CHARLOTTE, N.C. - USC Upstate earned postseason Big South honors including seven All-Conference players, one All-Academic player, Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year, as announced by the conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Peyton Darnell walked away with the Big South Player of the Year honor along with being named to the All-Conference First Team. Joining Darnell in first team honors are Hannah Houge, Sarah Price, Tiffany Domingue, and Summer Johnson. Price was named to the All-Academic Team while Casey Goguts and Celeste Delorenzo received Second Team honors. Head coach Chris Hawkins earned his 1,000th career win earlier this season, prior to conference play, and finished out his 29th season as a head coach by being named the Big South Coach of the Year just after winning the Big South Regular Season Championship and a No.1 seed in the Big South Championship.
Darnell started all 55 games for Upstate, being rotated between catcher and designated player with her primary position being the DP. She has been the biggest threat in the conference with her stellar hitting ability. Darnell is in the top-ten of the Big South for eight categories including first for home runs and RBI, and third for on-base percentage and OPS. The sophomore also sits with four top-50 national rankings for RBI, RBI/game, home runs, and total bases. For the season Darnell has recorded an astounding 15 home runs, 16 runs, 53 hits, 62 RBI, and 106 total bases as well as a .349 batting average and .697 slugging percentage. Darnell earned the Big South Player of the Week three times this season and earned NFCA Top Performer recognition twice.
Houge quickly became a threat in Division I softball. She garnered back-to-back Big South Pitcher of the Week honors in April as well as earning NFCA Top Performer and NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors. She sits with seven top-50 national rankings, four of which are in the top-15, including a second place ranking for victories and shutouts. Houge sits second in the Big South for ERA (1.53) while leading the conference in three categories. The senior has thrown 26 complete games, including 15 shutouts, one save, and 277 strikeouts. Houge has downed top Big South teams and was a top competitor against nationally ranked Georgia.
Johnson started all 55 games in right field for Upstate. She earned NFCA Top Performer recognition late in the season. Johnson not only leads Upstate in batting average but leads the Big South as well. The junior is also ranked nationally as the hardest to strike out. As far as the Big South goes, Johnson is ranked in the top-ten for six categories, including second for hits and on-base percentage. Johnson leads Upstate with a .418 batting average while holding a .634 slugging percentage. For the season, Johnson has recorded eight stolen bases, 28 runs, 64 hits, eight home runs, 36 RBI, and 97 total bases while also accumulating 27 putouts.
Domingue started as the second baseman for 53 of Upstate's contests, missing only two games due to an injury. She has played a part in four of the eight double plays Upstate has turned. Domingue is a powerhouse hitter and is second on the team for home runs. The sophomore is second in batting average on the team (.373), as well as a .614 slugging percentage, while having 45 runs, 59 hits, and 97 total bases. Domingue sits in the top-five of the Big South for nine categories.
Price started all 55 games as the Spartan shortstop while also being the consistent lead-off hitter this season. She leads Upstate with 37 stolen bases, earning herself a top-10 national ranking for stolen bases while leading the Big South. Along with her stolen bases, Price has recorded 40 runs, 50 hits, and one home run in the form of a walk-off grand slam against Campbell. She holds a .289 batting average and .358 slugging percentage for the season. Price earned the Big South Player of the Week back in April. Not only has Price proven herself on the field, but she also holds a 3.907 while majoring in secondary education.
Goguts started 40 games behind the plate while serving as the DP for five games. She not only sits in the top ten for field percentage in the Big South but also sits in the top 20 for batting. Goguts has gotten 10 runners out stealing while being fourth on the team for batting average. The sophomore has 49 hits, 32 runs, and five homers this season as well as nine stolen bases. Goguts is fourth on the team with a .343 batting average and a .587 slugging percentage.
Delorenzo has made 53 game appearances, with 52 game starts in left field. She has made essential diving catches to get batters out and has 62 putouts this season. The sophomore has 38 runs, 47 hits, and three home runs this season, one of which was in the form of a grand slam walk-off against ETSU. Delorenzo has six stolen bases with her most recent successful stolen base being against Hampton, where she stole home plate. She has a .383 batting average and .447 slugging percentage.
Coach Hawkins has coached an unbelievable season starting with 11 consecutive wins to kick off the season. Hawkins pushed the Spartans to face top teams like #13 Georgia while going on a 15-game winning streak and being the first Division I team this season to reach 40 wins. Prior to receiving this honor, Hawkins was named the ASUN Coach of the Year back in 2017 after winning the ASUN Regular Season Championship, going 45-13 on the season. With a 47-8 record, this season has been the best season for Hawkins as a head coach with a .855-win percentage; his previous best season being in 2014 when the Spartans went 46-9 (.836). The 2022 season has brought Coach Hawkins to 1,029 victories along with five NFCA Top Performers, one NFCA Pitcher of the Week, four Big South Players of the Week, two Big South Pitchers of the Week, and one Big South Freshman of the Week.
"After such an incredible season, and winning his 1000th game, I can't think of a more deserving person than Chris Hawkins as Big South Coach of the Year! After all of these years, Chris continues to lead by example with his team and throughout our department--he does everything the right way, his student-athletes enjoy a great experience playing for him, and he truly embodies what it is to be a Spartan!", said Director of Athletics Daniel Feig.
Upstate will be back in action on Thursday, May 12th in the second round of the Big South Championship to play the winner between No. 5 Charleston Southern and No. 4 Presbyterian at 12 p.m.
2022 BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE SOFTBALL AWARD WINNERS
First-Team All-Conference
OF Summer Johnson, Jr., USC Upstate
OF Jaden Pone, Fr., Longwood
OF Jaiden Tweed, Jr., Presbyterian College
1B Jillian Hewes, Soph., Presbyterian College
2B Tiffany Domingue, Soph., USC Upstate
SS Sarah Price, Sr., USC Upstate
3B Cori McMillan, Fr., Radford
C Alexis Wayland, Sr., Longwood
P Sydney Backstrom, Gr., Longwood
P Hannah Houge, Sr., USC Upstate
DP Peyton Darnell, Soph., USC Upstate
UTL Kiaya Jeusi, Sr., Hampton
Second-Team All-Conference
OF Kayley DeVivi, Soph., Longwood
OF Celeste Delorenzo, Soph., USC Upstate
OF Icess Tresvik, Fr., North Carolina A&T
1B Sydney Jacobsen, Sr., Longwood
2B Kaitlyn Tucker, Soph., Presbyterian College
SS Ashley Meckley, Sr., Charleston Southern
3B Araceli Pesqueira, Jr., Gardner-Webb
C Casey Goguts, Soph., USC Upstate
P Isabella Smith, Fr., Campbell
P Georgeanna Barefoot, R-Soph., Campbell
DP Morgan Hess, Fr., Presbyterian College
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Lath Freeman, C, Jr., Presbyterian College
Paige Rivas, OF, R-Soph., Winthrop
Layna Johnson, SS, Jr., Presbyterian College
Tyra Parker, OF, Fr., Campbell
Alexa Pagano, OF, R-Jr., Campbell (tie)
Macy McCall, OF, Jr., Winthrop (tie)
All-Freshman Team
Jaden Pone, OF, Longwood
Cori McMillan, 3B, Radford
Morgan Hess, DP/P, Presbyterian College
Isabella Smith, P, Campbell
Icess Tresvik, OF, North Carolina A&T
Reese Basinger, P, Winthrop
Dezianna Patmon, 3B, North Carolina A&T
All-Academic Team
Georgeanna Barefooot, P, R-Soph., Campbell
Annah Junge, P, Jr., Charleston Southern
Riley McCurry, 2B, Soph., Gardner-Webb
Lauren Brooks, OF, Sr., Hampton
Mason Basdikis, 2B, Sr., Longwood
Jocelyn Bennett, C, Sr., North Carolina A&T
Jaiden Tweed, OF, Sr., Presbyterian
Skyler DeHart, P, Jr., Radford
Sarah Price, SS, Sr., USC Upstate
Lauren King, 3B, Sr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Peyton Darnell, DP, Soph., USC Upstate
Pitcher of the Year
Sydney Backstrom, Gr., Longwood
Freshman of the Year
Jaden Pone, OF, Longwood
Coach of the Year
Chris Hawkins, USC Upstate
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