SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Katie Boyd was named the Southern Conference preseason Player of the Year, the conference office announced Monday. The voting was conducted by conference coaches. Appalachian State was picked to finish fourth in the conference.
Boyd is coming off of a monster 2009 season, leading the conference in eight offensive categories and breaking the SoCon records for slugging percentage (.879), on base percentage (.590) and walks with 64. Her 64 walks were second in the nation, and she was third in on base percentage, sixth in slugging and tied for 10th with 17 home runs.
To go along with being named Player of the Year, Boyd was named first-team utility player. Junior Sarah Rappe earned second-team honors as an outfielder.
Rappe hit .286 last season and had a team-best 55 hits. She led the SoCon with 29 stolen bases and finished 30th in the country. Just a year removed from playing in the infield, Rappe made just one error while starting all 55 games in center field.
The Mountaineers were picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference. Chattanooga was picked to win their fourth-straight regular-season championship. Georgia Southern was picked second and followed by College of Charleston and ASU. Samford was picked fifth followed by UNC Greensboro, Furman, Elon and Western Carolina.
ASU begins the 2010 campaign at the Memphis Blues City Classic on Feb. 19. The Apps open the season against Indiana State.
Preseason Poll
Team (First Place Votes) Points
1. Chattanooga (8) 64
2. Georgia Southern (1) 56
3. College of Charleston 47
4. Appalachian State 43
5. Samford 35
6. UNC Greensboro 27
7. Furman 25
8. Elon 14
9. Western Carolina 13
Preseason Player of the Year
Katie Boyd, C/3B, Appalachian State
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Brianna Streetmon, Georgia Southern
Preseason First-Team All-Conference
P Brooke Loudermilk, Chattanooga
P Brianna Streetmon, Georgia Southern
C Brittany Eason, Chattanooga
1B Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
2B Tiffany Baker, Chattanooga
SS Nina Iduate, Georgia Southern
3B Kristie Shifflett, College of Charleston
OF Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern
OF Lyndsey Stiles, Chattanooga
OF Laci Upchurch, Chattanooga
DP Amber Hawkins, Western Carolina
UT Katie Boyd, Appalachian State
Preseason Second-Team All-Conference
P Lana Mackey, Furman
P Stephanie Royall, Samford
C Kaitlyn Piazzolla, Elon
1B Alex Emeterio, UNC Greensboro
2B Amber Shifflett, College of Charleston
SS Kaitlin Merkt, UNC Greensboro
3B Jenny Side, Georgia Southern
OF Katie Forbes, College of Charleston
OF Kaiti Kelley, Chattanooga
OF Sarah Rappe, Appalachian State
DP Megen Smith, Georgia Southern
UT Robyn Harmon, Samford
