SSC Champions Receive More Good News as All-League Teams Unveiled

ORLANDO, Fla. - A total of 28 student-athletes have been named to the 2012 All-Sunshine State Conference Softball Team. Tampa claimed three of the four major awards, with Deanna Henriott chosen Pitcher of the Year, Meagan Burke named Freshman of the Year, and Leslie Kanter tabbed Coach of the Year.

Joining SSC Player of the Year Monica Meadows Meadows (Rollins OF) and Henriott (P) on the All-SSC First Team were: 1B Amy Halpin (Rollins), 2B Krista Rodden (Rollins), 3B Sarah Broeseker (Barry), SS Natalia Ojeda (Barry), C Becky Vyzas (Tampa), OF Grace Collins (Barry), OF Lawna Hunter (Rollins), OF Karlyn Scott (Florida Southern), DP Jessica Tabor (Barry), UT Brianna Smith (Barry), P Kayla Cox (Tampa), and at-large selection Katie Kelton (Nova Southeastern).

Receiving All-SSC Second Team honors with Burke (1B) were: 2B Alex Sasso (Eckerd), 3B Brittany Martin (Florida Southern), SS Jaimee Vega (Nova Southeastern), C Brittany Yates (Saint Leo), OF Meredith Foster (Rollins), OF Alex Garris (Saint Leo), OF Alyssa Goldsmith (Barry), OF Lorena Spaulding (Nova Southeastern), DP Laura Saladrigas (Nova Southeastern), UT Lauren Cole (Florida Tech), P Hope Bitzer (Rollins), P Christine Clark (Florida Southern), and at-large selection Sara DeMuth (Nova Southeastern).

Voting for the All-SSC Softball Team was conducted among the league's softball coaches and sports information directors.

A senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., Henriott posted a 21-5 record with a 1.01 ERA. In SSC play, she was 13-3 and lowered her ERA to 0.86. Henriott's 21 wins tied for fourth in the conference. She ranked second with 287 strikeouts and a .148 opponent batting average. Henriott tossed 24 complete games, including 13 shutouts. She permitted just 35 walks in 108.2 innings pitched.

In her debut season from Jacksonville, Fla., Burke played in 41 games, starting 40. She ranked second on Tampa's team with a .316 batting average and led her squad with 23 RBI. She scored 17 runs. In conference action, her average rose to .343. Defensively, Burke recorded 123 putouts and six assists with just one error.

Kanter wins her second SSC Coach of the Year award after leading the Spartans to a 36-6 overall record and a 21-3 SSC mark. Her team claimed the program's second conference title and its first since 2001. UT's greatest strength was its pitching staff, which led the league with a 0.71 ERA and a .131 opponent batting average. The Spartans are ranked No. 5 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.

UT is the second-seeded team heading into this weekend's NCAA Division II South Region Championship and will host half of the eight-team bracket on its home field.

2012 ALL-SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
1B - Aimee Halpin (Rollins, Jr)
2B - Krista Rodden (Rollins, Sr)
3B - Sarah Broeseker (Barry, Jr)
SS - Natalia Ojeda (Barry, Jr)
C - Becky Vyzas (Tampa, Sr)
OF - Grace Collins (Barry, Sr)
OF - Lawna Hunter (Rollins, Sr)
OF - Monica Meadows (Rollins, Sr)
OF - Karlyn Scott (Florida Southern, Sr)
DP - Jessica Tabor (Barry, Sr)
UT - Brianna Smith (Barry, Sr)
P - Kayla Cox (Tampa, So)
P - Deanna Henriott (Tampa, Sr)

At-Large - Katie Kelton (Nova Southeastern, Sr)
Player of the Year - Monica Meadows, Rollins
Pitcher of the Year - Deanna Henriott, Tampa
Freshman of the Year - Meagan Burke, Tampa
Coach of the Year - Leslie Kanter, Tampa

SECOND TEAM
1B - Meagan Burke (Tampa, Fr)
2B - Alex Sasso (Eckerd, Sr)
3B - Brittany Martin (Florida Southern, Sr)
SS - Jaimee Vega (Nova Southeastern, Jr)
C - Brittany Yates (Saint Leo, Sr)
OF - Meredith Foster (Rollins, Sr)
OF - Alex Garris (Saint Leo, Jr)
OF - Alyssa Goldsmith (Barry, Sr)
OF - Lorena Spaulding (Nova Southeastern, Fr)
DP - Laura Saladrigas (Nova Southeastern, Jr)
UT - Lauren Cole (Florida Tech, Sr)
P - Hope Bitzer (Rollins, Sr)
P - Christine Clark (Florida Southern, Sr)
At-Large - Sara DeMuth (Nova Southeastern, Sr)