University of Kentucky shortstop Brooke Marnitz has been named to the 2007 All-Southeastern Conference second team, it was announced today. Also earning post-season honors are Natalie Smith and Molly Johnson who were both named to the All-Freshman Team following outstanding rookie seasons. The Wildcats? three all-SEC selections are the most in school history for a single season.
Marnitz is the sixth player in UK history to earn second team accolades. The Lexington native led UK and the SEC with 21 home runs this season. Marnitz led the nation in home runs per game throughout the majority of the season, but is now second in Division I with 0.41 per game. Maryland?s Amber Jackson is currently first with an average of 0.42 per game. Marnitz leads the SEC with 61 RBI, 137 total bases, and a .895 slugging percentage. She is ranked fourth in the nation in slugging percentage and is fifth with 1.2 RBI per contest. The shortstop set UK single-season records for home runs, RBI, total bases, and slugging percentage as a senior. She also took over as the all-time home run leader at UK and was named as one of 25 finalists for the USA Softball College Player of the Year. She was named SEC Player of the Week after she set the NCAA mark for hits in consecutive at-bats with 12 straight. Marnitz reached base in 17 consecutive plate appearances with five walks included during the streak. She had a pair of career-best eight-game hitting streaks this season and drove in a school-record six runs in the Cats? win over Southern Miss this season.
Smith started 46 games for the Wildcats at second base before an ankle injury sidelined her for the Alabama series. The Glendale, Ariz., native batted .370 this season and led the Wildcats in triples, stolen bases and at-bats. She was second on the team in batting average, hits, runs scored, sacrifice bunts, plate appearances, and finished third with nine doubles. Smith was second on the team with 18 multiple-hit games and tied for team?s longest hitting streak of the season with a hit in nine straight games. She drove in season-high five runs in win over Saint Mary?s and had a personal-best four hits in the win over Sacramento State. Smith scored a season-high three runs on two occasions this season and was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on March 26.
Johnson started all 51 games for the Cats, primarily at third base. The two-time SEC Freshman of the Week was third on the team with a .340 batting average and first with 11 doubles. She was second on the team with five stolen bases in six attempts. Johnson finished third in on-base pct. (.567), hits (51), RBI (36), runs scored (32), home runs (7), total bases (85) and at-bats (150). She posted four consecutive two-hit games and finished the season with 15 multiple-hit contests. Johnson had a season-high three hits on three occasions this year and drove in a season-high four runs after going 3-for-3 with two runs scored against Sacramento State.
Below is the list of all postseason award winners for the 2007 SEC Softball Season:
Scholar Athlete: Lindsay Schutzler, Tennessee
Pitcher of the Year: Monica Abbott, Tennessee
Player of the Year: India Chiles, Tennessee
Freshman of the Year: Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State
Coaches of the Year: Ralph and Karen Weekly, Tennessee
FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC
Monica Abbott ? Pitcher, Tennessee
Dani Hofer ? Pitcher, LSU
Shannon Doepking ? Catcher, Tennessee
Tonya Callahan ? Infield, Tennessee
Lauren Parker ? Infield, Alabama
Courtney Bures ? Infield, Mississippi State
Kim Waleszonia ? Infield, Florida
India Chiles ? Outfield, Tennessee
Lindsay Schutzler ? Outfield, Tennessee
Brittany Rogers ? Outfield, Alabama
Kellie Middleton ? Outfield, Georgia
Jordan Praytor ? Designated/Utililty Player, Alabama
SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC
Chrissy Owens ? Pitcher, Alabama
Stacey Nelson ? Pitcher, Florida
Killian Roessner ? Catcher, LSU
Charlotte Morgan ? Infield, Alabama
BROOKE MARNITZ ? INFIELD, KENTUCKY
Ashley Acuri ? Infield, Auburn
Melissa Zick ? Infield, Florida
Leslie Klein – Outfield, LSU
Dani Woods ? Outfield, Alabama
Hayle Guess ? Outfield, Mississippi State
Jazz Jackson ? Outfield, LSU
Chelsea Bramlett ? Designated/Utility Player, Mississippi State
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Charlotte Morgan, Alabama
Anna Thompson, Auburn
Jazz Jackson, LSU
Chelsea Bramlett, Mississippi State
Jessica Bachkora, Arkansas
Lauren Grill, Ole Miss
Tiffany Huff, Tennessee
MOLLY JOHNSON, KENTUCKY
NATALIE SMITH, KENTUCKY
Rachel Mitchell, LSU
Miranda Dixon, Arkansas
Francesca Enea, Florida
Ashley Dowdy, Ole Miss
Jessie Bailey, Mississippi State
