Vickee Kazee-Hollifield interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (30-16, 9-11 South Atlantic Conference) will pay homage to three seniors during its regular season home finale with Queens (21-23, 5-13 SAC) as it tries to clinch a SAC tournament berth Friday at 1 p.m.
The Eagles need a win to guarantee a spot in the league's postseason tournament as it sends off Sara Kelley (Ooltewah, Tenn.), Caitlyn Lance (East Ridge, Tenn.) and Brittany Hefner (Talbott, Tenn.) with its senior day festivities.
"We're sure going to miss them. Those young ladies have been very productive for us, especially offensively," Carson-Newman head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "Hefner and Kelley have been as good for us offensively as anyone while Caitlyn Lance has been as smooth as anyone defensively for us at first."
Combined the trio has started 505 games in the infield for Carson-Newman. Kelley has started all 209 games at third in her Carson-Newman career. Lance has made 182 consecutive starts at first (with 202 at the position overall), while Hefner has started all 94 games at short in her Carson-Newman career.
"As a coach, you look at how kids improve year to year," Kazee Hollifield said. "These three have all made steps to grow and they will all three be people that new kids will have their work cut out for them trying to fill their shoes."
Kelley will go down as the greatest doubles hitter in Carson-Newman history. Her 54 doubles are first all-time in program history and fifth in South Atlantic Conference history. Kelley is a homer shy of matching Sarah Little for first in program history with 33. Lifetime she has accrued a .315 average with 203 hits and 157 RBI. She is a two-time All-SAC selection and has earned SAC player of the week honors once in her senior year.
Lance is a two-time All-SAC and all-region pick. Kazee-Hollifield has called her the best defensive first baseman in Carson-Newman history. In 1,780 career chances at first, Lance has only made 11 errors for a .994 fielding percentage. Lance is a lifetime .315 batter who ranks in the top 10 in Carson-Newman history with 40 doubles. Her 67 career walks are the most on the Carson-Newman roster.
Brittany Hefner is the reigning SAC and Southeast Region player of the year. In addition she is Carson-Newman softball's 12 NCAA All-American. She is the single season record holder for home runs (19), runs batted in (75) and total bases (148) – records she set in her junior season. She has batted .392 lifetime in a Carson-Newman uniform with 25 home runs – the fourth most all-time.
Carson-Newman has a 135-73-1 record with the trio in the program.
Standing in the way of a happy senior day for the Eagles is a Queens club that needs to win its final four games for a shot at the conference tournament.
"They're scrappy and not going to quit," Kazee-Hollifield said. "They've got quality wins through the course of their season. We better be ready to come out and play."
The Royals own wins over Armstrong – who has spent the entire season in the top 25 – and Georgia College – who has spent parts of the season ranked.
First pitch between the Eagles and Royals comes at 1 p.m. Friday with coverage available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.
