MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee’s Laura Dukes collected the Blue Raiders’ first preseason honor with her selection to the College Sports Madness Preseason All-Conference USA First Team.
“It’s a great honor for her,” said Head Coach Jeff Breeden. “Laura is our best hitter and she is going to be in a leadership role from behind the plate. Offensively she is going to make us go. It is also a great honor for our program and Middle Tennessee State University for her to receive this honor.”
The junior led the Blue Raiders last season in four offensive categories, holding a team-best .281 batting average, seven home runs, .477 slugging percentage and 24 walks. Dukes started 51 games from behind the plate last season and her .982 fielding percentage ranks only behind Niki Campbell’s .990. She also registered second on the team with 19 RBI and third in total bases with 61 and hits with 36.
The Blue Raiders are hosting a “Meet the Blue Raiders” event in the MT Hall of Fame starting at 3 p.m. today, and will kick off the 2014 slate with the Troy Subway Invitational Feb. 7-9 in Troy, Ala.
