Stewart Earns Top Honor; Seven Longhorns, Three Lady Vols Named All-SEC
Texas junior first baseman Katie Stewart has been named the SEC Player of the Year, a historic first for the Longhorns' program in the conference. Stewart put together a remarkable season, hitting .441 with 61 RBI and setting a new single-season school record with 24 home runs. Her dominant performance at the plate anchored the No. 4 ranked Longhorns and made her the fourth player in program history to receive a conference player of the year award.
The award highlights a major haul for the top teams in the conference, as both Texas and Oklahoma led the SEC with seven players selected across the All-SEC first and second teams. For the Longhorns, Stewart was joined on the first team by center fielder Kayden Henry, pitcher Teagan Kavan, and shortstop Viviana Martinez. Catcher Reese Atwood, second baseman Leighann Goode, and pitcher/utility Hannah Wells earned second-team honors, with Atwood also being named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.
Tennessee also saw significant representation on the All-SEC teams, with three Lady Vols earning first-team recognition. Outfielder Alannah Leach had a breakout junior year, hitting .339 in conference play and leading the team with 12 home runs. In the circle, junior Sage Mardjetko and senior Karlyn Pickens were dominant. Mardjetko posted a league-best 0.96 ERA, while Pickens, earning her third first-team nod, recorded 157 strikeouts. Pickens also secured a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team.
QUICK HITS
- Georgia Tennis Heads to Super Regional: The No. 12 ranked Georgia men's tennis team is set for a high-stakes road match, traveling to Starkville to face No. 5 seed Mississippi State in the NCAA Super Regional on Saturday. The winner will advance to the NCAA Championship, which will be hosted by the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs enter the matchup after decisive 4-0 victories over Elon and NC State in the opening rounds.
- Freshman WR Bishop Turning Heads at Texas: Early-enrollee wide receiver Jermaine Bishop is already creating significant buzz in Austin. The true freshman has impressed throughout spring practice, earning praise from teammates and coaches. Despite a deep and talented receiver room, Bishop's explosive playmaking ability, highlighted by a 40-yard touchdown reception in a spring scrimmage, suggests he could make an impact sooner rather than later for the Texas Longhorns.
- Crucial Baseball Series for Vanderbilt: The Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team faces a pivotal series against Missouri this weekend. With their NCAA Tournament hopes hanging in the balance, Vanderbilt likely needs to sweep its final two conference series to feel secure about a postseason bid. The series begins Friday evening in Columbia.
- Tennessee Rowing Hosts SEC Championship: The No. 3 ranked Tennessee rowing team will compete for a conference title on their home water this Sunday, as the Volunteers host the SEC Rowing Championships on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge.
PORTAL WATCH
Texas A&M added depth to its running back room with the commitment of DD Murray from Arkansas State. Murray, a redshirt freshman, appeared in two games on special teams last season and will have four years of eligibility remaining for the Aggies. He is the younger brother of current Texas A&M defensive tackle DJ Sanders.
RECRUITING BUZZ
There were no new recruiting commitments reported across the SEC in the last 12 hours.
GAMES TO WATCH
A full slate of SEC baseball is on tap for Friday, May 8th:
- Florida at Alabama (6:00 PM CT, ESPN)
- Kentucky at Florida (6:30 PM CT, SECN+)
- Vanderbilt at Missouri (7:00 PM CT, SECN+)
- Texas A&M at Ole Miss (7:30 PM CT, SECN+)
- Georgia at Texas (7:30 PM CT, ESPN)
- Auburn at Mississippi State (8:30 PM CT, SEC Network)