Hokie ClubRALEIGH, N.C. - Three Virginia Tech softball players were named All-ACC Thursday night at the pre-tournament banquet. Jenna Rhodes and Charisse Mariconda were named to the first team while Jessica Everhart was named to the second team.
Rhodes is having one of the best offensive seasons in school history. The senior, who made second-team All-ACC last year, is fourth in the country with a .478 batting average, first in hits with 89 and second in the country with 49 stolen bases. All three of those marks shatter the previous school record and her career batting average of .385 will break the school’s mark once her career is over and the number becomes final. The Broadway, Va., native also holds the school’s career stolen base mark with 114 swipes.
Mariconda, a senior from Hollywood, Fla., was rewarded for her outstanding season. She heads into the tournament hitting .379. The third baseman has nine doubles, three triples, four home runs, 38 RBI and a career-high 25 stolen bases. She was named to the first team in 2008 as well.
Everhart, a senior from Purcellville, Va., makes her second appearance on the All-ACC squad as she was named to the second team as a freshman. This year, she is hitting .349 with nine doubles, five home runs and 29 RBI. She has drawn 31 walks and is second in the country with five sacrifice flies.
Danielle Spaulding of North Carolina was named Player of the Year for the second year in a row while Florida State’s Sarah Hamilton was named Pitcher of the Year. Kelsi Weseman of Georgia Tech was named Rookie of the Year and Georgia Tech’s Sharon Perkins was named Coach of the Year.
Fifth-seeded Virginia Tech will face fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins in Friday’s first round at 7:30 p.m. Action begins at noon with the first of four games in the single-elimination event. All games can be watched for free on ACCSelect and all Tech games can be heard for free on hokietv.com.
Below are the individual honors, as well as both All-ACC squads:
Player of the YearDanielle Spaulding, North Carolina
Pitcher of the YearSarah Hamilton, Florida State
Freshman of the YearKelsi Weseman, Georgia Tech
Coach of the YearSharon Perkins, Georgia Tech
All-ACC First TeamBreanna Brown, North CarolinaWhitney Haller, Georgia TechSarah Hamilton, Florida StateCharisse Mariconda, Virginia TechLisa Norris, North CarolinaKaleigh Rafter, Florida StateJenna Rhodes, Virginia TechDanielle Spaulding, North CarolinaKelsi Weseman, Georgia TechJen Yee, Georgia Tech
All-ACC Second TeamKristen Adkins, Georgia TechWhitney Allen, North CarolinaJessica Everhart, Virginia TechTerese Gober, Florida StateKerry Hickey, MarylandTiffany Johnson, Georgia TechBrittany McKinney, North CarolinaBreanna Shaw, MarylandBlair Shimandle, Georgia TechCarly Wynn, Florida State