Thursday, May 12, 2016

Tide Softball Defeats Bulldogs 7-5; Haylie McCleney Finalist For Player Of The Year; Bama Rowing Places 35 On Academic All-Big 12 Team; Columbia Native Juliana Valero Signs With Tide Women's Tennis




Tide Softball Takes 1st-Round SEC Tournament Victory
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Advances To Round 2 Against Auburn Tonight


Photo Credit: RollTide.com




The wins get a little tougher at tournament time.

The University of Alabama Crimson Tide softball team (46-11) won a hard fought first-round 7-5 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs (26-31) last night on the opening day of the 2016 SEC Tournament.

Though the Tide found themselves trailing at their first at-back, five scored runs in the bottom half of the inning gave the Tide the lead that lasted through the end of the contest. Sloppy play to the tune of five errors by the Bulldog defense allowed the Tide three unearned runs.

It was truly a team effort as all nine Bama offensive starters safely reached base at least one time during last night's victory. The Tide's Haylie McCleney set a new SEC Tournament record and tied an Alabama record with four walks on the evening. Chandler Dare was two-of-three on the night and Leona Lafaele was responsible for three runs on a home-run bang-out in the first inning.

Alabama starting pitcher Alexis Osorio, improving to 15-6 on the season, was awarded the win, throwing a career-high 153 pitches. This was her 14th compete game on the mound for the Tide.

The Crimson Tide advances to round two tonight to face the fourth-seeded, and instate rival,  Auburn Tigers at 6:30 pm CT. The game can be seen on the SEC Network.


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Haylie McCleney A Finalist For Player Of The Year


Crimson Tide softballer Haylie McCleney
Photo Credit: RollTide.com




Alabama Crimson Tide senior outfielder Haylie McCleney has been named as one of the 10 finalists selected by USA Softball for the title of 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. The announcement was made yesterday afternoon. She is one of four SEC players making the list, one of three seniors and one of two outfielders.

McCleney leads the Crimson Tide with a .441 batting average, .598 on-base percentage and .693 slugging percentage this season. She became only the fourth player in program history and 21st in NCAA history to total 300 career hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases in her series-performance last weekend. She is the SEC career record-holder in walks (190) and the Alabama career leader in batting average (.447) and on-base percentage (.569) while also holding top-10 career marks in slugging percentage, hits, runs, stolen bases, doubles and triples. McCleney is a three-time All-American and has earned first team honors each of the last two seasons.

The Bama outfielder is also a two-time Academic All-American and is only the second player in Alabama softball history to earn first-team honors as both an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season. Last year McCleney was named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division-I softball and the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.



 Haylie McCleney



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Alabama Rowing Places 35 On Academic All-Big 12 Team


Photo Credit: RollTide.com



The Big 12 Conference, in which the Alabama rowing team participates, has announced its 2016 Academic All-Big 12 rowing team. The Crimson Tide has placed 35 on the team this season.

Alabama has placed 30 on the first team and five on the second team. This total surpasses Alabama’s mark of 25 from last season, its debut season with the Big 12. 

The first teamers carry a 3.20-plus GPA, while the second team consists of student-athletes with a 3.00-3.19 GPA. Ten of the 140 first team honorees carry a 4.00 GPA, with Alabama accounting for six of those. Alabama leads all schools with 4.00 GPA student-athletes.

To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA or higher and must have participated in 60 percent of their team’s contests. Freshmen and transfers in their first year of academic residence are not eligible. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.


2016 Academic Big 12
University Of Alabama


First Team:
  • Charlotte Adkins (So. – Vail, Colo.)
  • Courtney Atkinson (Sr. – San Clemente, Calif.)
  • Vanessa Barone (So. – Baldwin, N.Y.)
  • Lydia Blount (So. – Dothan Ala.)
  • Jacklin Byers * (Sr. – Lorton, Va.)
  • Tayla Cabana (So. – Homer, Ak.)
  • Katie Chambers (Sr. – Orlando, Fla.)
  • Erin Delaney (Sr. – Albany, N.Y.)
  • Olivia Dennis (Sr. – Odessa, Fla.)
  • Claire Estep (So. – Sumter, S.C.)
  • Leslie Feriozzi (So. – Margate, N.J.)
  • Maggie Gillespie * (Jr. – Longwood, Fla.)
  • Jacqueline Guezille (So. – Studio City, Calif.)
  • Meghan Hampton (So. – Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
  • Nicole Lane * (So. – Johns Cree, Ga.)
  • Anne Lehmann (So. – Loveland, Ohio)
  • Abby Marks (Jr. – Germantown, Wis.)
  • Dani Mazer (Jr. – Woodbridge, Va.)
  • Olivia Miller * (So. – Madison, Ala.)
  • Emily Navin * (So. – Seattle, Wash.)
  • Nyia Owen (Sr. – Orlando, Fla.)
  • Jennifer Parker (Jr. – Roswell, Ga.)
  • Rachel Palmer (Sr. – Houston, Texas)
  • Katherine Scott (Jr. – Indianapolis, Ind.)
  • Maggie Schulz (So. – Rockville Centre, N.Y.)
  • Ali Smith * (Sr. – Flower Mound, Texas)
  • Gabby Sprio (Jr. – Racine, Wis.)
  • Shannon Sweatt (So. – Milton, Ga.)
  • Lindsey Taylor (Sr. – Memphis, Tenn.)
  • Miller Tuohy (Sr. – Newton, Mass.) 
*4.0 GPA


Second Team:
  • Madeleine Evans (Sr. – San Jose, Calif.)
  • Rachel Henderson (Sr. – Ashland, Mass.)
  • Amanda Oliver (So. – Paso Robles, Calif.)
  • Abigail Palmer (Sr. – Zelienople, Penn.)
  • Allie Pospisil (Jr. – Geneva, Ill.) 

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Columbia Native Valero Signs With Bama Women's Tennis





University of Alabama head women's tennis coach has announced the signing of Columbia native Juliana Valero to 2016 signing class.

Mainz said, "We're excited about Juliana’s arrival to Alabama this fall,” said Mainz. “She brings a lot of experience to our team as she’s traveled the world competing."

Valero is highly-heralded in her home country of Columbia, participating in national events since the age of 12. She has won numerous championships and titles during her young life.

"Juliana is eager to improve and make an impact in our lineup," added Mainz. "We’re optimistic about Juliana’s future at the Capstone."