DECATUR, Ala. – The Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) officially announced the 2023 SSAC year-end awards for softball on Wednesday night, May 3, highlighted by senior Brinkley Goff who was named this year's SSAC Softball Pitcher of the Year. Additionally, seven members of the University of Mobile Softball program were named as all-conference selections this season, while three others were selected to the conference's all-freshman squad and two as SSAC Gold Glove recipients for excellent defense throughout the season. The 2023 SSAC Softball Awards banquet took place in Decatur, Ala. ahead of the upcoming conference tournament.
Three-time SSAC First-Team All-Conference selection Brinkley Goff was awarded the SSAC's Softball Pitcher of the Year honor on Wednesday evening after a dominant regular season. Goff led the Mobile pitching staff with 128 2/3 innings pitched during the regular season, going 15-5 in 21 appearances in the pitcher's circle. In her 15 victories, Goff pitched 14 complete games, while leading the team with 101 strikeouts on the year. She averages just under six strikeouts per seven innings. Additionally, Goff's earned-run-average sits a 1.36 this year. The senior from Saraland, Ala. has made the first-team all-conference team in the SSAC in each of her last three seasons, while being selected as a NAIA First-Team All-American last year.
Joining Goff as SSAC All-Conference selections this season were six others, including Caitlin McRee, Emily Butts, Madilyn Sheffield, and Erin Degruise all as first-team selections. Mobile's middle infield of Tempest Hebert and Lillie Lanham earned second-team nods this year. For McRee, Butts, and Goff, all three are repeats as first-team all-conference selections, with each earning NAIA All-American status last year. Sheffield made the second-team all-conference team last season and freshman Degruise earns first-team all-conference nods during her first year as a Ram.
Notable Player Statistics:
- Caitlin McRee: 43 G, .350 AVG, 49 H, 11 2B, 26 RBI
- Emily Butts: 127.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 63 K, 14 CG, 2 SV
- Madilyn Sheffield: 26 G, 22 H, .349 AVG, .406 OBP, 8 RBI
- Erin Degruise: 27 G, .388 AVG, 3 3B, 20 R, 8 SB
- Tempest Hebert: 42 G, 33 H, 4 2B, 15 RBI, .301 OBP
- Lillie Lanham: 39 G, 31 H, .284 AVG, 6 2B, .339 OBP
In addition, the SSAC announced that Erin Degruise, Lillie Lanham, and Avery Harrell were selected to the SSAC Softball All-Freshman Team this season. For Harrell, the Grove Hill, Ala. native tossed 50 2/3 innings in 12 appearances this season, leading Mobile with a 0.97 ERA. She has recorded 51 strikeouts, averaging over seven punch outs per seven innings.
Later, Lillie Lanham was joined by Kristen Black as Mobile's representatives on the SSAC Softball Gold Glove Team. For Lanham, the first-year student committed just three errors at second base this season, recording 63 total put-outs and 39 assists. Meanwhile, senior Kristen Black did not make an error this year as Mobile's starting center fielder, tallying 63 put-outs and four outfield assists.
Finally, nine Rams were named to the SSAC's Barnes & Noble College All-Academic Team this year for excelling in the classroom during the 2022-23 academic year. Those from UM Softball featured as all-academic student-athletes are listed below:
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About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
