ROCK HILL, S.C. - On the eve of the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Softball tournament, four Anderson University players have earned All-Conference honors, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.

Freshman catcher Cailah Niles and junior center fielder Molly Child were named First-Team All-SAC, while senior second baseman Jessica Neidigh and freshman Chelsea Jones earned second-team accolades. Niles also became the fourth Trojan in five seasons to earn SAC Freshman of the Year honors, as the second-seeded Trojans prepare to face seventh-seeded Lincoln Memorial in Thursday's opening round of the SAC Tournament.

Niles, who needs just one home run to set a new school record for homers in a single season, was named SAC Player of the Week in late February. The Phenix City, Ala., native ranks fourth nationally and is the only freshman in the country in the top-12 nationally with a league-leading 17 home runs - which is fifth-best in league history. Niles ranks eighth nationally and is one of only two freshmen in the country in the top-13 with 60 RBI, which also paces the conference.

Earlier this season, Niles was named to the NFCA Division II Freshman of the Year Top-25 Watch List and is second in the conference with 117 total bases on the year. She posted an eight-game and a six-game hitting streak and finished the regular season as the SAC's top freshman in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, total bases, hits, batting average and on-base percentage, while committing just one error in 46 starts behind the plate.

Child garnered first-team honors for the third consecutive year after reaching base safely in 27 straight games during the season and posting an 11-game hitting streak and a 10-game hitting streak. She currently ranks eighth in the league in doubles, ninth in runs scored and walks, 12th in total bases and 13th in RBI. Child also shines defensively, having started 156 consecutive games in center field during her three-year career and has committed just three errors.

Jones, who earned the honor as a utility player, has also started every contest of her first season, including 25 appearances in the circle. The Eufala, Ala., native was named SAC Pitcher of the Week on two occasions and tossed the first perfect game in the conference since 2006 and just the eighth in league history in early April. She is second in the league with a 1.98 ERA and ranks second nationally with four saves. Jones stands fifth in the SAC with 111 strikeouts and seventh in strikeouts per game (7.09/gm), while issuing just 18 walks on the year. She is also fifth in the SAC with 12 victories.

Offensively, Jones leads the Trojans and ranks fourth in the SAC with 26 walks, while ranking seventh in triples, 11th in on-base percentage and 24th in both hits and runs scored. Jones posted an eight-game hitting streak and three four-game hitting streaks during the regular season.

Neidigh, the SAC Freshman of the Year in 2012, has now earned postseason conference accolades in each season of her stellar career. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native was named first-team all-conference in both 2012 and 2013, while earning honorable-mention honors a year ago. The Trojans' leadoff hitter was named SAC Player of the Week in mid-March and ranks in the top six in the league in 13 offensive categories.

The second baseman, who leads the conference and ranks 20th nationally with 51 runs scored, also paces the SAC in hits and sacrifice flies and ranks third in the SAC in total bases after reaching base safely during a 26-game streak during the season and posted a 14-game and an 8-game hitting streak. She owns numerous school records and holds the SAC record for career hits and runs scored.

The second-seeded Trojans will square off against seventh-seeded Lincoln Memorial on Thursday in the opening round of the SAC Tournament. First-pitch in Hartsville, S.C., is slated for 12:30 p.m.

All-SAC First Team
Catcher: Cailah Niles, Anderson
1st Base: Sydney Landreth, Lenior Rhyne
2nd Base: Mellena Helms, Wingate
SS: Alexis Burrell, Wingate
3rd Base: Robyn Stanek, Mars Hill
OF: Bri Lockett, Carson Newman
OF: Gabby Bedard, Newberry
OF: Molly Child, Anderson
DP: Amanda Snow, Lincoln Memorial
UT: Elayna Siebert, Carson Newman
Pitcher: Carley Tysinger, Catawba
Pitcher: Sarah Howard, Carson Newman

All-SAC Second Team
Catcher: Taylor Laskey, Wingate
1st Base: Emily Usiak, Wingate
2nd Base: Jessica Neidigh, Anderson
SS: Kaytlin Stroinski, Tusculum
3rd Base: Katherine Shumaker, Catawba
3rd: Ashley Gallman, Coker
3rd: Brooke Ramsey, Carson Newman
OF: Natalie Naturile, Catawba
OF: Morgan Hendrix, Wingate
OF: Aleshia Peek, Mars Hill
DP: Taylor Rosenbalm, Queens
DP: Christina Walker, Lenior Rhyne
UT: Chelsea Jones, Anderson
Pitcher: Stacey Houser, Wingate
Pitcher: Lindsay Dean, Carson Newman

All-SAC Honorable Mention
Catcher: Treslyn Reese, Tusculum
1st Base: Ann Dee Priest, Newberry
2nd Base: Tayler Barcomb, Coker
SS: Gina Gerone, Catawba
OF: Ashlen Ayers, Newberry
OF: Haley Taylor, Carson Newman
OF: Carolyn Williamson, Tusculum
OF: Riley Morris, Coker
UT: Maude McCourry, Newberry
Pitcher: Jamie Hrobak, Brevard
Pitcher: Maryann Hoskins, Lenior Rhyne

SAC Player of the Year: Alexis Burrell, Wingate
SAC Pitcher of the Year: Carley Tysinger, Catawba
SAC Freshman of the Year: Cailah Niles, Anderson
SAC Coach of the Year: Vickee Kazee-Hollifield, Carson-Newman

Statistical Categories
Team Batting Average - Carson-Newman (.345)
Team Slugging Percentage - Carson-Newman (.534)
Team On-Base Percentage - Carson-Newman (.422)
Team Runs Scored Per Game - Carson-Newman (6.93)
Team Home Runs Per Game - Anderson (1.04)
Team Triples Per Game - Carson-Newman (0.40)
Team Doubles Per Game - Carson-Newman (1.82)
Team RBIs Per Game - Anderson (6.21)
Team Stolen Bases Per Game - Newberry (1.00)
Team ERA - Anderson (2.04)
Team Strikeouts Per Game - Catawba (7.91)

Batting Average - Bri Lockett, Carson-Newman (.463)
On-Base Percentage - Bri Lockett, Carson-Newman (.544)
Slugging Percentage - Bri Lockett, Carson-Newman (.853)
Home Runs Per Game - Cailah Niles, Anderson (0.37)
RBIs Per Game - Cailah Niles, Anderson (1.30)
Runs Scored Per Game - Jessica Neidigh, Anderson (1.11)
Triples Per Game - Haley Taylor, Carson-Newman (0.13)
Doubles Per Game - Sarah Kenley, Lenoir-Rhyne (0.35)
Stolen Bases Per Game - Morgan Hendrix, Wingate (0.45)
ERA - Carley Tysinger, Catawba (1.59)
Strikeouts Per Seven Innings - Carley Tysinger, Catawba (9.60)
Pitching Victories - Carley Tysinger, Catawba (20)