HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Rhiannon Sassman and Kelsey Sweatt have been named the D2CCA South Region Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, and the second-ranked University of West Florida softball team has five All-South Region performers. Sassman, Sweatt, Kathleen Smiley, Teala Howard, and Courtney McLellan were each selected to All-Region teams.
 
Sassman, also the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year, is now a three-time D2CCA All-South Region selection, and she is the first D2CCA South Region Player of the Year in program history. The senior is among conference leaders in batting (.395), slugging (.643), OBP (.495), runs (43), hits (62), RBIs (48), and doubles (14), and she leads the nation with 8 triples.
 
The senior will wrap up an extraordinary career at UWF at the end of the season, as she ranks in the top 10 in program history in batting (.364), slugging (.591), doubles (46), triples (24), runs (161), RBIs (152), total bases (354), and walks (88).
 
Kelsey Sweatt is the first D2CCA South Region Pitcher of the Year in UWF history, and she has anchored a UWF pitching staff that ranks 14th nationally with a 1.86 ERA. Sweatt earned Pitcher of the Year and All-South Region stats after putting up outstanding numbers in her first season at West Florida, with a 1.50 ERA, an 18-2 record, and a .167 opponent batting average. The reigning GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Sweatt leads the GSC in ERA and hits allowed per seven innings (4.11), and she shut out West Alabama and Valdosta State in the GSC Tournament last weekend.
 
Kathleen Smiley repeated as a D2CCA All-South Region selection at the designated player spot, moving up to the First Team this season. She has been a force at the cleanup spot in UWF's lineup, recording multiple RBIs in nine games this year and batting .329 with eight doubles and four home runs. Smiley's 30 walks are the fifth-most in the GSC this year, and her 38 RBIs are the second-most on the team.
 
Teala Howard continues to add to her accolades, earning a spot on the First Team as a utility player. After being named the GSC Freshman of the Year last week, Howard claimed All-Tournament Team honors by leading all players in the conference tournament with a .571 batting average, 8 hits, and 5 RBIs. The freshman ranks sixth in Division II in hits (83), 11th in batting (.466), and 15th in stolen bases (43), and she leads the GSC in batting (.466).
 
Courtney McLellan garnered All-South Region honors for the first time in her career, grabbing an outfield spot on the Second Team. The sophomore is batting .330 with 11 doubles and 3 home runs to go along with her 20 runs scored. McLellan has crushed GSC pitching this year, with a .391 batting average, 8 doubles, and a .667 slugging percentage against conference opponents. She hit .300 with a pair of runs scored in last week's GSC Tournament.
 
Student-athletes from the GSC made up 15 of the possible 28 spots on the all-region teams.
 
West Florida will host the South 1 Regional this weekend, starting with a 1 pm game against Spring Hill on Thursday.
   
First Team
C - Lindsay Gehring, Rollins
1B - Haley Barnette, Union
2B - Suka Van Gurp, Nova Southeastern
SS - Kaitlyn Kelley, Union
3B - Rhiannon Sassman, West Florida
OF - Amber Hammonds, UAH
OF - Ashley Cornell, UAH
OF - Haley Garrett, Valdosta State
DP - Kathleen Smiley, West Florida
UT - Teala Howard, West Florida
UT/P - Kiara Akles, UAH
P - Kelsey Sweatt, West Florida
P - Makaleigh Dooley, Tampa
P - Melanie Murphy, Florida Tech
 
Player of the Year - Rhiannon Sassman, West Florida
Pitcher of the Year - Kelsey Sweatt, West Florida
 
Second Team
C - Carly Crawford, Mississippi College
1B - Mariana Perira, Embry-Riddle
2B - Morgan Bradford, Mississippi College
SS - Kacie Kelly, Saint Leo
3B - Starkeira Daniel, Benedict
OF - Jordan Davis, Rollins
OF - Magnolia West, Palm Beach Atlantic
OF - Courtney McLellan, West Florida
DP - Jessica Trana, Florida Southern
UT - Jaden Kline, Florida Tech
UT/P - Nikole Van Gennep, Eckerd
P - Cori Cooper, Mississippi College
P - Miriam Schmoll, Nova Southeastern
P - Caylie Van Auken, Valdosta State