Tide Softball Has Four Players Named All-SEC
5/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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On the eve of the 2003 SEC Softball Tournament, the Southeastern Conference has announced that four University of Alabama softball players have received All-SEC honors.
Senior Lacy Prejean, junior Jackie McClain and sophomore Ashley Courtney were all named 1st Team All-SEC and freshman Stephanie VanBrakle was named 2nd Team All-SEC. In addition, VanBrakle was also named SEC Freshman of the Year.
Prejean is a four-time All-SEC performer; however this is the first time she was named 1st team. McClain is a three-time 1st team performer while Courtney is making her first appearance despite a .402 batting average and 23 RBI as a freshman in 2002.
The Crimson Tide could soon be mistaken for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Rookie of the Year department. The Dodgers won the Rookie of the Year award five straight years from 1992-96. Since the inception of the award in 2000, an Alabama player has been named Freshman of the Year three of the four years. Prejean won it in 2000, McClain in 2001 and now VanBrakle in 2003. Courtney had the numbers as a freshman in 2002 but did not receive the award.
Including this year’s All-SEC selections, Alabama has had 15 different players receive 31 All-SEC honors. Prejean joins former Tide All-Americans Kelly Kretschman and Shelley Laird as the only four-time All-SEC performers from the Alabama softball program.
Alabama will be in action this week in Plant City, Florida at the SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide will open with in-state rival Auburn on Thursday, May 8 at 2 p.m. The team will return home May 15-18 to host the 2003 NCAA Regional Championship.
