Three Lady Eagles named to Daktronics First Team All-Region Softball Team

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Carson-Newman Pitcher and South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year Mary Shealy (Clinton, S.C.), along with catcher Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and outfielder Leah Price (Spring City, Tenn.) have been named to the Daktronics First Team All-Region teams, released Monday.

Carson-Newman closed out its 2011 season on Sunday with a loss in the NCAA D-II Southeast Regional Final. The Lady Eagles finished the year 41-17-1 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the seventh-straight season.

C-N led the team with three first-team selections. All three Lady Eagles were first team All-South Atlantic Conference selections.

Shealy carried the load for the Lady Eagles, finishing the year with a 38-15 record as a pitcher and a 2.19 earned run average. Her 38 wins leads the nation.

The junior also led the Lady Eagles with 12 home runs, batting .299 with seven doubles and 42 RBIs.

Price led the Lady Eagles with a .401 batting average in starting all 59 games this season. She also led the team with 30 stolen bases in 35 attempts and was second on the team with 37 runs scored.

Shoemake led C-N with 77 hits, and was second on the team with a .397 average, 11 home runs, and 41 RBIs in starting 57 games for the Lady Eagles at catcher.

Regional tournament hosts North Georgia and Lenoir-Rhyne University again led the teams. The NGCSU Saints garnered two nods on each team and LRU picked up one on the first team and four overall to pace one of the most talented regions in the country.

North Georgia's Jessica Coan was named Region Pitcher of the Year. Coan was 24-4 with a 0.78 ERA and 294 strikeouts over 187 1/3 innings as of the nomination deadline.

Armstrong Atlantic State University second baseman April Jowers earned Region Player of the Year honors. Jowers was hitting .503 with 43 runs scored and 28 stolen bases as of the nomination deadline.

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 region's sports information directors.

2011 Daktronics Softball All-Southeast Region

Pitcher of the Year: Jessica Coan, North Georgia

Player of the Year: April Jowers, Armstrong

First Team

P: Jessica Coan, North Georgia

P: Dawon Millwood, Lenoir-Rhyne

P: Mary Shealy, Carson-Newman

C: Bri Shoemake, Carson-Newman

1B: Breezy Collings, Flagler

2B: April Jowers, Armstrong

3B: Jessica Thornton, Augusta St.

SS: Kasey Knight, North Georgia

OF: Jessica McFadden, Barton

OF: Shelby Duff, Armstrong

OF: Leah Price, Carson-Newman

DP: Haley Burnett, Georgia College

UT: Kristen Jones, Augusta St.

Second Team

P: Sarah Phillips, North Georgia

P: Elizabeth Johnson, Tusculum

P: Megan Barnwell, Armstrong

C: Brittany Barrineau, Wingate

1B: Jessica Fellmeth, Lenoir-Rhyne

2B: Carlee Carpenter, Lenoir-Rhyne

3B: Natalie Haithcox, Mars Hill

SS: Kacee Camp, Augusta St.

OF: Jody Mizelle, Lenoir-Rhyne

OF: Khortni Hester, Catawba

OF: Ansley Williams, North Georgia

DP: Alyssa Bradshaw, Mount Olive

UT: Kayla Myers, Catawba