Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Birdsong, Burgess and Harris Earn All-Conference Honors
5/9/2017 12:04:00 PM | Softball
Birdsong and Harris Named to First Team, Burgess Named to All-Freshman Team
IRVING, Texas – Following the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Middle Tennessee softball team landed three players on the all-conference teams. Junior outfielder, Precious Birdsong and junior catcher, Morgan Harris both earned a spot on the All C-USA First Team while freshman shortstop, Summer Burgess made the All-Freshman team.
Marshall picked up most of the top honors as Morgan Zerkle was named Player of the Year, Jordan Dixon earned Pitcher of the Year and Shonda Stanton won Coach of the Year. Louisiana Tech's Krystal De La Cruz was named Newcomer of the Year and finally FIU's Shannon Saile earned Freshman of the Year.
"Receiving all-conference for both Precious and Morgan is a big honor for each one of them individually and is a big honor for our program and a big honor for our school," said Head Coach Jeff Breeden. "There couldn't be two kids who are more deserving than they are. Both of those young ladies are great athletes on the field and great students in the classroom and they are both ambassadors for our university. When you think about our program, those are two names that come up and people in the community know and look up to them. Precious and Morgan are great kids and well deserving of this award."
Birdsong was a preseason all-conference selection and lived up to it with a record-setting season for the Blue Raiders. She hit a single season record .443 at the plate, which ranked third best in C-USA and 13th in the nation. She finished with 62 hits, 57 of which were singles to go with two doubles, two triples and a home run. Those triples helped her break the career triples mark as she now has 10 in her three seasons. She stole 23 bases this year to move her top spot on the career charts up to 101 all-time. The 57 singles was the third-highest number of singles in a single season in MT history. Birdsong also had the second-highest on-base percentage in a single season in MT history with .494. She played 45 games in centerfield for Middle, recording a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Harris was the on field leader for the Raiders, playing all 49 games behind the plate. She finished with a .297 batting average with 43 hits, four doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI out of the three hole the majority of the season. Harris was fourth in the conference in runners caught stealing, catching 15 and was 11th in putouts with 245. She had just two passed balls all year and only one in conference play.
"Summer being named to the all-freshman team is also a great honor for her," said Breeden. "She is a kid coming out of South Florida and started every game for us this year at shortstop. She was our leadoff hitter for most the season also, batting in front of Precious in our order. Summer played very good defensively for us and had a great year offensively. We look for nothing but great things out of her again and in the future. She is a great kid and great for our school and we look for her to be on that all-conference team for several years down the road."
Burgess started all 49 games for the Raiders at shortstop in her true freshman campaign. She ranked second on the team in batting average with a .309 to go with a team-high seven doubles and team-leading 26 runs scored. She was second in on base percentage (.393) and fourth in slugging percentage (.382). Burgess finished eighth in the conference in assists with 97 and in the top 30 in batting average.
The All-Conference awards are voted on by C-USA coaches.
Player of the Year
Morgan Zerkle, Marshall
Pitcher of the Year
Jordan Dixon, Marshall
Freshman of the Year
Shannon Saile, FIU
Newcomer of the Year
Krystal De La Cruz, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year
Shonda Stanton, Marshall
All C-USA First Team
Catcher
Taylor McCord, Marshall
Morgan Harris, Middle Tennessee
Infielders
Morgan Zerkle, Marshall
Haley Pace, Charlotte
Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic
Stephanie Texeira, FIU
Kelli Schkade, North Texas
Outfielders
Jackie Schoff, FIU
Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee
Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
Lindsey Stewart, UTSA
DP/Utility
Ali Galaz, Louisiana Tech
Pitchers
Jordan Dixon, Marshall
Shannon Saile, FIU
Krystal De La Cruz, Louisiana Tech
All C-USA Second Team
Catcher
Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
Molli Garcia, UAB
Infielders
Ashley Leon, FIU
Lauren Holifield, Southern Miss
Elicia D'Orazio, Marshall
Taylor Sargent, UTEP
Cortney Smith, UTEP
Outfielders
Celeste Loughman, UTSA
Bailee Baldwin, UTSA
Jazlyn Crowder, Louisiana Tech
Samantha Reynolds, Southern Miss
Delaney Rickey, Florida Atlantic
Eloise Tribolet, Marshall
DP/Utility
Jordan Mauch, WKU
Kaitlin Ryder, UTEP
Pitchers
Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
Amanda Wilson, Florida Atlantic
Haley Wiseman, Charlotte
All-Freshman Team
Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
Lindsey Stewart, UTSA
Claire Blount, UAB
Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
Lacy Gregory, North Texas
Lindsay Gregory, North Texas
Shannon Saile, FIU
Elizabeth DeShields, Marshall
Destini England, UAB
Celeste Loughman, UTSA
Kelsey Aikey, WKU
Marshall picked up most of the top honors as Morgan Zerkle was named Player of the Year, Jordan Dixon earned Pitcher of the Year and Shonda Stanton won Coach of the Year. Louisiana Tech's Krystal De La Cruz was named Newcomer of the Year and finally FIU's Shannon Saile earned Freshman of the Year.
"Receiving all-conference for both Precious and Morgan is a big honor for each one of them individually and is a big honor for our program and a big honor for our school," said Head Coach Jeff Breeden. "There couldn't be two kids who are more deserving than they are. Both of those young ladies are great athletes on the field and great students in the classroom and they are both ambassadors for our university. When you think about our program, those are two names that come up and people in the community know and look up to them. Precious and Morgan are great kids and well deserving of this award."
Birdsong was a preseason all-conference selection and lived up to it with a record-setting season for the Blue Raiders. She hit a single season record .443 at the plate, which ranked third best in C-USA and 13th in the nation. She finished with 62 hits, 57 of which were singles to go with two doubles, two triples and a home run. Those triples helped her break the career triples mark as she now has 10 in her three seasons. She stole 23 bases this year to move her top spot on the career charts up to 101 all-time. The 57 singles was the third-highest number of singles in a single season in MT history. Birdsong also had the second-highest on-base percentage in a single season in MT history with .494. She played 45 games in centerfield for Middle, recording a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Harris was the on field leader for the Raiders, playing all 49 games behind the plate. She finished with a .297 batting average with 43 hits, four doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI out of the three hole the majority of the season. Harris was fourth in the conference in runners caught stealing, catching 15 and was 11th in putouts with 245. She had just two passed balls all year and only one in conference play.
"Summer being named to the all-freshman team is also a great honor for her," said Breeden. "She is a kid coming out of South Florida and started every game for us this year at shortstop. She was our leadoff hitter for most the season also, batting in front of Precious in our order. Summer played very good defensively for us and had a great year offensively. We look for nothing but great things out of her again and in the future. She is a great kid and great for our school and we look for her to be on that all-conference team for several years down the road."
Burgess started all 49 games for the Raiders at shortstop in her true freshman campaign. She ranked second on the team in batting average with a .309 to go with a team-high seven doubles and team-leading 26 runs scored. She was second in on base percentage (.393) and fourth in slugging percentage (.382). Burgess finished eighth in the conference in assists with 97 and in the top 30 in batting average.
The All-Conference awards are voted on by C-USA coaches.
Player of the Year
Morgan Zerkle, Marshall
Pitcher of the Year
Jordan Dixon, Marshall
Freshman of the Year
Shannon Saile, FIU
Newcomer of the Year
Krystal De La Cruz, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year
Shonda Stanton, Marshall
All C-USA First Team
Catcher
Taylor McCord, Marshall
Morgan Harris, Middle Tennessee
Infielders
Morgan Zerkle, Marshall
Haley Pace, Charlotte
Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic
Stephanie Texeira, FIU
Kelli Schkade, North Texas
Outfielders
Jackie Schoff, FIU
Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee
Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
Lindsey Stewart, UTSA
DP/Utility
Ali Galaz, Louisiana Tech
Pitchers
Jordan Dixon, Marshall
Shannon Saile, FIU
Krystal De La Cruz, Louisiana Tech
All C-USA Second Team
Catcher
Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
Molli Garcia, UAB
Infielders
Ashley Leon, FIU
Lauren Holifield, Southern Miss
Elicia D'Orazio, Marshall
Taylor Sargent, UTEP
Cortney Smith, UTEP
Outfielders
Celeste Loughman, UTSA
Bailee Baldwin, UTSA
Jazlyn Crowder, Louisiana Tech
Samantha Reynolds, Southern Miss
Delaney Rickey, Florida Atlantic
Eloise Tribolet, Marshall
DP/Utility
Jordan Mauch, WKU
Kaitlin Ryder, UTEP
Pitchers
Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
Amanda Wilson, Florida Atlantic
Haley Wiseman, Charlotte
All-Freshman Team
Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
Lindsey Stewart, UTSA
Claire Blount, UAB
Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
Lacy Gregory, North Texas
Lindsay Gregory, North Texas
Shannon Saile, FIU
Elizabeth DeShields, Marshall
Destini England, UAB
Celeste Loughman, UTSA
Kelsey Aikey, WKU
Players Mentioned
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