Kentucky’s Nunley, Lawson named SEC pitcher, coach of year
The University of Kentucky softball team is making history this season.
And the end-of-year awards handed out by the Southeastern Conference’s coaches on Tuesday reflected that in a big way.
UK senior Kelsey Nunley was named the SEC’s Pitcher of the Year, and the Wildcats’ Rachel Lawson was honored as the league’s Coach of the Year.
Nunley is the first UK player to earn the league’s top pitching award. For Lawson, this is her first Coach of the Year recognition in her nine seasons in Lexington.
The Wildcats completed their best-ever regular season on Sunday, finishing with school records for regular-season wins and league victories after going 43-11 overall and 17-7 in the SEC. UK’s second-place finish in the nation’s toughest softball league was its best ever.
Kentucky is ranked No. 11 in this week’s national coaches’ poll. The Wildcats open play in the SEC Tournament at Starkville, Miss., on Thursday.
In addition to her pitcher of the year award, Nunley was the only player from Kentucky recognized as a first-team All-SEC selection for 2016.
UK’s Abbey Cheek made the Freshman All-SEC Team as a utility player. Kentucky first baseman Maisie Steed and shortstop Christian Stokes made the All-Defensive Team.
Nunley posted a 20-5 record during the regular season, with a school-record 1.26 earned-run average. Kentucky’s ace struck out an SEC-best 185 batters in 161 1/3 innings pitched, allowing just 37 runs in 31 appearances. She pitched seven complete-game shutouts. Nunley is the NCAA’s active leader in career innings pitched with more than 900.
Nunley is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and the ASA/USA Softball National Player of the Year award.
Lawson passed several milestones of her own this season, eclipsing 300 wins at UK, 400 for her career and getting her 100th SEC victory. She has led Kentucky to four NCAA super regionals and a College World Series in the past five years. At 409-294, Lawson UK softball’s winningest head coach ever.
SEC Tournament begins
UK gets a day to relax but then things kick into gear quickly at this week’s SEC Tournament, which includes nine of the top 17 ranked teams in America.
The tourney begins Wednesday with four first-round games at Nusz Park in Starkville, Miss.
No. 6 seed Missouri takes on No. 11 seed South Carolina in the opening game at noon EDT. That contest is followed at 2:30 p.m. by No. 7 seed LSU vs. No. 10 seed Texas A&M. Kentucky gets the winner of that game at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Wildcats are the tournament’s No. 2 seed. The other top seeds to receive first-round byes were No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Auburn.
Four quarterfinal games are scheduled for Thursday, with the semifinals on Friday and the championship game Sunday.
SEC teams ranked in this week’s national coaches’ poll include No. 1 Florida, No. 4 Alabama, No. 8 Auburn, No. 10 Tennessee, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 LSU, No. 15 Georgia, No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 17 Missouri.
Coaches’ All-SEC teams
First Team
P: Delanie Gourley, Florida
P: Aleshia Ocasio, Florida
P: Kelsey Nunley, Kentucky
IF: Kasey Cooper, Auburn
IF: Alyssa DiCarlo, Georgia
IF: Bianka Bell, LSU
IF: Meghan Gregg, Tennessee
IF: Tori Vidales, Texas A&M
OF: Haylie McCleney, Alabama
OF: Amanda Lorenz, Florida
OF: Sydni Emanuel, Georgia
OF: Emily Crane, Missouri
C: Ashley Walters, Texas A&M
DP/U: Kayli Kvistad, Florida
Second Team
P: Sydney Littlejohn, Alabama
P: Chelsea Wilkinson, Georgia
P: Carley Hoover, LSU
IF: Leona Lafaele, Alabama
IF: Jade Rhodes, Auburn
IF: Alex Hugo, Georgia
IF: Tina Iosefa, Georgia
IF: Sami Fagan, Missouri
OF: Kirsti Merritt, Florida
OF: Cortni Emanuel, Georgia
OF: Taylor Gadbois, Missouri
OF: Keeli Milligan, Texas A&M
C: Aubree Munro, Florida
DP/U: Rainey Gaffin, Tennessee
All-Freshman Team
P: Kelly Barnhill, Florida
P: Matty Moss, Tennessee
P: Samantha Show, Texas A&M
IF: Alyssa DiCarlo, Georgia
IF: Lacey Sumerlin, Georgia
IF: Hailey Lunderman, Ole Miss
IF: Aubrey Leach, Tennessee
IF: Kaitlyn Alderink, Texas A&M
OF: Amanda Lorenz, Florida
OF: Regan Nash, Missouri
OF: Brooke Vines, Tennessee
OF: Keeli Milligan, Texas A&M
C: Reagan Dykes, Alabama
DP/U: Abbey Cheek, Kentucky
All-Defensive Team
P: Rainey Gaffin, Tennessee
C: Aubree Munro, Florida
1B: Leona Lafaele, Alabama
1B: Jade Rhodes, Auburn
1B: Maisie Steed, Kentucky
1B: Tori Vidales, Texas A&M
2B: Emily Carosone, Auburn
SS: Christian Stokes, Kentucky
3B: Kasey Cooper, Auburn
LF: Kallie Case, Alabama
CF: Haylie McCleney, Alabama
RF: Emily Crane, Missouri
Player of the Year: Kasey Cooper, Auburn
Pitcher of the Year: Kelsey Nunley, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year: Amanda Lorenz, Florida
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kasey Cooper, Auburn
Coach of the Year: Rachel Lawson, Kentucky
SEC Tournament
When: Wednesday-Saturday
Where: Starkville, Miss.
TV: SEC Network (Wednesday, Thursday), ESPNU (Friday), ESPN (Saturday)
This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Kentucky’s Nunley, Lawson named SEC pitcher, coach of year."