With softball season one week away, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has announced that Morgan State’s Amy Begg has been selected as the conference’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year while Bethune-Cookman’s Ryan Jackson was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year. Ten institutions were represented on the team led by Bethune-Cookman’ five selections. Delaware State, Florida A&M and Maryland Eastern Shore each had three selections while Hampton, Morgan State and North Carolina A&T State had two apiece.
All preseason honors were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
A senior from Christchurch, New Zealand, Begg led the MEAC with 179 strikeouts and 20 wins on the mound as she posted a 2.31 ERA in 2017. A five-time MEAC Pitcher of the Week, Begg also led the league with seven shutouts and finished second in opponent batting average (.227). In her three-year career at Morgan State, Begg has amassed a total of 389 strikeouts.
Jackson was named the MEAC’s Player and Rookie of the Year in 2017 as she led the MEAC in batting average (.408), home runs (14), RBIs (47), total bases (118), on-base percentage (.483) and slugging percentage (.771). A three-time MEAC Player of the Week and two-time Rookie of the Week, the Chino Hills, Calif. native was also named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25.
Joining Jackson and Begg on the All-MEAC Preseason First Team are Bethune-Cookman’s Mariah Davis (OF) and Kailey Richard (2B), Delaware State’s Desiree Moreno (C), Florida A&M’s Toni Anderson (1B), Alexis Day (OF) and Jamesia Stoudemire (SS), Hampton’s Allyson Babinsack (P), Maryland Eastern Shore’s Samantha Casarez and North Carolina A&T State’s Zadaisha Waddell (UTL).
The 2018 season begins on Friday, Feb. 9 with the first conference matchup scheduled for March 17. The MEAC Tournament returns to Ormond Beach, Fla. and begins on May 9.
2018 Softball Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Preseason Player of the Year: Ryan Jackson, Bethune-Cookman
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Amy Begg, Morgan State
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| P |
Amy Begg |
Morgan State |
Sr. |
Christchurch, New Zealand |
| P |
Allyson Babinsack |
Hampton |
Jr. |
Hampton, Va. |
| C |
Desiree Moreno |
Delaware State |
So. |
Carson, Calif. |
| 1B |
Toni Anderson |
Florida A&M |
Sr. |
Dothan, Ala. |
| 2B |
Kailey Richard |
Bethune-Cookman |
Sr. |
Highland, Calif. |
| SS |
Jamesia Stoudemire |
Florida A&M |
So. |
Lake Wales, Fla. |
| 3B |
Samantha Casarez |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Sr. |
Sylmar, Calif. |
| OF |
Mariah Davis |
Bethune-Cookman |
Sr. |
Madera, Calif. |
| OF |
Alexis Day |
Florida A&M |
Jr. |
Ocala, Fla. |
| OF |
Ryan Jackson |
Bethune-Cookman |
So. |
Chino Hills, Calif. |
| UTL |
Zadaisha Waddell |
North Carolina A&T State |
Jr. |
Troy, N.C. |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| P |
Adrienne Guerra |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Sr. |
Monrovia, Calif. |
| P |
Zadaisha Waddell |
North Carolina A&T State |
Jr. |
Troy, N.C. |
| C |
Taylor Sherritt |
Bethune-Cookman |
So. |
Ridgecrest, Calif. |
| 1B |
Iesha Waters |
Bethune-Cookman |
Sr. |
Riverside, Calif. |
| 2B |
Jasmine Melgoza |
Delaware State |
So. |
Huntington Beach, Calif. |
| SS |
Jaylene Pryor |
Norfolk State |
Sr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
| 3B* |
Cortni Jones |
Savannah State |
Jr. |
Snellville, Ga. |
| 3B* |
Cloe’ Ochoa |
Coppin State |
So. |
Covina, Calif. |
| OF |
Damali Young |
Morgan State |
Jr. |
Westhampton, N.J. |
| OF |
Taylor Warrick |
Hampton |
So. |
Mount Laurel, N.J. |
| OF |
Mika Limsden |
Delaware State |
Sr. |
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
| UTL |
Adrienne Guerra |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Sr. |
Monrovia, Calif. |
*Indicates tie