CANTON, Ga. (May 7, 2025) – Heading into the 2025 SAA Softball Tournament opening round on Thursday, the league has announced its Athletes of the Year and All-Conference teams.
Rhodes outfielder Jasmyn Stanley was voted the SAA Athlete of the Year while Berry’s Hannah Gore earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Hailey Peterson of Millsaps is the Rookie of the Year and Rhodes, led by Rebecca Arbino, was voted the SAA Coaching Staff of the Year.
The All-Conference teams and award winners were selected by the SAA’s six head coaches.
Stanley (Junior/Murfreesboro, Tenn.) was the toughest out in the conference, leading the SAA with a .583 batting average. The junior drew eight walks to go along with her 15 hits for an SAA-best .657 on base percentage. She was also a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases en route to scoring 11 runs. Stanley had a banner series against Sewanee, going 9-for-10 at the plate with three RBIs and three runs scored, leading the Lynx to a sweep. She joins former Rhodes standout Christie Hume (2017) as Lynx to be voted SAA softball Athlete of the Year.
Gore (Senior/Roswell, Ga.) had a breakout season in the circle, leading Berry to its 10
th SAA regular season title. The junior was 8-1 in conference play and led the league with a 0.99 ERA, allowing just seven earned runs in 11 starts. Gore rolled up an SAA-best 66 strikeouts, 12 more than the next person on the list. Conference teams hit just .145 with Gore in the game. She is the second-straight and fourth overall Viking to be voted the Pitcher of the Year. Ava Fouts (2024), Kassie Howard (2016, 2018), and Marie Collop (2017) are former Berry honorees.
Peterson (First Year/Metairie, La.) has made an immediate impact at the plate and in the circle for Millsaps in her first season. The newcomer hit .372 in league play with 12 RBIs and 14 runs scored, highlighted by three home runs. She pitched 34.1 innings with a 4.28 ERA and earned four victories. Peterson tallied 10 strikeouts while only issuing one walk on the season. She is the second Millsaps player voted Rookie of the Year, joining former Major Megan Murray in 2014.
Arbino joined the Rhodes coaching staff in 2021 and was named the head coach the following season. The Lynx record has improved each year, culminating in an 11-4 mark, runner-up finish in the conference standings and No. 3 seed in the SAA Tournament this season. Rhodes will head into the postseason on an eight-game winning streak. Arbino’s staff guided nine All-Conference performers this year, including a trio of First Teamers.
Athlete of the Year: Jasmyn Stanley, Rhodes
Pitcher of the Year: Hannah Gore, Berry
Rookie of the Year: Hailey Peterson, Millsaps
Coaching Staff of the Year: Rhodes, HC Rebecca Arbino
FIRST TEAM
P – Gina Dudley, Rhodes
P – Hannah Gore, Berry
C – Morgan Tabor, Centre
1B – Lauren Cothern, Berry
2B – Kate Ledlie, Rhodes
2B – Rylee Harris, Hendrix
SS – Paige Bennett, Berry
3B – Hailey Peterson, Millsaps
OF – Erica Bennett, Berry
OF – Jasmyn Stanley, Rhodes
OF – Betty Wolfe, Hendrix
DP – Ava Fouts, Berry
UTL – Hannah Wilson, Sewanee
SECOND TEAM:
P – Ava Fouts, Berry
P – Taylor Petty, Rhodes
C – Bradynn Belcher, Berry
C – Madison Bromley, Rhodes
1B – Emma Caplinger, Rhodes
2B – Katelyn Boman, Berry
2B – Kadence Cannon, Millsaps
SS – Abbie Buckner, Sewanee
3B – Kennedy Moody, Berry
OF – Harper Allee-Press, Rhodes
OF – Brynn Arena, Millsaps
OF – Emily Lammers, Centre
DP – Kinsey Smith, Millsaps
UTL – Allana Vasquez, Millsaps
Honorable Mention:
Maggie Barker, Sewanee
Katie Bejian, Rhodes
Elly Bennett, Berry
Aleiah Branin, Centre
Ansley Griffin, Sewanee
Reagen Huskey, Sewanee
Layne Ogle, Centre
Kendyl Patton, Hendrix
Layton Rogers, Hendrix
Savannah Russell, Rhodes
Emma Salis, Hendrix
Ella Morgan Sears, Millsaps
Kaycee Schoen, Hendrix
Sydney Tackett, Sewanee
Katherine Weller, Centre
All-Sportsmanship Team:
Cara Holland, Berry
Jada Challiss, Centre
Kendyl Patton, Hendrix
Cassidy Cannella, Millsaps
Campbell Smith, Rhodes
Sydney Tackett, Sewanee