GREENVILLE, N.C. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF was well-represented on the American Athletic Conference All-Conference Teams, with eight Knights being recognized on Wednesday. The awards haul by the Black and Gold were the most by any team in the league this season.
A pair of underclassmen in sophomore catcher Cassady Brewer and freshman designated player Kyra Klarkowski were selected to The American First Team by the league's coaches.
The five second team selections included senior outfielders Linnea Goodman, Willow Kalinen, shortstop Brittany Solis, junior third baseman Courtney Rotton and freshman pitcher Alea White.
Three Knights - first baseman Jazmine Esparza, Klarkowski and White - were tabbed to The American All-Rookie Team.
The eight student-athletes being honored by the league ties the 2015 squad, but that edition of the Knights included seven players on the first team and one selection on the second team.
Below each player's statistics are broken down based upon their statistics in conference games only, which was a part of the voting criteria.
Cassady Brewer | First Team | So. - C - Apopka, Fla.
- Earned 2016 The American Rookie of the Year and All-Conference First Team
- Tabbed The American Player of the Week (5/10)
- Conference-only ranks: Doubles (1st/5), RBI (2nd/13), Home Runs (3rd/3), Total Bases (6th/29), Slugging Percentage (7th/.518)
- Recorded a .268 batting average with five doubles, three homers and 12 RBI, while drawing seven walks
- Posted three multi-hit and two multi-RBI games
- Threw out 2-of-4 runners in stolen base chances and posted a .987 fielding percentage
- Delivered tag at home plate and tossed the ball to third base to complete a triple play at Memphis
- Drove in the only two runs to even series at Tulsa, then blasted a solo homer to help clinch the series the next day
Kyra Klarkowski | First Team | Rookie Team | Fr. - DP - Palmetto, Fla.
- Unanimous selection to the First Team
- Conference-only ranks: Sac Bunts (1st/5), On-Base Pct. (3rd/.449), Batting Average (7th/.381)
- Registered a .381 batting average with one double and nine RBI
- Tallied five multi-hit and three multi-RBI contests
- Registered walk-off single in the ninth inning to clinch series vs. USF (4/15)
- Went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs vs. Houston (3/25)
- Delivered two hits and scored twice at Memphis (4/9)
Linnea Goodman | Second Team | Sr. - OF - Long Beach, Calif.
- Named 2015 All-Conference First Team and 2014 All-Conference Second Team
- Honored as The American Player of the Week (3/10)
- Conference-only ranks: Doubles (1st/5), Walks (3rd/9), On-Base Percentage (6th/.435), Runs Scored (8th/10), Hits (8th/20)
- Compiled a .339 batting average with 10 runs scored, five doubles and eight RBI, while recording nine walks
- Set a UCF record with five hits at Memphis (4/9), while driving in three runs
- Registered two hits and two RBI at ECU (4/1)
- Compiled a 1.000 fielding percentage with one outfield assist
Willow Kalinen | Second Team | Sr. - OF - Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Named 2014 All-Mountain West First Team
- Conference-only ranks: Batting Average (1st/.412), On-Base Percentage (7th/.434), Hits (7th/21)
- Registered a .412 batting average, nine runs scored, one double, one triple and four RBI
- Recorded six multi-hit and one multi-RBI game
- Picked up a base knock in 10-straight league games from 4/1-4/28
- Tallied a 3-for-3 performance vs. UConn (4/30)
- Compiled a .947 fielding percentage, only making one mistake and tallying three outfield assists
Brittany Solis | Second Team | Sr. - SS - West Hills, Calif.
- Selected to 2015 All-Conference Second Team
- Conference-only ranks: Assists (1st/47), Chances (10th/92), Double Plays (1st/9)
- Posted a .269 batting average with one double and six RBI
- Tallied two multi-hit games
- Converted first 73 chances in league games without making a mistake and finished with a .967 fielding percentage at shortstop
- Made a career-high six putouts and six assists at Memphis (4/7)
Courtney Rotton | Second Team | Jr. - 3B - Clermont, Fla.
- Named 2016 All-Conference Second Team
- Conference-Only Ranks: Walks (3rd/9), Assists (8th/30), On-Base Pct. (10th/.422),
- Compiled a .321 batting average with nine runs scored, two doubles, one homer and five RBI, while registering nine walks
- Recorded two multi-hit and one multi-RBI game
- Posted a 3-for-5 performance at Memphis (4/9)
- Drove in two of the Knights three runs in the decisive contest at ECU (4/2)
- Belted a solo homer to help UCF win rubber match at Tulsa (5/7)
Alea White | Second Team | Rookie Team | Fr. - P - Land O'Lakes, Fla.
- Unanimous selection to the Rookie Team
- Named The American Player of the Week (5/8)
- Conference-Only Ranks: Wins (2nd/8), Appearances (2nd/15), Games Started (2nd/11), Saves (3rd/1), Innings Pitched (3rd/74.2), Strikeouts (5th/32)
- Posted an 8-3 record with one save and 3.56 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 74.2 innings of work
- Notched eight of the Knights 11 victories
- Yielded three earned runs or less in nine of 11 starts
- Tossed three-hit shutouts at East Carolina (4/2) and vs. USF (4/13)
Jazmine Esparza | Rookie Team | Fr. - 1B - Sylmar, Calif.
- Conference-Only Ranks: Fielding Percentage (1st/1.000), Doubles (6th/4), Chances (8th/100), Putouts (8th/90), Batting Average (14th/.340),
- Recorded a .340 batting average with four doubles, one homer and eight RBI
- Tallied three multi-hit and two multi-RBI games
- Drove in three runs at ECU (4/1)
- Blasted a solo homer vs. UConn (4/29)
The third-seeded Knights are set to open The American Championship in Greenville, N.C., later this afternoon at 1 p.m. against host No. 6 East Carolina. The winner moves to a semifinal contest at 12:30 p.m. Thursday against the winner of No. 2 Houston vs. No. 7 UConn.
2017 American Athletic Conference Softball Awards
Player of the Year
Shelby Miller, Houston
Lindsay Crowdus, Memphis
Pitcher of the Year
Emily Watson, Tulsa*
Rookie of the Year
Arielle James, Houston
Coaching Staff of the Year
Tulsa*
All-Conference First Team
P - Cheyenne Eggens, USF
P - Emily Watson, Tulsa*
C - Cassady Brewer, UCF
1B - Shelby Miller, Houston
2B - Arielle James, Houston
3B - Maggie Withee, Tulsa*
SS - Kyler Trosclair, Memphis
OF - Maya Thomas, Houston
OF - Lindsay Crowdus, Memphis
OF - Kristen Wyckoff, USF*
DP/UTL (Pitcher) - Savannah Heebner, Houston
DP/UTL (Non-Pitcher) - Kyra Klarkowski, UCF*
All-Conference Second Team
P - Alea White, UCF
P - Lydia Ritchie, East Carolina
C - Regan Hadley, Memphis
IF - Courtney Rotton, UCF
IF -Brittany Solis, UCF
IF - Carli Cutler, UConn
IF -Lauren Evans, USF
OF - Linnea Goodman, UCF
OF - Willow Kalinen, UCF
OF - Astin Donovan, USF
DP/UTL (Pitcher) - Hayley Meinen, Tulsa
DP/UTL (Non-Pitcher) - N/A
All-Rookie Team
Jazmine Esparza, UCF
Kyra Klarkowski, UCF
Alea White, UCF*
Carli Cutler, UConn
Arielle James, Houston
Trystan Melancon, Houston
Erin Parker, Memphis
Bethaney Keen, USF
* Denotes Unanimous Selection