ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman shortstop Brittany Hefner (Talbott, Tenn.), outfielder Kelli Hensley (Knoxville, Tenn.) and utility player Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) were all named to the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference first team, the league office announced Tuesday.
Carson-Newman has the second most preseason first team selections in the conference behind Anderson, which has four.
Hefner had one of the more highly decorated seasons for a Carson-Newman player in program history in her junior season. She was a first team NFCA All-American and a second team Daktronics all-American, the South Atlantic Conference and Daktronics' Southeast Region Player of the Year.
Hefner is C-N's seventh NCAA All-American and 12th when factoring in the Eagles' days in NAIA.
Hefner was the conference and nation's leader for RBI with 75. That total reset the single season record for both the SAC and Carson-Newman. Hefner obliterated a school record for home runs in a year with 19 – setting that school record in early March before the season reached its midpoint. Hefner finished second in the SAC on the single season homerun chart.
She nearly won the first ever triple crown in SAC history, she was second in the league in batting average with a .451 figure. A two-time SAC player of the week – Hefner was just the fifth player in NCAA Division II history to hit three grand slams in a single season. She had a school record 141 total bases this year and matched a Carson-Newman single game record with eight RBI against Lees McRae (2/20).
Hefner produced a team-leading 21 multi-hit games including nine, three-hit games; as well as 17 multi-RBI games including, four instances where she drove in five or more runs in a single contest. Had a 23-game reached base streak and a 10-game hit streak. Hit two home runs in a single game four times, against Concord (2/23), Columbus State (3/6), Augusta State (3/20) and USC Aiken (4/6). She hit her grand slams against Erskine (3/1), Columbus State (3/6) and Augusta State (3/20).
Hensley looks to follow up an injury-shortened freshman season by being healthy for the whole year in her sophomore campaign.
A first team All-SAC selection and second team all-region selection for both Daktronics and the NFCA in 2013, in spite of a late season injury, Hensley turned it on in conference play.
Hensley batted .386 in all games, which was fifth in the league, but raised it 40 points to .426 in just conference games – the third best tally in the league. The freshman got on base 42 percent of the time in all games and 46 in conference only (15th and 12th in the league respectively).
Hensley has 12 multi-hit games, including three, four-hit days. Hensley hit an Eagle best .595 as a leadoff hitter, which has been crucial to getting her aboard to steal 13 bases on 14 attempts.
Siebert rounds out the Eagles preseason all-conference picks. A first team All-SAC selection and second team NFCA all-region pick as a utility player a year ago, Siebert made starts at designated player, second base and left field in her freshman season. She ranked fifth in the nation and first in the league with six triples; she also had a pair of doubles and home runs to her name with a .339 batting average.
Siebert turned in a quality defensive effort too with a .982 fielding percentage with one error playing second base and the outfield. She had nine multi-hit games, and ranked second on the team with three, three-hit games. Siebert pounded out those three-hit games against Anderson (4/6), Mars Hill (4/10) and Lincoln Memorial (3/13). Raked a pair of triples against Limestone (2/25). Had multi-RBI days with two runs batted in against Mars Hill (4/10) and LMU (3/13). Scored three times in that game against the Railsplitters.
The Eagles open their season Feb. 7 at Fort Valley State.
2014 SAC Softball Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
C – Laura Jansky, AU
1B – Danielle Swygert, AU
2B – Jessica Neidigh, AU
SS – Brittany Hefner, C-N
3B – Robyn Stanek, MHU
OF – Kelli Hensley, C-N
OF – Molly Child, AU
OF – Miranda Beeler, TC
DP – Kayla Saliga, WU
UTIL – Elayna Siebert, C-N
P – Carley Tysinger, CAT
P – Maryann Hoskins, L-R
Second Team
C – Taylor Laskey, WU
1B – Kaytlin Stroinski, TC
2B – Hayley Whitley, WU
SS – Alexis Burrell, WU
3B – Haily Jarman, L-R
OF – Brianna Mulkey, LMU
OF – Gabby Bedard, NEW
OF – Jody Mizelle, L-R
DP – Whitney Britt, QU
DP – Amanda Show, LMU
UTIL – Alyssa Miller, BC
P – Stacey Houser, WU
P – Brandi Hole, L-R
