The 2011 All-Big 12 Softball Teams and individual awards have been chosen, the Conference office announced. Ehren Earleywine (Missouri) was selected Coach of the Year, while senior Amy Hooks (Texas) was named Player of the Year. Chelsea Thomas (Missouri) took Pitcher of the Year honors and Taylor Thom (Texas) garnered Freshman of the Year recognition. Natalie Villarreal (Texas A&M) and Megan Christopher (Missouri) shared Defensive Player of the Year.
Earleywine (234-73) received his second Big 12 coaching honor after leading the Tigers to their second Big 12 regular season title (1997) with a conference record of 15-3. He coached six All-Big 12 selections in 2011, including four first-team honorees and the Pitcher and Co-Defensive Player of the Year in Thomas and Christopher. Under Earleywine’s direction, the Tigers ranked first in the Big 12 in doubles (84), ERA (1.26), opponent batting average (.166), wins (46) and saves (8).
Hooks ranked among the top 10 in numerous offensive statistics during Big 12 play. The catcher led the league in total bases (39), tied for first in home runs (6), ranked second in slugging percentage (.765) and fourth in on-base percentage (.459). She tied for eighth in runs scored (12), was ninth in RBI (13) and ranked ninth in batting average (.353). Hooks also compiled a team-high 125 putouts from behind the plate. The Mesquite, Texas, native knocked in 12 bombs on the year and pushed her career home run total to 35 to set a UT career long-ball record. The honor is the first for the UT program.
Thomas has had a successful sophomore campaign from the circle, establishing a 27-5 record with 24 complete games and holding opponents to a Big 12-best .145 batting average. The Pleasantville, Iowa-native led the Conference in ERA (0.81) and ranked second in strikeouts (323), wins and shutouts (11). The left-hander is the first TIger to win Pitcher of the Year honors. Thomas also set an MU record in strikeouts in a single season.
Thom is the sixth Longhorn to win Freshman of the Year honors after a solid campaign, batting .356 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 41 RBI, 31 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Her RBI total paced the Longhorns, while her home run and stolen base tallies finished third. The shortstop ranked among the league leaders in Conference-only games in batting average (.444, 1st), hits (24, 2nd), total bases (37, 2nd), slugging percentage (.685, 5) and on-base percentage (.455, 6th).
For the first time in Conference history, the league announced Defensive Players of the Year as Villarreal and Christopher each took home the award. This is the second honor for Villarreal and the first for Christopher. Villarreal, a rare left-handed second baseman, started in all but one of A&M’s games in 2011. She recorded 74 putouts and 78 assists while turning five double plays from the middle infield. The Frisco, Texas-native ended the regular season with a .962 fielding percentage while leading the Aggie defense in allowing only 112 runs scored by opponents, as opposed to 300 scored by the Aggies.
Christopher has thrown out 42% (8-of-19) of attempted base stealers during Big 12 play and committed just one error for a .995 fielding percentage. During the non-conference season, Christopher didn’t allow a single stolen base, and has thrown out 48% (10-of-21) of runners this year. Overall, she has a fielding percentage of .993 for the season with just two errors in 304 chances.
All-Big 12 and postseason honors are selected in a vote by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players. This year’s list had at least one student-athlete make either the first or second team from all 10 squads. Texas led the league with seven players (four first-team), while Missouri (four first-team) and Oklahoma (three first-team) had six each.
2011 BIG 12 SOFTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Coach of the Year
Ehren Earleywine, Missouri
Player of the Year
Amy Hooks, Texas, Sr., Catcher
Pitcher of the Year
Chelsea Thomas, Missouri, So., RHP
Freshman of the Year
Taylor Thom, Texas, Shortstop
Defensive Players of the Year
Natalie Villarreal, Texas A&M, Jr., Second Base
Megan Christopher, Missouri, Sr., Catcher
| All-Big 12 First Team |
| Name |
School |
Class |
Position |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Dani Leal |
Baylor |
Sr. |
SS |
Mexico City, Mexico/Pratt CC (Kan.) |
| Kathy Shelton* |
Baylor |
So. |
OF |
McKinney, Texas/North McKinney |
| Whitney Canion* |
Baylor |
So. |
P |
Aledo, Texas/Aledo |
| Chelsea Thomas* |
Missouri |
So. |
P |
Pleasantville, Iowa/Pleasantville |
| Nicole Hudson* |
Missouri |
So. |
3B |
Webb City, Mo./Webb City |
| Abby Vock |
Missouri |
Sr. |
2B |
Morrison, Ill./Morrison |
| Jenna Marston |
Missouri |
So. |
SS |
St. Louis, Mo./Principia |
| Ashley Hagemann |
Nebraska |
Jr. |
P |
Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn |
| Keilani Ricketts |
Oklahoma |
So. |
P |
San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty |
| Chana’e Jones |
Oklahoma |
Sr. |
1B |
San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian |
| Destinee Martinez |
Oklahoma |
Fr. |
OF |
Corona, Calif./Roosevelt |
| Alysia Hamilton |
Oklahoma State |
Sr. |
2B |
Moore, Okla./Moore |
| Amy Hooks |
Texas |
Sr. |
C |
Mesquite, Texas/North Mesquite |
| Taylor Thom* |
Texas |
Fr. |
SS |
Cedar Park, Texas/Vista Ridge |
| Blaire Luna* |
Texas |
So. |
P |
Austin, Texas/Bowie |
| Taylor Hoagland* |
Texas |
So. |
OF |
Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound |
| Natalie Villarreal |
Texas A&M |
Jr. |
2B |
Frisco, Texas/Frisco |
| Mel Dumezich |
Texas A&M |
So. |
P/Util. |
Whiting, Ind./Whiting |
| Kelsey Spittler |
Texas A&M |
Sr. |
OF |
Caldwell, Texas/Caldwell |
| * Unanimous All-Big 12 First Team Selection |
| |
| All-Big 12 Second Team |
| Name |
School |
Class |
Position |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Kayce Walker |
Baylor |
Jr. |
OF |
Franklin, Texas/Franklin |
| Megan Turk |
Baylor |
Jr. |
3B |
Bulverde, Texas/Smithson Valley |
| Erica Miller |
Iowa State |
So. |
3B/1B |
Pomona, Calif./Diamond Bar |
| Maggie Hull |
Kansas |
So. |
OF |
Lawrence, Kan./Free State |
| Rhea Taylor |
Missouri |
Sr. |
OF |
Buford, Ga./Peachtree Ridge |
| Ashley Fleming |
Missouri |
Jr. |
OF |
Silex, Mo./Silex |
| Taylor Edwards |
Nebraska |
Fr. |
C |
Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta |
| Tatum Edwards |
Nebraska |
Fr. |
P/Util. |
Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta |
| Jessica Shults |
Oklahoma |
So. |
C |
Valencia, Calif./Hart |
| Dani Dobbs |
Oklahoma |
Sr. |
3B |
Moore, Okla./Moore |
| Haley Nix |
Oklahoma |
Sr. |
OF |
Daingerfield, Texas/Texarkana College |
| Chelsea Garcia |
Oklahoma State |
Jr. |
SS |
Moore, Okla./Moore |
| Mariah Gearhart |
Oklahoma State |
Sr. |
3B |
Chula Vista, Calif./Bonita Vista |
| Brejae Washington |
Texas |
Fr. |
OF |
San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon |
| Nadia Taylor |
Texas |
Jr. |
3B |
Humble, Texas/Atascocita |
| Lexy Bennett |
Texas |
Jr. |
SS |
Kingwood, Texas/Second Baptist |
| Rhiannon Kliesing |
Texas A&M |
Sr. |
P/1B |
Pearland, Texas/Pearland |
| Emily Bledsoe |
Texas Tech |
Jr. |
3B |
Fulshear, Texas/Foster |
| Sandy James |
Texas Tech |
So. |
1B |
Dallas, Texas/Sabine |