Patriots lead PBC All-Academic Softball Team
Five members of the Francis Marion University softball team were among 19 players recently named to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Softball All-Academic Team.
The Patriots honored were senior first baseman Tamela Bell, senior centerfielder Lakyn Bendle, junior left-handed pitcher Michaela Wolf, junior leftfielder Jessica Birchmeier, and junior third baseman Kat Beauvais.
The team is part of a new season-long program recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of PBC student-athletes in the classroom as well as on the field. To be eligible for the All-Academic team, a student-athlete must participate in at least half of her team’s events and be either a starter or significant contributor; have achieved a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), and completed at least one full academic year at her current institution.
Both Wolf and Birchmeier earlier garnered All-Conference recognition for their play on the field.
Francis Marion posted a 32-19 record this past season and just missed earning a bid to the NCAA national tournament.
Bell, a native of Covington, Ga., has a 3.83 GPA as an elementary education major. This past year, she batted .291 with four homers and 16 runs batted in.
Bendle, a native of Amsterdam, Ohio, is a psychology major and owns a 3.89 GPA. One of the best defensive centerfielders in the conference, she batted .255 last season with two homers and 17 RBIs, while also setting the conference career record for sacrifice bunts (62).
Wolf, a native of Littleton, Colo., has a 3.57 GPA as a mass communications major. She posted a 20-11 pitching record with a 1.58 earned run average this spring. She is the only Patriot hurler in the history of the program to win 20 games more than once in a career -- after winning 29 games in 2008 and 21 games as a freshman. At the plate, Wolf hit .323 with five doubles, four home runs, and 27 RBIs – the second highest total on the squad.
Birchmeier, a native of Port Richey, Fla., is an accounting major and has compiled a 3.57 GPA. Last season, she batted .324 with 23 runs scored, 10 doubles, one home run, and 20 RBIs. She was first among the Patriot regulars with a .415 on-base percentage and 13 multi-hit games.
Beauvais, a native of Manassas, Va., has a 3.52 GPA as a
management major. Despite missing 16 games with a broken bone in
her glove hand, she batted .311 and drove in 10 runs during the
2009 campaign. (COMPLETE TEAM ON BACK)
Peach Belt Conference 2009 All-Academic Softball Team
First Team
Player,
School
Yr.
Hometown
GPA Major
Tamela Bell, Francis
Marion
Sr. Covington,
GA
3.83 Elementary Education
Lakyn Bendle, Francis Marion
Sr. Amsterdam,
OH 3.89
Psychology
Mandy Chandler,
GCSU
Sr. Covington,
GA
3.52 Marketing
Kaelin Farrington, North Georgia Sr.
Watkinsville, GA
3.90 Middle Grades Ed.
Megan Lakes, USC
Aiken
Sr. Columbia,
SC
3.80 Elementary Education
Sarah Moore, Columbus
St.
Sr. Smiths,
AL
3.72 Biology
Jessica Skeels, North Georgia
Jr. Lawrenceville, GA
3.96 Middle Grades Ed.
Jessica Strong, Armstrong Atl. St. Sr. Fountain Valley,
CA 3.97 Mathematics
Lindsey Swanson,
GCSU
Sr. Kennesaw,
GA
3.97 Psychology
Michaela Wolf, Francis
Marion Jr.
Littleton,
CO
3.57 Mass Communications
Second Team
Kat Beauvais, Francis
Marion
Jr. Manassas,
VA
3.52 Management
Jessica Birchmeier, Francis Marion Jr. Port Richey,
FL
3.57 Accounting
Carrie Jones, Columbus
St.
So. Midland,
GA
3.92 Exercise Science
Kasey Knight, North
Georgia So.
Watkinsville, GA
3.27 Exercise Science
Kori Pickowitz,
GCSU
Sr. Keller,
TX
3.72 Health Education
Trisha Snider, North
Georgia
Jr. Highland,
MD
3.27 Criminal Justice
Kim Stercay, North
Georgia
So. Lilburn,
GA
3.28 Art Marketing
Daisy Stewart,
Lander
Jr. Roswell,
GA
3.38 Nursing
Amanda Wheeless, Columbus St. So. Woodstock,
GA
3.80 Exercise Science
