One may be an All-American.
Two were selected for the division’s top All-Star team.
Seven netted postseason honors.
As much as softball is a team sport, UTD’s silver medal-winning squad counted time and time again on its big players to make big plays.
Sophomore second baseman Sarah Ardlt headlines the list of Comets who were selected as top players by American Southwest Conference (ASC) and Division III West Regional coaches.
Ardlt’s .366 batting average and 15 stolen bases were so impressive that she was named to the All-West Region First Team and is in the running to be selected as an All-American. Coincidentally, she was only named to the ASC All-East Second Team.
“I’m excited. In high school I didn’t get recognized for what I did so it’s nice that people around the country are paying attention to the good year I had,” Ardlt said.
Head Coach Tricia Hoffmann was particularly impressed by Ardlt’s defensive fortitude.
“For Sarah to only make two errors all season is pretty incredible,” Hoffmann said.
“The individual honor is nice – it was an amazing feeling when the coach told me – but the ultimate goal was to contribute to my team and get to the conference tournament,” Ardlt said.
Senior centerfielder Shaunna Lawrence finished the season with a .363 average and scored a team-high 32 runs to make the ASC All-Conference First Team as well as the All-East First Team.
“It’s something I’ve been working for my whole life,” Lawrence said. “To get those awards is a big accomplishment.”
“As a leadoff hitter, you expect Shaunna to get on base,” Hoffmann said. “Whatever it takes – getting hit by a pitch, forcing the defense to make an error, getting a hit – she gets on. She gets a lot of things going.”
Joining Lawrence on the All-East squad, senior first baseman Candace Felts led the team with two home runs and was second with 17 RBIs.
“[Felts] is our first three-time All-division superstar, and you feel lucky to have her be part of the team,” Hoffmann said. “She performed so many times for us that it became an expectation that if she was at the plate she’d get it done.”
Freshmen Amanda Craig and Daci DeLeon were selected to the All-East Second Team. Craig, the Comets’ third baseman, was the offensive leader for UTD, hitting .378 with 13 doubles and 21 RBIs. DeLeon struck out 78 in 64 innings of work and limited opposing batters to a .224 average.
Senior shortstop Laura Hatfield and junior pitcher Jenelle Morrison were named to the Honorable Mention squad.
Hatfield hit .364 with three triples, and Morrison led the Comets with a 7-3 record and a 1.62 ERA