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.
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