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Emory & Henry Softball Sees Seven Named All-ODAC; Anna Thomas Chosen As Rookie Of The Year

Anna Thomas throws a ball in from the outfield.

FOREST, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team has seen seven of its players named to the All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference Teams, ODAC officials announced Wednesday. It marks the third-straight year that the Wasps have posted program-bests for all-conference honorees.

Freshman outfielder Anna Thomas (Climax, N.C.) was selected as the ODAC Rookie of the Year. She is the first player in program history to win the award since it was established by the league in 2002. Additionally, she was named to the all-conference second team.

Sophomore first baseman Kendall Varner (Bassett, Va.) was honored on the All-ODAC First Team while junior shortstop Leanna Toler (Abingdon, Va.), sophomore pitcher Cameron Derr (Cornelius, N.C.) and Thomas were named to the second team. Senior outfielders Erin Anderson (Aylett, Va.) and Madison McClanahan (Abingdon, Va.) as well as sophomore pitcher Alex Braun (Cornelius, N.C.) joined the group with spots on the third team.

Varner posted a .398 batting average, a .486 on-base percentage and a .831 slugging average to lead the team in on-base and slugging. She tied the single-season record with 12 home runs and totaled 24 extra-base hits on the year. Varner also scored a team-best 42 runs on 47 hits with 32 RBI.

Thomas led the squad in batting average at .402 and doubles (14) while scoring 30 runs on 43 hits with 27 RBI and 10 stolen bases. She also boasted a .431 on-base percentage and a .598 slugging percentage. Joining Thomas on the second team, Toler led the team with 23 stolen bases and was second with five home runs. She hit .359 on the year with a .547 slugging percentage and a .421 on-base average. She also drew 17 walks and hit five doubles. Derr was also tabbed to the second team, leading the squad with 10 wins including a pair of no-hitters on back-to-back days early in April. She put up 138 strikeouts in 112.2 innings with an ERA of 3.11 and added a save to her credit.

Anderson made it back-to-back All-ODAC recognitions, as she hit .287 with a .365 on-base percentage. She drew a team-leading 17 walks and stole 21 bases, scoring 25 runs and belting 37 hits, including seven for extra bases. McClanahan hit .326 on the way to her second all-league performance. She had 18 RBI and for home runs, including what would prove to be the game-winner in the Wasps' ODAC Tournament win over Shenandoah University. Braun earned her first all-conference laurels boasting a 2.37 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 100.1 innings pitched. She earned nine wins on the year, pitching a team-best 12 complete games.

Emory & Henry has recorded a 26-16 overall mark so far this year and finished fourth in the ODAC Tournament. The Wasps went a program best 14-6 during the conference regular season, finishing in second place. E&H now awaits the announcement of the 62-team field which will compete for the Division III National Championship.

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2019 All-ODAC Softball Teams

ODAC Player of the Year: Makayla Carver, Sr. | OF | Guilford
ODAC Pitcher of the Year: Hanna Hull | Jr. | Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC Coach of the Year: Brandon Elliott, Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Anna Thomas | Fr. | OF | Emory & Henry
Co-ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete: Taylor Belknap | Sr. | P | Lynchburg
Co-ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete: Natalie Conrad | Jr. | OF | Guilford

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM     
Carla Hall P So. Virginia Wesleyan
Hanna Hull P Jr. Virginia Wesleyan
Jessica Lindsay C Sr. Virginia Wesleyan
Kendall Varner 1B So. Emory & Henry
Maddie Stone 2B Jr. Randolph-Macon
Taylor Mabry 3B Sr. Lynchburg
Julia Sinnett 3B So. Virginia Wesleyan
Savannah Wood SS Sr. Randolph-Macon
Makayla Carver OF Sr. Guilford
Madison Glaubke OF Jr. Virginia Wesleyan
Rebecca Hensley OF Fr. Roanoke
Brittany LaPrade DP Sr. Randolph-Macon
Jessica Goldyn UTL Jr. Virginia Wesleyan
Katelyn Biando AL (2B) So. Virginia Wesleyan
Mackenzie Chitwood AL (1B) Sr. Lynchburg
       
ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM    
Cameron Derr P So. Emory & Henry
Candace Whittemore P Sr. Randolph-Macon
Brittany Coffey C Sr. Lynchburg
Katrina Martin 1B So. Bridgewater
Sarah Commons 2B Jr. Lynchburg
Kayla Hugate SS Jr. Lynchburg
Natalie Conrad OF Jr. Guilford
Kerstin Roth OF Sr. Randolph-Macon
Anna Thomas OF Fr. Emory & Henry
Allison McGehee DP Fr. Ferrum
Sierra Lantz UTL Fr. Eastern Mennonite
Makayla Crawford AL (C) Sr. Guilford
Leanna Toler AL (SS) Jr. Emory & Henry
       
ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM    
Erin Anderson AL (OF) Sr. Emory & Henry
Alex Braun AL (P) So. Emory & Henry
Stephanie Carroll AL (3B) Jr. Bridgewater
Alex Cisar AL (P) Jr. Lynchburg
Sami Davidson AL (C) Jr. Randolph-Macon
Kaylah Duplain AL (SS) Jr. Virginia Wesleyan
Morgan Henley AL (OF) So. Shenandoah
Shanan Hester AL (UTL) Fr. Roanoke
Katy Holt AL (1B) Sr. Guilford
Nicole Mongold AL (2B) Fr. Eastern Mennonite
Madison McClanahan AL (DP) Sr. Emory & Henry
Taylor Sanderford AL (3B) Jr. Randolph-Macon
Cheyenne Strickland AL (2B) Sr. Ferrum