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Macon, GA - The Wesleyan College softball program made it a near sweep of the major awards presented at the GSAC Championship Awards Banquet on Friday night. Sophomore Jema Bravo collected the league's highest honor, being named the 2015 Player of the Year, while junior Mellissa Webb was named the 2015 Pitcher of the Year. Head coach Dickey Hightower was recognized as the 2015 GSAC Coach of the Year.
Bravo, who was voted to last season's GSAC All Freshman team, had a break out season and topped the confernce in nearly every offensive category. She ranked first in hits (44), RBIs (26), doubles (10), total bases (65), and slugging percentage (.580), and was second in batting average (.393) and third in home runs (3). Her performance this year helped lead Wesleyan to its best record in program history, surpassing the win total of the 2007 team that won 13 games.
Webb, a transfer from Lake-Sumter State College, had the most successful season for a Wesleyan pitcher in recent years and sparked the Wolves turnaround this season. She earned eight of the team's 14 wins, which ranked her second in the GSAC, and her 3.46 ERA was also second best in the league. Her 93 strikeouts topped the league as did her 131.1 innings pitched, and in all that time spent in the circle, she offered up only 24 walks this season.
Head Coach Dickey Hightower, in his fourth season, has worked tirelessly to establish success in the Wesleyan College softball program. He has invested countless hours making the field at the Mathews Athletic Complex one of the best in the southeast by improving both the home and visitor dugouts, building two batting cages, and building a press box and concession stand. He is a persistent recruiter who has begun to attract the type of athlete that it takes to have success on the field. His commitment to Wesleyan and willingness to see the program through the rebuilding years has paid great dividends and will only continue to improve in the years to come.
In addition to Bravo and Webb, Wesleyan landed two other athletes on both the GSAC All Conference and All Freshman teams. Freshman catcher Victoria Clower earned the recognition because she ranked second in the league in on base percentage (.488), fourth in runs (22), and eleventh in batting average (.305). Defensively, she was second in put outs (157) and finished the season with a .989 fielding percentage.
Third baseman Jessica Fleming joined Clower on both teams and was just edged out in Freshman of the Year voting by Salem's Maggie Fritts. She ranked first in the league in runs scored (28) and on base percentage (.519), fourth in stolen bases (7), seventh in hits (32), and eighth in batting average (.344). Her solid play at third base anchored the infield as the Wolves saw drastic improvement at that position this season.
In addition to excellence on the field, Webb was joined by senior Colleen DeGraff on the GSAC Academic All Conference team for success in the classroom. In order to earn this honor, athletes must be a sophomore or older who maintain a 3.25+ grade point average. DeGreaff also added selection to the GSAC All Sportsmanship Team to her list of honors.
2015 GSAC Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Jema Bravo (Wesleyan College)
Pitcher of the Year: Mellissa Webb (Wesleyan College)
Freshman of the Year: Maggie Fritts (Salem College)
Coach of the Year: Dickey Hightower (Wesleyan College)
All Conference
Catchers (2): Victoria Clower (Wesleyan College) and Jennifer Vitarelli (Salem College)
Infielders (7): Casey Arnold (Agnes Scott College), Tiffany Cain (Agnes Scott College), Adrianna Vasquez (Finlandia University), Kierston Garner (Salem College), Briana Crumley (Salem), Jema Bravo (Wesleyan College), Jessica Fleming (Wesleyan College)
Outfielders (5): Aimee Jennings (Agnes Scott College), Alyssa Millikin (Agnes Scott College), Katie Patenaude (Maine-Presque Isle), Maggie Fritts (Salem College), Kayla Kennedy (Salem College)
Utility (2): Hillary Brewer (Finlandia University) and Brianna Morris (Salem College)
Pitchers (4): Holly Jones (Agnes Scott College), Lauryn Smith (Salem College), Brianna Morris (Salem College), Mellissa Webb (Wesleyan College)
All Freshman
Molly Baker (Agnes Scott College)
Alex Garcia (Agnes Scott College)
Christina Krider (Finlandia University)
Adrianna Vasquez (Finlandia University)
Briana Crumley (Salem College)
Maggie Fritts (Salem College)
Brianna Morris (Salem College)
Jennifer Vitarelli (Salem College)
Victoria Clower (Wesleyan College)
Jessica Fleming (Wesleyan College)
Academic All Conference: Colleen DeGraff and Mellissa Webb
All Sportsmanship Team: Colleen DeGraff
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