BATON ROUGE — The 12th ranked LSU softball team had four players named to the All-Southeastern Conference Second team, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.
Pitcher Kristin Schmidt, first baseman Christy Connor, designated player/utility player Tessa Lynam and outfielder Camille Harris were selected to represent LSU on the all-conference team.
For the second-consecutive year, Schmidt earned second team honors. The junior transfer from Notre Dame was the SEC Pitcher of the Week on March 10 and a four-time Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association Pitcher of the Week.
She has thrown three complete-game no-hitter this season and combined to throw a fourth. Against Ole Miss, she recorded a career-high 17 strikeouts, tying her for the second-most in LSU history.
She currently leads the SEC in strikeouts looking and ranks second in the league in wins, earned run average, strikeouts, innings pitched and games started. In addition, she ranks in the top three in opponent’s batting average. She is one of only two pitchers in Tiger softball history to record 30 wins in season, currently sporting a 30-11 overall mark.
Connor earned All-SEC honors for the third time in her three years at LSU.
She earned second team honors in 2001 and first team honors last year. The senior from Katy, Texas, leads the team in hits in SEC play. She also ranks second on the team in batting average, RBIs and home runs in league play.
The first baseman has recorded the ninth-most single-season home runs in LSU history and is tied for the eight-most single-season doubles in school history. Against Cal Poly, she tied the single-game record with a pair of home runs. In the bottom of the ninth inning against Nicholls State, she hit a two-run walk-off home run.
Lynam was named to the second team as the designated player/utility player. The sophomore from Alpharetta, Ga., ranks in the top five in the SEC in RBIs and home runs in SEC play. She was also named the LSWA Pitcher of the Week on April 22. Against Jackson State, she threw her first collegiate complete-game no-hitter. In that game she also tied the LSU single-game records for hits, runs and doubles.
At the plate, she leads the Tigers in slugging percentage and RBIs and ranks in the top three on the team in batting average, on-base percentage, home runs and total bases. In the circle, she ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in wins and strikeouts.
Harris becomes just the sixth freshman in LSU history to earn All-SEC honors. She joins four players form the inaugural 1997 season — Tara Asbill, Ashlee Ducote, Sarah KnifeChief and Stacey Newton — and Britni Sneed and Trena Peel who both earned the honor in 1999. The outfielder from Hendersonville, Tenn., leads the team in batting average, on-base percentage and sacrifice bunts.
Before breaking her arm against Auburn, she had recorded the sixth-best single-season slugging percentage in LSU history. Against Southern Miss, she tied the school single-game records for hits and RBIs. In the bottom of the ninth inning against Ole Miss, she hit a game-tying home run with two outs as LSU came back to win in the 10th inning.
The first and second teams consist of 12 players each: infielders (4) and outfielders (3), pitchers (2), catcher (1), DP/Utility (1) and at-large (1).
The Tigers begin their quest for their third consecutive SEC Tournament title on Thursday against Tennessee at 11 a.m. CT. LSU has won eight straight tournament games dating back to a 1-0 loss to South Carolina in the 2000 championship game.
First Team All-SEC
P – Jenny Gladding, Florida
P – Michelle Green, Georgia
C – Lacy Prejean, Alabama
INF – Jackie McClain, Alabama
INF – Mylin Prieto, Florida
INF – Kim Wendland, Georgia
INF – Danielle Quinones, South Carolina
DP/UTL – Kristi Durant, Tennessee
OF – Ashley Courtney, Alabama
OF – Lindsey Cameron, Florida
OF- Nicole Barber, Georgia
OF – Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
Second Team All-SEC
P – Stephanie VanBrakle, Alabama
P – Kristin Schmidt, LSU
C – Lyndsey Angus, Kentucky
INF – Ashley Godfrey, Georgia
INF – Nikki Jones, Kentucky
INF – Christy Connor, LSU
INF – Amber Rhinehart, Tennessee
DP/UTL – Tessa Lynam, LSU
DP/UTL – DeDe Justice, Ole Miss
OF – Camille Harris, LSU
OF- Jodi Fittro, South Carolina
OF – Jennifer Nelson, Mississippi State
Pitcher of the Year
Michelle Green, Georgia
Athlete of the Year
Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
Coach of the Year
Lu Harris-Champer, Georgia
Freshman of the Year
Stephanie VanBrakle, Alabama