Softball Picks Up numerous MVC Awards

Coaches, Florey, Parr And Norris Recognized

 CARBONDALE, Ill. – A big night saw the University of Evansville softball team earn several Missouri Valley Conference awards at the pre-championship banquet on Wednesday night.

Headlining that were two specialty awards.  Head coach Mat Mundell and assistants Ashley Balazs and Aubrey Watson were named the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year while Morgan Florey garnered Freshman of the Year honors.

“We are truly touched and honored to receive this recognition from our peers. The real credit goes to our players for buying in and helping us get Aces softball moving in the right direction,” Mundell said.  “We can’t thank our players enough for a great season.”

“Morgan had an unbelievable freshmen year,” Mundell continued.  “She has made a tremendous impact for us in the circle and at the plate.”

The coaching staff turned around a team that went 10-45 and 2-23 in conference play in 2015 into a true league contender as the squad was 24-25 overall and 12-14 in conference play in 2016.  The primary improvements have come on defense as the staff ERA went from 6.61 last year to 2.92 in 2016, which was third in the MVC.  It is the first Coach of the Year honor for the program since Rita Schulz and Dee Stevens were honored by the North Star Conference in 1985.

Florey was named the 2016 MVC Freshman of the Year.  In her first season with the Purple Aces, Florey was one of the top pitchers in the conference and also one of the top freshmen hurlers in the nation.  Florey finished second in the MVC with 209 strikeouts, a tally that is just eight away from breaking the UE single-season mark of 216.

Her ERA of 1.95 was third in the league while the four saves she earned tied the single-season mark for the Aces.  On offense, Florey batted .301 with 8 home runs and 26 RBI.  Her 23 RBIs in league play was 4th overall while her tally of seven conference homers also tied her for 4th place.

Three Purple Aces players also made their way onto the All-Conference Teams.  Florey along with junior Chandra Parr earned a spot on the All-MVC First Team while Susan Norris was named to the All-Defensive squad.

“It is great to see Chandra, Morgan, and Susan get recognition for the season they have had,” Mundell said.  “Chandra really blossomed this season at second base for us. Her offense has always been there but she took her defense to the next level this year.  Susan played the conference season at an elite level defensively. She has been a game changer for our defense especially down the stretch”.

For Parr, it marks her second such honor.  As a freshman, she made the squad in 2014.  She finished the regular season hitting .306 with six homers and 23 runs batted in.  It is also the first honor for Florey, who was one of the top overall players in the nation, contributing in the circle and at the plate.  It is the first time UE has had two 1st-team players since 2009 when Jen Stahlhut and Kylie Wagner were recognized.

A steady glove at third base saw Susan Norris finish the year with a .977 fielding percentage.  That helped her earn a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team.  She made just three errors in 80 attempts while notching 49 put-outs.

UE looks forward to its opening-round matchup against Illinois State on Thursday at 1:34 p.m.