May 12, 2016
Duff honored as ACC Freshman of the Year
Duff, Tyler named to All-ACC First Team

GREENSBORO, N.C. - For the first time in seven years, Virginia Tech collected two 2016 All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team honors, in addition to the Freshman of the Year title for the first time in program history, as announced by the conference office on Thursday.

Lauren Duff was named Tech Softball’s first ever Freshman of the Year while both Maggie Tyler and Duff earned their first All-ACC First Team honors.

This marks the first time since 2009 and third time in program history that Virginia Tech had two athletes on the ACC’s first team. The Hokies had one each in 2011 and 2013. Since joining the league, Tech has had at least one player named to the first or second team.

Duff, a catcher from Chesapeake, Virginia, leads the Hokies with a .352 average, batting .421 in conference play. She ranks second in the league with 13 runners caught stealing for the season and is second with an .819 slugging percentage against ACC competition. Duff highlighted her rookie season with a 20-game hitting streak that ranks the second longest in Tech’s record books. To date, Duff slugged 20 multi-base hits with a team high of 13 doubles.

Tyler, a pitcher from Poquoson, Virginia, was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Week for three consecutive weeks this season. She leads the ACC with 238 strikeouts through 236.0 innings of work. The ace ranks fourth in the nation with 10 shutouts to her name and ninth in strikeouts. Additionally, Tyler ties for 14th in the country with 23 wins this season. She highlighted her senior season with her first career no-hitter against Boston College on March 18.

Florida State took the remaining three individual honors: player Alex Powers, pitcher Jessica Burroughs, and coach Lonni Alameda.

Ten schools are represented on the 2016 All-ACC Teams, led by Florida State with seven representatives. Boston College, Louisville, and Notre Dame had four players recognized apiece. The awards were voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Individual Award Winners

Player of the Year: Alex Powers, Jr., 1B, Florida State

Pitcher of the Year: Jessica Burroughs, Jr., P, Florida State

Freshman of the Year: Lauren Duff, C, ‏Virginia Tech

Coach of the Year: Lonni Alameda, Florida State

All-ACC First Team

Tatiana Cortez, Jr., C, Boston College

Jessie Daulton, Sr., SS, Boston College

Jessica Burroughs, Jr., P, Florida State

Ellie Cooper, Jr., 2B, Florida State

Meghan King, Fr., P, Florida State

Morgan Klaevemann, So., OF Florida State

Alex Powers, Jr., 1B, Florida State

Jessica Warren, So., 3B, Florida State

Maryssa Becker, Jr., P, Louisville

Kristen Brown, Sr., SS, North Carolina

Kendra Lynch, Jr., P, North Carolina

Micaela Arizmendi, Sr., 1B, Notre Dame

Erin Hershman, So., OF, Pitt

Lauren Duff, Fr., C, Virginia Tech

Maggie Tyler, Sr., P, Virginia Tech

All-ACC Second Team

Jesse Dreswick, So., P, Boston College

Annie Murphy, So., OF, Boston College

Carsyn Gordon, Fr., OF, Florida State

Courtney Ziese, Sr., DH, Georgia Tech

Megan Hensley, Fr., DP, Louisville

Jordan McNary, Jr., OF, Louisville

Hailey Smith, Sr., 3B, Louisville

Taylor Wike, So., 2B, North Carolina

Molly Hutchison, Jr., C, NC State

Morgan Reed, So., SS, Notre Dame

Karley Wester, Jr., OF, Notre Dame

Ali Wester, Fr., 2B, Notre Dame

Jenna Modic, Sr., DP, Pitt

Maggie Sevilla, Sr., 2B, Pitt

Allison Davis, So, OF, Virginia

Click here to read the ACC’s full release.

For updates on Virginia Tech softball, follow the Hokies on Twitter

HokieSports Shop