The SEC announced its annual softball awards to cap the 2013 season. The University of Tennessee’s Lauren Gibson was named Player of the Year while the University of Missouri’s Chelsea Thomas earned Pitcher of the Year honors. University of Florida’s Tim Walton was selected as Coach of the Year while Freshman of the Year honors went to LSU’s Bianka Bell and University of Georgia’s Geri Ann Glasco. Jenna Marston (Missouri) was voted Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The awards were voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Thomas led Missouri in the circle with a 13-4 mark and 1.70 earned run average in league play, putting her first and second in the league in those categories, respectively. She started a league-high 19 conference games, held opponents to a .176 batting average in league play and ranks 11th in the NCAA in ERA. The senior was named a Top 25 finalist for the 2013 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award earlier this season.
Marston has a 3.99 cumulative GPA as an Industrial Engineering major at Mizzou. She earned Capital One First Team Academic All‐American recognition as a junior last season and received Capital One Academic All-District honors three times in her career. Marston was a First Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree in 2011 and 2012. She batted .371 and had a team-high 18 runs and 26 hits in league play.
2013 SEC Softball Awards
Player of the Year
Lauren Gibson, Tennessee
Pitcher of the Year
Chelsea Thomas, Missouri
Coach of the Year
Tim Walton, Florida
Freshman of the Year
Bianka Bell, LSU; Geri Ann Glasco, Georgia
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jenna Marston, Missouri
First Team All-SEC
P – Chelsea Thomas, Missouri
P – Hannah Rogers, Florida
IF – Lauren Gibson, Tennessee
IF – Raven Chavanne, Tennessee
IF – Madison Shipman, Tennessee
IF – Paige Wilson, Georgia
OF – Kayla Braud, Alabama
OF – Kat Dotson, Tennessee
OF – Kaylee Puailoa, Georgia
OF – A.J. Andrews, LSU
C – Jenna Marston, Missouri
DP/U – Lauren Haeger, Florida
SEC All-Defensive
P – Chelsea Thomas, Missouri
C – Griffin Joiner, Kentucky
1B – Morgan Estell, Auburn
2B – Lauren Gibson, Tennessee
SS – Madison Shipman, Tennessee
3B – Raven Chavanne, Tennessee
LF – Kayla Braud, Alabama
CF – Haylie McCleney, Alabama
RF – Kat Dotson, Tennessee