Marshall Softball Racks Up at MAC Awards Banquet

5/7/2003

AKRON, Ohio- The Marshall University softball team was recognized for its most successful season ever on Wednesday night at the Mid-American Conference awards banquet. Head Coach Shonda Stanton became the first Marshall coach to be named the MAC Coach of the Year. Several MU players joined their coach earning honors, including MAC Pitcher of the Year Randi Nielson and MAC Freshman of the Year Amanda Williams. The Herd also boasts seven All-MAC team members, including four first-team selections.

Stanton was named coach of the year after leading Marshall’s 2003 squad to the most successful season in the program’s history. The Herd has collected 40 wins, took the outright MAC championship and has received top 25 votes for the first time in school history. Stanton’s squad has found itself nationally ranked in several different offensive categories and is no less than the third best batting in all-time MAC history, not to mention shattering nearly every team record on the Herd’s record books. After a record setting year in 2003, Stanton hopes she has established a tradition with MU softball that will last for years to come.

“Behind every great coach are great assistants,” head coach Shonda Stanton said. “I have been so blessed to have such a talented and devoted staff and I owe them all the credit. I am so proud of our girls. They are a great group, have really worked hard and deserve all the awards.”

Amassing an 145-118 career coaching record, Stanton has the best winning percentage of any softball coach at Marshall with a 118-93 mark at MU.

The Herd’s sophomore hurler, Nielson earned MAC Pitcher of the Year honors by helping Marshall to a record 22 wins when she took to the mound. Currently ranked 12th in the nation in win-loss percentage, she has collected the most overall wins of any pitcher in the Mid-American Conference. A native of Tucson, Ariz., Nielson also sports the best overall earned run average of any MAC pitcher, allowing only 1.22 runs per game in 2003. Fanning 150 batters on the season, she completes the MAC’s pitching triple crown as the conference’s overall strikeout leader. Nielson has an impressive 0.93 ERA in MAC play, has tossed four one-hit contests and has amassed a league leading eight shutouts on the season.

Amanda Williams was named Freshman of the Year after displaying the best offensive performance of anyone ever to wear a Herd uniform. The Powder Springs, Ga. native came to Marshall, along with her sister, highly touted. She has not disappointed, after only a single season at MU she is the program’s all-time leader in hits (72) and runs scored (50). Her .431 season average not only leads the Mid-American Conference in 2003, but ranks her fifth in the MAC’s all-time single season record books. Also leading the conference with 50 runs scored, she only needs seven more to become the MAC’s all-time leader in that category. She is also second in the conference, behind teammates De’Shaun Drake and Sierra Davenport in RBI’s (46) and stolen bases (21). An all-around player, Williams has also been impressive in the field, gunning down runners and committing only three errors in 55 starts.

Wayne, W.Va. native Allison Webb received first-team honors and the conference’s best designated player. The sophomore is batting .296 overall on the year and has knocked in 41 total runs. She has blasted six home runs this season, including a walk-off homer to help the Herd clinch the regular season MAC championship.

The Herd’s single season RBI record holder, De’Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, Calif.) was named to the First team as an at-large player. The senior is batting .389 to go along with her 51 RBIs on the season. Splitting time between the mound and in left field, Drake has also picked up eight wins on the year.

Amanda Williams and Nielson were also named to the first team at their respective positions.

Courtney Kacenga, a native of Sierra Vista, Ariz. was named second team All-MAC as a second baseman. The freshman has played an important role for the Herd batting .293 and helping solidify the crucial middle infield.

The other half of the Herd’s middle infield, Jessica Williams was named second team All-MAC at shortstop. As MU's leadoff hitter, she has an on-base percentage of .316 and has swiped 17 bases on the season. The Powder Springs, Ga. native has scored 34 runs for the Herd and with her speed is a terror on the bases and in the field.

Junior Sierra Davenport was named All-MAC for the third time in her career. The Tucson, Ariz. native was a second team at-large selection. Davenport is batting .389 on the year and has swiped a record 39 bases this season, placing her third in the nation in that category. The junior has concentrated her efforts in the outfield this year, although she has posted a 2.97 ERA in 30.2 innings on the mound.

Marshall will begin its post season run in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament Thurdsay at 7:30 p.m. at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.