 home runs and 75 RBI.
Joining them on the first team were: catcher Kim McMillan and outfielder Taylor Merritt of the University of North Georgia, Swygert and Neidigh of Anderson, third baseman Kacie Patterson, pitcher Megan Barnwell and utility Shelby Duff of Armstrong, outfielder Kori Waugh and pitcher Mollie Russell of Columbus State University, outfielder Whitney Britt of Queens University, and designated player Taylor Cloninger and utility Brea Hartley of UNC Pembroke.
The first team selections will move on to the All-America ballot. The Daktronics All-America programs honor student-athletes in Division II athletic programs. The voting, nomination and calculations are all conducted by the school's sports information directors.
The D2SIDA All-America softball team is sponsored by Daktronics,
Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and
programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every
level of competition. The teams are voted on by the members of
D2SIDA, NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors
Association.
The online nomination and voting processes are powered by Sidearm
Sports. Headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., Sidearm Sports is the
official provider of college athletic websites for over 600 sports
organizations at all levels of competition.
2013 Daktronics Softball All-Southeast Region
Southeast Region
Pitcher of the Year: Carley Tysinger, Catawba
Player of the Year: Brittany Hefner, Carson-Newman
First Team
C - Kim McMillan, North Georgia
1B - Danielle Swygert, Anderson
2B - Jessica Neidigh, Anderson
3B - Kacie Patterson, Armstrong
SS - Brittany Hefner, Carson-Newman
OF - Taylor Merritt, North Georgia
OF - Kori Waugh, Columbus State
OF - Whitney Britt, Queens
P - Megan Barnwell, Armstrong
P - Carley Tysinger, Catawba
P - Mollie Russell, Columbus State
DP - Taylor Cloninger, UNC Pembroke
UT [non pitcher] - Brea Hartley, UNC Pembroke
UT [pitcher] - Shelby Duff, Armstrong
Second Team
C - Bri Shoemake, Carson-Newman
1B - Kaytlin Stroinski, Tusculum
1B - Beth Overman, Mount Olive
1B - Hannah Reppert, Armstrong
2B - Lauren Bessent, Flagler
3B - Haily Jarman, Lenoir-Rhyne
3B - Tristan Faile, Francis Marion
SS - Alexis Mercer, Armstrong
OF - Kelli Hensley, Carson-Newman
OF - Brianna Mulkey, Lincoln Memorial
OF - Kelsey Maffucci, Wingate,
OF - Whitney Little, Flagler
P - Hannah Light, King
P - Dani Gallucci, Georgia College
P - India Kornegay, USC Aiken
DP - Maloree Escue, Flagler
UT [non pitcher] - Molly Whittington, Flagler
UT [non pitcher] - Elayna Siebert, Carson-Newman
UT [pitcher] - Kristen Carr, Columbus State
