Courtesy: SWAC.org
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2022 All-SWAC Softball teams and individual award winners on Tuesday morning. The all-conference honors were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Alabama State’s Kindall Deramus was named Player of the Year, while Bethune-Cookman’s Hannah Ortega was tabbed Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
Prairie View A&M’s Biviana Figueroa was selected Newcomer of the Year and Hitter of the Year.
Bethune-Cookman’s Laura Watten was named Coach of the Year after leading Bethune-Cookman to a Eastern divisional title rounding out the list of individual award winners.
Player of the Year
Deramus hit a team-best .410 on the season from the leadoff position. She finished the regular season with a .950 OPS and went 64-for-156 at the plate. Deramus recorded seven doubles and three triples, while also scoring 39 runs and knocking in 25 RBIs. She finished with a .494 slugging percentage and a .456 on-base percentage while stealing 35 bases on 40 attempts. Deramus finished the year 19 multi-hit games and was a multiple time winner of the SWAC Hitter of the Week award this past season.
Pitcher of the Year/Freshman of the Year
Ortega concluded the 2022 regular season campaign by leading the SWAC in ERA (2.1), while ranking third in innings pitched (146.2) and fourth in strikeouts (96). She contributed an impressive 1.18 ERA in conference play to go along with a with 9-3 record and a .196 opponent batting average. She racked up a total of 56 strikeouts against league competition while helping the Wildcats capture the 2022 SWAC Eastern Division title.
Newcomer of the Year/Hitter of the Year
Figueroa leads the conference in hitting with a .478 average in a total of 113 at bats. During regular season play she amassed 54 hits and four home runs to go along with 33 RBIs. She has crossed home plate 27 times and currently holds a.717 slugging percentage. Figueroa was also named SWAC Hitter of the Week during regular season play.
Coach of the Year
During their debut season in the conference the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats finished regular season play with a 17-7 league record. Watten has the Wildcats clicking on all cylinders heading into the 2022 SWAC Softball Tournament having one 20 of their final 29 regular season games. The Wildcats currently lead the league in ERA (2.68) and also boast two of the conference’s top pitchers in Hannah Ortega and Halyne Gonzalez. At the conclusion of the regular season B-CU also led the SWAC in pitching and fielding.
The complete listing of all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.
2022 All-SWAC Softball Team and Individual Awards
Player of the Year
Kindall Deramus, Alabama State
Hitter of the Year
Biviana Figueroa, Prairie View A&M
Pitcher of the Year
Hannah Ortega, Bethune-Cookman
Newcomer of the Year
Biviana Figueroa, Prairie View A&M
Freshman of the Year
Hannah Ortega, Bethune-Cookman
Coach of the Year
Laura Watten, Bethune-Cookman
First Team
C — Biviana Figueroa, Prairie View A&M
1B — Samaria Jackson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
2B — Lauryn Gross, Alabama A&M
SS — Destiny Cuevas, Florida A&M
3B — Jaylyn Davis, Prairie View A&M
OF — Kindall Deramus, Alabama State
OF — Tevanae Tate, Texas Southern
OF — Allyson Riches, Alabama A&M
P — Hannah Ortega, Bethune=Cookman
P — Jazmine Gendorf, Texas Southern
P — Halyne Gonzales, Bethune-Cookman
DP — Tamera McKnight, Texas Southern
Second Team
C — Destinee Dixon, Alabama State
1B — Mila Rodriguez, Texas Southern
2B — India Wells, Grambling State
SS — Briana Alston, Mississippi Valley State
3B — Tyesha Cole, Alcorn State
OF — Lauren Stewart, Jackson State
OF — Jazmine Dodd, Alabama State
OF — Jaylon Davis, Mississippi Valley State
P — Chris’Deona Beasley, Florida A&M
P — Bailey Greenlee, Alabama State
P — Daisy Page, Mississippi Valley State
DP — Carson Shelby, Mississippi Valley State