SEC softball awards: Five Gators earn league accolades

Top-seeded Florida picked up seven different honors, including two All-SEC First Team selections, in the annual softball awards, the league announced Tuesday.

Hannah Adams and Charla Echols picked up All-SEC First Team honors, the first of their careers, and also SEC All-Defensive Team accolades. It’s the second SEC All-Defensive Team award for Adams in her career, as she was selected for the team her freshman year in 2018.

Elizabeth Hightower and Kendyl Lindaman were placed on the second team and Julia Cottrill made the All-SEC Newcomer Team.

“Congratulations to Hannah, Charla, Elizabeth, Kendyl and Julia on earning All-SEC accolades this season,” Florida coach Tim Walton said. “These athletes represent the entire program and the teamwork everyone has had to compete so hard over the entire season. Super proud of their ability to step up when their team needed them the most.”

Florida (40-8) will play the winner of eight seed Ole Miss (34-14)-nine seed Mississippi State (32-22) in Thursday's SEC tournament quarterfinals at 12 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. The Magnolia State teams play Wednesday.

Bailey Hemphill of Alabama was selected the Player of the Year, while Montana Fouts of Alabama and Mary Haff of Arkansas were named the Co-Pitchers of the Year. Taylor Pleasants of LSU was chosen the Newcomer of the Year, and Jenna Laird of Missouri was tabbed the Freshman of the Year. Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors went to Cailin Hannon of Tennessee. Courtney Deifel of Arkansas was voted the Coach of the Year.

The complete 2021 SEC Softball Postseason Awards:

All-SEC First Team

IF - Braxton Burnside, Arkansas

IF - Hannah Adams, Florida

IF - Charla Echols, Florida

IF - Taylor Pleasants, LSU

IF - Jenna Laird, Missouri

OF - Elissa Brown, Alabama

OF - Alexis Mack, Alabama

OF - Aliyah Andrews, LSU

OF - Kiki Milloy, Tennessee

P - Montana Fouts, Alabama

P - Mary Haff, Arkansas

P - Ashley Rogers, Tennessee

C - Bailey Hemphill, Alabama

DP/UT - Makinzy Herzog, Texas A&M

All-SEC Second Team

IF - Kaylee Tow, Alabama

IF - Danielle Gibson, Arkansas

IF - Erin Coffel, Kentucky

IF - Mackenzie Boesel, South Carolina

IF - Ashley Morgan, Tennessee

OF - Hannah McEwen, Arkansas

OF - Casidy Chaumont, Missouri

OF - Brooke Wilmes, Missouri

OF - Bre Warren, Texas A&M

P - Autumn Storms, Arkansas

P - Shelby Lowe, Auburn

P - Elizabeth Hightower, Florida

C - Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky

DP/UT - Kendyl Lindaman, Florida

All-SEC Newcomer Team

Lexi Kilfoyl, Alabama

Savannah Woodard, Alabama

Jenna Bloom, Arkansas

Maddison Koepke, Auburn

Julia Cottrill, Florida

Sydney Kuma, Georgia

Rylea Smith, Kentucky

Ciara Briggs, LSU

Taylor Pleasants, LSU

Paige Smith, Ole Miss

Paige Cook, Mississippi State

Emma Nichols, Missouri

Jordan Weber, Missouri

Kiki Milloy, Tennessee

All-SEC Freshman

IF - Sydney Cox, Auburn

IF - Erin Coffel, Kentucky

IF - Blaise Biringer, Ole Miss

IF - Jenna Laird, Missouri

IF - Rylen Wiggins, Texas A&M

OF - Makayla Packer, Auburn

OF - Sydney Chambley, Georgia

OF - Jayda Kearney, Georgia

OF - Bre Warren, Texas A&M

P - Shelby Lowe, Auburn

P - Maddie Penta, Auburn

DP/UT - Aynslie Furbush, Ole Miss

SEC All-Defensive Team

P - Shelbi Sunseri, LSU

P - Emma Nichols, Missouri

C - Autumn Gillespie, Ole Miss

1B - Danielle Gibson, Arkansas

2B - Hannah Adams, Florida

SS - Kenzi Maguire, South Carolina

3B - Charla Echols, Florida

LF - Casidy Chaumont, Missouri

CF - Aliyah Andrews, LSU

RF - KB Sides, Alabama

RF - Chloe Malau'ulu, Mississippi State

Player of the Year: Bailey Hemphill, Alabama

Co-Pitchers of the Year: Montana Fouts, Alabama and Mary Haff, Arkansas

Newcomer of the Year: Taylor Pleasants, LSU

Freshman of the Year: Jenna Laird, Missouri

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Cailin Hannon, Tennessee

Coach of the Year: Courtney Deifel, Arkansas