Anderson, Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson-Newman Standouts Lead SAC Softball Award Winners

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Anderson's Carson Hobbs was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, while Lenoir-Rhyne's Madison Wilson was voted Pitcher of the Year. Carson-Newman's Malyiah Smith earned Freshman of the Year honors, and Anderson's Kelly Roberts was named Coach of the Year as the league announced its All-Conference and individual award winners this afternoon.

Hobbs, a senior from Nicholson, Ga., recorded a SAC-best 61 runs driven in and finished second in the league with a .440 batting average. She paced the conference with 30 extra-base hits and 20 doubles, while her .738 slugging percentage was the highest among players with more than 80 at-bats this season. She also posted the second-highest on-base percentage in the SAC at .529. In the circle, Hobbs went 10-4 in 92.2 innings pitched.

Wilson, a junior from Pine Hall, N.C., finished second in the conference with 18 wins and added a save and 16 complete games. She threw 138.2 innings and ranked second in the league with 155 strikeouts. Wilson tossed back-to-back shutouts against Young Harris and Barton and recorded three starts with double-digit strikeouts.

Smith, a freshman from Knoxville, Tenn., was a standout during her rookie season with the Eagles. Over 47 games, she finished second on the team with a .427 batting average, while her 73 hits are the most in the conference. Smith scored 42 runs and drove in 22, to go along with a .466 on-base percentage and a team-high 23 stolen bases.

Roberts earns SAC Coach of the Year honors after guiding Anderson to a second-place finish. The Trojans went 34-10 overall and 17-5 in SAC play, while protecting home turf with a 19-1 record at the AU Softball Complex. Anderson currently sits No. 25 in the national poll.

The entire 2026 SAC Softball All-Conference teams can be found below:

All-SAC First Team
C – Lani Warren, Lenoir-Rhyne
1B – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman
2B – Grace Flynn, Catawba
SS – Malyiah Smith, Carson-Newman
3B – Grace Gregory, Carson-Newman
OF – Kristin Griffin, Lincoln Memorial
OF – Kaylee Hobgood, Wingate
OF – Addie Saunders, Carson-Newman
DP – Carson Hobbs, Anderson
UTL/Non-P – Jenna Davis, Anderson
UTL/P – Dakotah Wilkins, Catawba
P – Madison Wilson, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Atiana Stamper, Carson-Newman

All-SAC Second Team
C – Hannah Booth, Emory & Henry
1B – Lauren Brakovec, Anderson
2B – Reese Vivrette, Lincoln Memorial
SS – Brianna Gallagher, Catawba
3B – Madison Primm, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Micaela Hartman, Catawba
OF – Shelby Bandt, Anderson
OF – Autumn Joyce, Lenoir-Rhyne
DP – Lindsey Polan, UVA Wise
UTL/Non-P – Alexis Monroe, Catawba
UTL/P – Lily Huneycutt, Wingate
P – Chelsey Stonesifer, Tusculum
P – Kamryn Akins, Mars Hill

All-SAC Third Team
C – Jordann Reagan, Lincoln Memorial
1B – Avery Kiger, Lenoir-Rhyne
2B – Sadie Cecil, Mars Hill
SS – Addy Higginbotham, Wingate
3B – Damyia McFadden, Wingate
OF – Adyson Gibson, UVA Wise
OF – Abbi Martin, Carson-Newman
OF – Andrea Davis, Tusculum
DP – Bailee Gaskins, Coker
UTL/Non-P – Avery Ingram, Newberry
UTL/P – Kylie Cundiff, Emory & Henry
P – Faith Carrigan, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Jillian Thomas, Wingate

Freshman of the Year
Malyiah Smith, Carson-Newman

Player of the Year
Carson Hobbs, Anderson

Pitcher of the Year
Madison Wilson, Lenoir-Rhyne

Coach of the Year
Kelly Roberts, Anderson