BRISTOL, Tenn. – Prior to the double elimination portion of the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship, the league announced their all-conference awards. The Conference Carolinas regular season champions had four individuals recognized as
Jessica Campbell and
Madison Walter were selected to the first team while
Nikole Counts and
Tinsley Thompson garnered all-defensive team honors.
In her first year on campus, Campbell has been nothing short of impressive as she ranks in the Conference Carolinas' top in in nine categories, including league bests of 77 hits and 165 at bats. Campbell ranks second in runs scored with 58 and triples with five. Her .467 batting average and .539 on base percentage rank fourth while her slugging percentage of .739 ranks fifth in the league. The Graysville, Tenn., native has laced 10 home runs, ranking her eight in the conference.
Nationally, Campbell's batting average ranks 15th while her 77 hits is fourth in NCAA Division II. She also ranks 15th in the country in on base percentage. She ranks 12th in the country with 122 total bases and 31st with those five triples. Campbell currently ranks second in program history for hits in a season with 77 as the school record is 84.
Walter, a graduate transfer has been spectacular in the circle for the Tornado, garnering first team accolades. The senior leads Conference Carolinas with a 1.96 ERA as she is the lone pitcher with an ERA under 2.00. She owns an 11-5 record, tossing five shutouts on the season, including each of her last two starts last week. The Lebanon, Pa., native has tossed 11 compete game and has posted three saves this season. Her shutouts rank 37th in NCAA Division II while she ranks 24th with those three saves.
Counts garners all-defensive team honors for the first time in her career and all-conference honors for the third time. The pitcher from Clintwood, Va., garnered second team honors last season and first team accolades in 2021. This season Counts has a 1.000 field percentage in 40 chances, including 36 assists.
Thompson collects All-Conference Carolinas honors first time as the right fielder was named to the all-defensive team. The Gallatin, Tenn., native has one of the outfield arms in the league as she has accounted for five assists and 57 putouts on the season for a fielding percentage of .949.
The top seeded Tornado open the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. against eight seed Belmont Abbey College or ninth seed UNC Pembroke.
