Courtesy of the Big South Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – As part of the Big South’s 30th Anniversary celebration in 2013-14, the Conference is announcing its first-ever All-Decade Teams to recognize the student-athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport since the Conference’s founding in 1983. A committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Teams, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.
Below are the All-Decade Teams for Softball for the years 1987-89, 1990-99 and 2000-09. Softball became a Conference sport in 1987, and each team features five pitchers, five outfielders, six infielders, one catcher, one utility player, one designated player (1990-99 and 2000-09 only) and one head coach. In case of ties, additional honorees are included.
1987-89 SOFTBALL ALL-DECADE TEAM
Position – Name, School (Notes)
P – Dori Beach, Charleston Southern (Tournament MVP)
P – Carol Buczek, Coastal Carolina (All-Conference)
P – Lisa Kemme, Winthrop (4-time All-Conference, 3-time Tournament MVP, 2-time Player of the Year, Big South Hall of Fame member)
P – Joy Owens, Coastal Carolina (All-Conference)
P – Tabatha Sturky, Winthrop (All-Conference)
OF – Dottie Harmon, Charleston Southern (3-time All-Conference)
OF – Kim Lawrence, Winthrop (2-time All-Conference)
OF – Gloria Rice, UNC Asheville (2-time All-Conference)
OF – Janet Walden, Augusta (2-time All-Conference)
OF – Tina Williamson, Coastal Carolina (All-Conference)
INF – Tracy Burroughs, Charleston Southern (All-Conference)
INF – Sandy Gillies, Winthrop (3-time All-Conference)
INF – Mandi Merritt, Charleston Southern (All-Conference)
INF – Linda Richards, Coastal Carolina (All-Conference)
INF – Susette Stone, Coastal Carolina (2-time All-Conference)
INF – Lisa White, Augusta (2-time All-Conference)
C – Robin Cooper, Charleston Southern (2-time All-Conference)
UTL – Vanessa Glasscock, Winthrop (3-time All-Conference)
Head Coach, School (Notes)
Frank Griffith, Winthrop (2 Championships [1987-89], 1 Coach of the Year Award; 58-37 overall, 12-18 Big South)
1990-99 SOFTBALL ALL-DECADE TEAM
Position – Name, School (Notes)
P – Tracy Bloomberg, Charleston Southern (4-time All-Conference)
P – Erin Chandler, UNC Greensboro (2-time All-Conference, Player of the Year, Tournament MVP)
P – Michelle Hall, Coastal Carolina (4-time All-Conference, 2-time Player of the Year, Tournament MVP, Big South Hall of Fame member)
P – Winn Hazelgrove, UNC Greensboro (3-time All-Conference, Tournament MVP)
P – Katie Phillips, Liberty (2-time All-Conference, Tournament MVP)
OF – Joanne Holliday, Campbell (3-time All-Conference)
OF – Stacy Radulovich, Liberty (3-time All-Conference, Rookie of the Year)
OF – Suzie Rath, Radford (3-time All-Conference)
OF – Cari Rowe, Coastal Carolina (3-time All-Conference)
OF – Amy Wolff, UMBC (3-time All-Conference)
INF – Kacee Crumpacker, Coastal Carolina (3-time All-Conference, Tournament MVP)
INF – Sara Graziano, Coastal Carolina (2-time All-Conference, Player of the Year, Big South Hall of Fame member)
INF – Sherry Johnson, Coastal Carolina (2-time All-Conference, Big South Hall of Fame member)
INF – Michelle Minton, Coastal Carolina (4-time All-Conference, Big South Hall of Fame member)
INF – Isonette Polonius, East Carolina (2-time All-American, 3-time All-Conference, 2-time Player of the Year)
INF – Denise Simmons, Campbell (4-time All-Conference)
C – Shannon Tanski, Liberty (3-time All-Conference)
UTL – Jessica Falca, Coastal Carolina (4-time All-Conference, Rookie of the Year, Big South Hall of Fame member)
DP – Lauren Paul, Winthrop (2-time All-Conference)
Head Coach, School (Notes)
Jess Dannelly, Coastal Carolina (2 Championships [1992-98], 1 NCAA Regional, 3-time Coach of the Year; 350-227 overall, 105-46 Big South)
2000-09 SOFTBALL ALL-DECADE TEAM
Position – Name, School (Notes)
P – Christine Doyle, Coastal Carolina (2-time All-Conference, Rookie of the Year, Tournament MVP)
P – Kelli Johnson, Winthrop (4-time All-Conference, Rookie of the Year)
P – Sarah Pauly, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (All-American, 3-time All-Conference, 2-time Pitcher of the Year, 3-time Tournament MVP)
P – Ashley Taylor, Radford (3-time All-Conference, 3-time Pitcher of the Year)
P – Cari Wooldridge, Winthrop (3-time All-Conference, 2-time Tournament MVP)
OF – Kimberly Josephson, Coastal Carolina (3-time All-Conference)
OF – Lisa Kingsmore, Winthrop (All-American, 3-time All-Conference, 2-time Player of the Year)
OF – Ashley Smith, Radford (3-time All-Conference)
OF – Tessa Thomas, Winthrop (4-time All-Conference, Freshman of the Year)
OF – Janiva Willis, Winthrop (4-time All-Conference)
INF – Meredith Hollyfield, Liberty (2-time All-Conference, Player of the Year)
INF – Sara Hostetler, Coastal Carolina (3-time All-Conference)
INF – Sarah Lockett, Coastal Carolina (3-time All-Conference, Player of the Year, Tournament MVP)
INF – Jessica Moore, Liberty (All-American, 3-time All-Conference, 2-time Player of the Year)
INF – Stephanie Reid, Winthrop (3-time All-Conference, Freshman of the Year)
INF – Kristen Shifflett, Radford (3-time All-Conference, Player of the Year)
C – Amanda Maska, Liberty (3-time All-Conference, Player of the Year)
UTL – Holly Lee, Coastal Carolina (4-time All-Conference, Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year)
DP – Meagen Johnson, Coastal Carolina (All-American, 2-time All-Conference, Player of the Year)
Head Coach, School (Notes)
Jess Dannelly, Coastal Carolina (3 Championships [2000-01-06], 3 NCAA Regionals, 3-time Coach of the Year; 274-276 overall, 71-53 Big South)
Softball All-Decade Team candidates were determined based on being at least one of the following: 1) Was a multiple All-Conference honoree at one or more position; 2) Was named an All-American; 3) Is a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame; 4) Student-athletes must have been a college graduate or left their respective institution in good academic standing; and 5) Won a Conference Championship as a coach and/or was voted Conference Coach of the Year; and 6) Every All-Conference honoree and Tournament MVP from 1987-89 was included in the candidate pool for the 1987-89 All-Decade Team. Candidates that participated in two different decades were placed in a specific decade based on consultation from member institutions. Candidates were also listed under their primary position during their careers. Member institutions had final determination in regards to inclusion of student-athletes and coaches.
Founded August 21, 1983 by Charleston Southern (then Baptist College) Athletic Director Howard Bagwell and Augusta College President George Christenberry, the Big South Conference has matured into a competitive leader in college athletics while intentionally fostering the academic, personal, social, athletic and leadership development of its student-athletes. The League’s growing presence as an NCAA Division I athletic conference is evident by athletic accomplishments on the national stage, innovative marketing and media partnerships, increased television packages and quality athletic competition. . Comprised of 12 member institutions throughout the Southeast — Campbell University, Charleston Southern University, Coastal Carolina University, Gardner-Webb University, High Point University, Liberty University, Longwood University, Presbyterian College, Radford University, UNC Asheville, Virginia Military Institute and Winthrop University — the Big South Conference’s institutions have a remarkable history of achievement and continues to succeed on the field and in the classroom through the League’s 19 championship sports. The Big South Conference: Developing Leaders Through Athletics.
