BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Madison Shipman was named SEC Player of the Year, Ellen Renfroe earned SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Tennessee totaled a program-record 11 honors as the Southeastern Conference announced its 2014 annual awards on Tuesday.
Shipman earned Player of the Year and was picked for First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive honors. Renfroe was tabbed the Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned Second Team All-SEC honors. Melissa Davin earned First Team All-SEC accolades for the first time in her career. Annie Aldrete was named to the First Team All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC squads. Taylor Koenig, Megan Geer and Shaliyah Geathers earned Freshman All-SEC honors
The Southeastern Conference announced its annual softball awards to cap the 2014 season and kick off the SEC Softball Tournament in Columbia, S.C., May 7-10. The All-SEC Teams consist of 28 total student-athletes, along with a 14-member All-Freshman team and a nine-member All-Defensive Team. No ties were broken.
Tennessee’s 11 honors broke the previous program record of 10 set back in 2007.
Shipman is the fourth Tennessee player to earn Player of the Year honors, joining India Chiles (2007), Tonya Callahan (2008) and Lauren Gibson (2013). The Senior CLASS Award Finalist and Top 25 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year was a two-time SEC Player of the Week (March 24, April 14) led the league with a .591 on-base percentage and ranked second in the with a .449 batting average, an .899 slugging percentage and 26 runs in league play. She also ranked third with seven doubles, fourth with 25 RBIs and tied for fifth with nine homers in SEC play. Shipman was named First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive for the third-straight year (2012, 2013, 2014).
Renfroe earned SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year as she has a 3.75 cumulative GPA and is expected to graduate with a degree in Psychology. Renfroe is also a seven-time University of Tennessee Dean’s List recipient and a two-time Capital One Academic All-American (2012, 2013). Renfroe earned All-SEC honors for the third time in her illustrious career. She was previously named to Second Team All-SEC in 2011 and 2012. Renfroe led the league with 104.2 innings pitched and 17 starts in SEC play. Her 17 starts in conference games led the SEC and her 93 strikeouts and 12 wins ranked second. Renfroe was also named SEC Pitcher of the Week three times this year (Feb. 17, Feb. 24, March 31).
Davin earned All-SEC honors for the second time in her career as she previously was picked for the 2012 Second Team All-SEC. This is her first time earning First Team honors and it comes off the heels of her best season to date. Davin, who was also named to the SEC Community Service Team, led the SEC with 28 runs ranked fourth in the league with a .392 batting average, sixth with a .772 slugging percentage, second (tied) with 31 hits, seventh (tied) with 21 RBIs, fifth (tied ) with six doubles and fifth (tied) with eight homers in conference play.
Aldrete earned First-Team All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC honors after an impressive rookie campaign in which she earned SEC Freshman of the Week twice (March 17 and March 31). She is also a Top 25 Finalist for the inaugural NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy. Aldrete was a beast in SEC play, hitting .342 with a league-high 12 homers and 65 total bases. She also ranked second in the conference with 30 RBIs, third with a .890 slugging percentage and eighth (tied) with 20 runs scored.
Koenig, Geathers and Geer joined Aldrete to give UT a league-high four Freshman All-SEC honorees. Koenig was at her best in SEC play, hitting .351 with three doubles, 11 RBIs and seven runs. Geathers hit .268 with one double, two RBIs and nine runs. Geer hit .243 with two doubles, two triples, two homers and 12 RBIs and was also 6-for-6 in stolen bases.
