NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 25, 2019 – Bethune-Cookman’s Kaiya Epps-Lee was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday afternoon. Teammate Victoria Guzman was selected as Pitcher of the Week for the second consecutive week and Howard’s Kalita Dennis was selected as Rookie of the Week for the second week in a row.
 
Epps-Lee (OF, Jr., Lancaster, Calif.) finished the week with a .400 batting average, going 6-for-15 at the plate while driving in three runs with a double. In the Cats’ win over No. 17 Oregon, Epps-Lee went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to help Bethune-Cookman get their first win over a ranked opponent since 2005.
 
Guzman (P, So., San Jose, Calif.) went 1-3 in the circle over the weekend, with that lone win coming over No. 17 Oregon to give Bethune-Cookman its first win over a nationally-ranked team since 2005. In that game, Guzman went four innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two and allowing just one walk during that game.
 
Dennis (1B, Fr., Elk Grove, Calif.) went 9-for-16 over the weekend with a .563 batting average with four RBIs. She scored two runs with two doubles and a triple, while also scoring two runs. In Howard’s win over UMKC, Dennis went 3-for-3 with two RBIs with a double and a triple with six total bases for the Bison.
 
OTHER TOP PERFORMERS 
Tyra Bowers (FAMU) went 8-for-24 at the plate for a batting average of .333, scoring four runs with a double, triple and an RBI for the Rattlers over eight games. In the Rattlers’ 10-2 win over Syracuse, Bowers went 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.
 
Mackenzi Steele (HOW) went 1-2 in the circle and finished with 13 strikeouts in 20.0 innings pitched. In the win over the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Steele had five strikeouts.
 
Kyaira Brown (FAMU) finished the week with a 2.92 ERA and went 1-3 in the circle after pitching 36.0 innings. Brown recorded 16 strikeouts and in the Rattlers’ win over Brown, she pitched 3.2 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two batters with no walks allowed. In 10.2 innings in the circle against No. 3 Florida, Brown struck out nine batters.
 
Shelby DeSchamps (NSU) went 5-for-7 over the weekend for a .714 batting average. She also scored a run and recorded two doubles. In the game against Mount St. Mary’s, she was 3-for-3 from the plate with a double.