MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Anderson University freshman Kayson Boatner has been named to the 2019 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Softball All-Southeast Region First-Team.
Boatner had a solid freshman campaign, leading the South Atlantic Conference with 56 RBI and was T-1st after blasting 15 homeruns on the season. The designated player earned both All-SAC First team honors and SAC All-Tournament team.
The native of Fortson, Ga., helped spark the Trojans to a SAC Championship Tournament title and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament which begins today in Jefferson City, Tenn.
Fourteen student-athletes from nine different schools earned All-Southeast Region First Team distinction this season.
For the second season in a row, the University of North Georgia's Kylee Smith was named Southeast Region Pitcher of the Year, while Player of the Year honors went to Abby Fiessinger of Carson-Newman University. Smith is 27-2 with a 0.70 ERA and 281 strikeouts over 189 1/3 innings this season. Fiessinger, an outfielder, hit .443 this season adding 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and an .844 slugging percentage.
Joining these two on the first team were: catcher Jill Torres from Young Harris College, first baseman Mary Claire Coyne, utility Aubrey Reep and outfielder Emma Swenson from Wingate University, second baseman Ty-Kella Goins from Lincoln Memorial University, third baseman Hannah Davis and shortstop Natalie Willis from Newberry College, outfielder Kelli McCormack from Lander University, designated player Kayson Boatner from Anderson University, utlity/non pitcher Morgan Elston and pitcher Darby Demarest from Columbus State University, and pitcher Allison Rager from Carson-Newman.
The Peach Belt Conference (PBC) had 14 honorees on the two teams, while the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) had 11 and the Conference Carolinas three.
The first team selections will move on to the All-America ballot. The D2CCA All-America programs honor student-athletes in Division II athletic programs. The mission of the CCA is to encourage and promote Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education.
The voting, nomination and calculations are all conducted by the school's sports information directors. 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 PrestoSports. Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, PrestoSports is dedicated to connecting fans with their favorite teams by providing superior technology that delivers statistics, video, live stats, and news directly to any fan, anywhere. they take great pride in the usability, stability and functionality of individual products that all work together to deliver team information in several forms, easily and reliably.
2019 D2CCA Softball All-Southeast Region
DISTRICT 3 - Southeast Region
Pitcher of the Year: Kylee Smith, North Georgia [@]
Player of the Year: Abby Fiessinger, Carson-Newman
First Team
C Jill Torres Young Harris
1B Mary Claire Coyne Wingate
2B Ty-Kella Goins Lincoln Memorial [1]
3B Hannah Davis Newberry
SS Natalie Willis Newberry [2]^
OF Abby Fiessinger Carson-Newman [1]%
OF Emma Swenson Wingate
OF Kelli McCormack Lander
DP Kayson Boatner Anderson
UT Aubrey Reep Wingate [2]
UT NP Morgan Elston Columbus State
P Kylee Smith North Georgia [1]%
P Allison Rager Carson-Newman
P Darby Demarest Columbus State
Second Team
C Haley Howell Georgia College
1B Kay Brokering King
2B Lydia Clanton Southern Wesleyan
3B Marley Stowers North Georgia
SS Taylor Johnson Francis Marion
OF Rendi Weatherington UNC Pembroke
OF Hobby Gregory North Georgia
OF Kayla Kerr Georgia Southwestern
DP Cameron Davis UNC Pembroke
UT Kara Cunningham Lees-McRae
UT NP Paige Meyer Newberry
P Nikkie Kovalsky Young Harris
P Rachel Weidner Wingate
P Kyra Gipson Flagler
[1] first team in 2018
[2] second team in 2018
% first team in 2017
^ second team in 2017
[@] also won in 2018
