The American Awards

TAMPA, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Five members of the UCF softball team received American Athletic Conference honors for their performance throughout the 2018 season. Denali Schappacher, Cassady Brewer, Alea White, Megan Greenwell, and Erin Emanuel all earned recognition from the conference.

Schappacher and Brewer earned first team honors, while White, Greenwell, and Emanuel were named to the second team. Schappacher was also voted to the All-Rookie team.
 
Schappacher was voted to the rookie team and first team as an outfielder leading the Knights with a .345 average. The lead-off hitter also led the team in hits with 50 and runs scored with 30. The Bradenton native has started 52 of the Knights' 55 games proving to be a reliable offensive and defensive weapon.
 
She currently boasts a 13 game on-base streak collecting 16 hits and eight walks. Of those 13 games, Schappacher has picked up a hit in 11 of them.
 
In addition to her bat, Schappacher has shown promising speed on the base paths stealing nine bases this year, which is second on the Knights' squad.
 
In the field, Schappacher has one of the strongest arms in the conference among the outfielders as she has racked up five assists.
 
Brewer earns her third consecutive first-team honors hitting .339 on the season in 51 games played for UCF. The catcher paces the Knights in slugging percentage (.520) racking up 43 hits, eight doubles, and five home runs for 66 total bases.
 
The catcher, who hails from Apopka, ranks in the top 25 nationally in walks drawing 37 on the season, 19 in conference play. She holds a 22 game on-base streak walking 22 times and collecting 23 hits for a .434 average and a .698 slugging percentage.
 
The junior is a dual threat behind the plate, throwing out 17 would-be baserunners out of 26, while possessing a .988 fielding percentage.
 
White was voted to the second-team for the second consecutive year. She finished the regular season 25-14 with 48 appearances and 37 starts, which ranks top four in the nation amongst division I pitchers. The sophomore finished the season with a 2.35 earned run average striking out 171 and keeping opponents to a .251 average. At home, Alea recorded just one home loss of the Knights' 21 home games.
 
White led the Knights past No. 4 Florida earlier this season giving up just one hit, a feat no other pitcher has done this season to the Gators. The Land O' Lakes native earned The American Pitcher of the Week three times this season establishing herself as one of the top pitchers in the conference since the start of the season.
 
Emanuel picks up her first all-conference accolades after her first season as a Knight. In conference play, Emanuel hit .326 with eight RBI for a .512 slugging percentage in 17 games played at shortstop. In UCF's last three series', Emanuel has recorded eight hits in nine games scoring five runs and driving in six.
 
In the field, the junior has been solid at shortstop collecting 45 putouts and 66 assists for a .933 fielding percentage.
 
Greenwell caps off her senior season earning second-team honors for the first time in her career. The senior exploded offensively this year hitting .310 with 17 stolen bases and 18 runs scored. Greenwell was a threat at the bottom of the lineup as the lefty slapper collected a pair of doubles and triples for 51 total bases.
 
Greenwell started all 55 games in the outfield for UCF posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. The Miami native will depart UCF with her name etched in the record books as she ranks fifth on UCF's all-time list for stolen bases for UCF with 59 and is sixth for most stolen base attempts with 69. She also set the UCF single season record for highest stolen base percentage in her junior year as she went 29-for-30. Her 29 stolen bases landed her on the UCF single season record list.

The Knights take on Memphis at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 10 in the quarterfinals of The American Conference tournament in Tampa.
 
The three-day, single elimination tournament will be held May 10-12. All quarterfinal and semifinal contests will be broadcast live on the American Digital Network via Facebook at facebook.com/americanconf. Saturday's championship will air live on ESPN2, beginning at Noon ET/11 a.m. CT.
 
All rounds are single-elimination, with the tournament champion earning The American's automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division I Softball Championship.