PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference announced its 2019 softball award winners on the eve of the league’s championship on Wednesday. The awards were voted upon by the conference’s eight head coaches.
 
USF sophomore Georgina Corrick was tabbed as the Pitcher of the Year, while Houston redshirt senior Sarah Barker and Tulsa senior Julia Hollingsworth garnered Player of the Year honors. Tulsa’s Chenise Delce was named the Rookie of the Year and USF senior catcher Macy Cook earned the Defensive Player of the Year nod. USF, led by head coach Ken Eriksen, was named the 2019 Coaching Staff of the Year after claiming the outright regular season title.
 
Corrick anchored USF to a second-straight regular season title in the circle, posting a 0.79 ERA in conference games. She started 14 of her 15 appearances in league play, tossing 12 complete games and earning a 12-2 record while holding opposing batters to a .177 batting average. Corrick struck out 128 batters in 105.2 innings of work in conference games, totaling 221 strikeouts in 31 total appearances this season. In April, she was named as one of 26 finalists nationally for the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
 
Barker was one of three Houston players in the top five of the league’s batting leaders this season, hitting .376 for the season and notching a .418 mark in league play. She tallied 11 of her 19 RBI in American contests, recording six of her nine extra-base hits during conference action as well.
 
Hollingsworth tallied The American’s highest batting average, hitting .425 across 48 games this spring. She drove in 25 runs, including 15 during league play, and was among the top-five in seven offensive categories. Hollingsworth notched five triples in 2019, becoming Tulsa’s career record holder in three-baggers.
 
Delce led the Tulsa pitching staff with a 1.58 ERA in 22 appearances this season, and went 7-0 in league play. She held opponents to a .199 batting average with 106 strikeouts in 123.2 innings of work. Additionally, she raked in the batting numbers, tallying a .300 batting average overall in 100 plate appearances that jumped to .358 in conference play. In April, she was named as one of 25 players in the running for the 2019 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award.

Cook gathered the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year honor after backstopping the Bulls in all 21 conference games. Cook boasts a perfect fielding percentage, having not recorded an error in 56 games this season. The senior has recorded 17 assists behind the plate and thrown out seven baserunners.
 
Ken Eriksen and his staff led the Bulls to The American’s regular season title and the top seed for the conference championship for the second consecutive season, posting a 39-17 record and a 17-4 slate in-conference. As a unit, the Bulls carry a 1.77 team ERA and a .250 batting average into the postseason.
 
For live updates on this weekend’s American Softball Championship, visit TheAmerican.org/Softball and follow @American_SBall on Twitter.
 
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2019 American Athletic Conference Softball Award Winners
 
Players of the Year
Sarah Barker, OF, Houston
Julia Hollingsworth, OF, Tulsa
 
Pitcher of the Year
Georgina Corrick, USF
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Macy Cook, C, USF
 
Rookie of the Year
Chenise Delce, Tulsa
 
Coaching Staff of the Year
USF
 
All-Conference First Team
P – Georgina Corrick, USF (unanimous)
P – Alea White, UCF
C – Madison Perrigan, Wichita State
1B – Ashley Threatt, Memphis
1B – Ryleigh Buck, Wichita State
2B – Arielle James, Houston
3B – Sydney McKinney, Wichita State
SS – Laurie Derrico, Wichita State
SS – Briana Marcelino, UConn
OF – Julia Hollingsworth, Tulsa (unanimous)
OF – Maya Thomas, Houston
OF – Sarah Barker, Houston
OF – AnaMarie Bruni, USF
DP/UTL (Pitcher) – Savannah Heebner, Houston
DP/UTL (Pitcher) – Chenise Delce, Tulsa
DP/UTL (Non-Pitcher) – Olivia Sappington, UConn
 
All-Conference Second Team
P – Presley Bell, Houston
P – Samantha Pochop, Tulsa
P – Erin McDonald, Wichita State
C – Cassady Brewer, UCF
C – Rylie Spell, Tulsa
INF – Morgan Neal, Tulsa
INF – Lindsey Devitt, USF
INF – Alyssa Dean, Memphis
INF – Carli Cutler, UConn
OF – Reese Guevarra, UConn
OF – Haley Meinen, Tulsa
OF – Baylee Smith, Memphis
DP/UTL – Brooke Hartman, USF
 
All-Rookie Team
Damaria Cannon, OF/DP, UCF
Karissa Ornelas, C/DP, UCF
Breanna Vasquez, P, UCF
Alexis Lemus, 2B, UConn
Alyssa Dean, 2B, Memphis
Meghan Sheehan, OF, USF
Chenise Delce, P/DP, Tulsa
Sydney McKinney, 3B, Wichita State