Abbey Cheek Wins 2019 SEC Player of the Year; Reed, Schaper, Kowalik Also Honored
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Kentucky senior third baseman Abbey Cheek was named the 2019 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday morning. Cheek becomes the first Kentucky player ever to win the award in the 22-year history of the program.
In addition to Cheek being the league’s player of the year, she was also voted on by the 13 head coaches as First Team All-SEC and to the All-SEC Defensive Team for third base. She was also named First Team All-SEC.
Fellow seniors Katie Reed and Jenny Schaper were also recognized for their outstanding seasons, as Reed was named the 2019 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive for shortstop. It is Reed’s second-straight Scholar Athlete Award, second-straight appearance on the Second Team All-SEC and second appearance on the All-Defensive Team.
Catcher Jenny Schaper joins Abbey Cheek as the two Wildcats to be named First Team All-SEC. The St. Louis, Missouri native was also named to the All-Defensive Team for catching. Schaper’s two awards are her first two postseason honors by the league coaches in her career.
Freshman Kayla Kowalik became the 16th player in Kentucky program history to be named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Alabama’s Patrick Murphy won SEC Coach of the Year and the Tide’s Montana Fouts won SEC Freshman of the Year. Sarah Cornell was voted the SEC Pitcher of the Year.
SEC Awards
Player of the Year – Abbey Cheek (Kentucky)
Pitcher of the Year – Sarah Cornell (Alabama)
Freshman of the Year – Montana Fouts (Alabama)
Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Katie Reed (Kentucky)
Coach of the Year – Patrick Murphy (Alabama)
First Team All-SEC
P – Sarah Cornell, Alabama
P – Montana Fouts, Alabama
P – Ashley Rogers, Tennessee
IF – Bailey Hemphill, Alabama
IF – Amanda Lorenz, Florida
IF – Alyssa DiCarlo, Georgia
IF – Abbey Cheek, Kentucky
IF – Shemiah Sanchez, LSU
OF – Hannah McEwen, Arkansas
OF – Kylan Becker, Ole Miss
OF – Kat Moore, Mississippi State
OF – Brooke Wilmes, Missouri
C – Jenny Schaper, Kentucky
C – Mia Davidson, Mississippi State
DP/U – Kendyl Lindaman, Florida
DP/U – Fa Leilua, Mississippi State
Second Team All-SEC
P – Autumn Storms, Arkansas
P – Kelly Barnhill, Florida
P – Molly Jacobsen, Ole Miss
IF – Maddie Morgan, Alabama
IF – Katie Reed, Kentucky
IF – Amanda Sanchez, LSU
IF – Jana Johns, South Carolina
IF – Aubrey Leach, Tennessee
OF – Elissa Brown, Alabama
OF – Ciara Bryan, Georgia
OF – Aliyah Andrews, LSU
OF – Jenna Holcomb, Tennessee
C – Kendall Veach, Auburn
DP/U – Shelbi Sunseri, LSU
SEC All-Freshman Team
P – Montana Fouts, Alabama
P – Elizabeth Hightower, Florida
P – Shelby Wickersham, LSU
IF – Skylar Wallace, Alabama
IF – Lacey Fincher, Alabama
IF – Jazmyn Rollin, Missouri
IF – Madison Owens, South Carolina
IF – Baylee Klinger, Texas A&M
OF – Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky
OF – Tate Whitley, Ole Miss
OF – Anna Kate Segars, Mississippi State
C – Kaili Phillips, Tennessee
DP/U – Kaitlin Parsons, Tennessee
SEC All-Defensive Team
C – Jenny Schaper, Kentucky
1B – Amanda Lorenz, Florida
2B – Casey McCrackin, Auburn
SS – Katie Reed, Kentucky
3B – Abbey Cheek, Kentucky
LF – Jenna Holcomb, Tennessee
CF – Elissa Brown, Alabama
CF – Aliyah Andrews, LSU
RF – Kaylee Horton, Ole Miss
Kentucky begins SEC Tournament play on Thursday afternoon at 7:30 p.m. ET from Davis Diamond in College Station in the quarterfinal round. The Wildcats will face either (12) Mississippi State, (13) Texas A&M or (5) Ole Miss.
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