Patriots lead PBC All-Academic Softball Team

FLORENCE, S.C. – Five members of the Francis Marion University softball team were among 19 players recently named to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Softball All-Academic Team.
The Patriots honored were senior first baseman Tamela Bell, senior centerfielder Lakyn Bendle, junior left-handed pitcher Michaela Wolf, junior leftfielder Jessica Birchmeier, and junior third baseman Kat Beauvais.
The team is part of a new season-long program recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of PBC student-athletes in the classroom as well as on the field. To be eligible for the All-Academic team, a student-athlete must participate in at least half of her team’s events and be either a starter or significant contributor; have achieved a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), and completed at least one full academic year at her current institution.
Both Wolf and Birchmeier earlier garnered All-Conference recognition for their play on the field.
Francis Marion posted a 32-19 record this past season and just missed earning a bid to the NCAA national tournament.
Bell, a native of Covington, Ga., has a 3.83 GPA as an elementary education major. This past year, she batted .291 with four homers and 16 runs batted in.
Bendle, a native of Amsterdam, Ohio, is a psychology major and owns a 3.89 GPA. One of the best defensive centerfielders in the conference, she batted .255 last season with two homers and 17 RBIs, while also setting the conference career record for sacrifice bunts (62).
Wolf, a native of Littleton, Colo., has a 3.57 GPA as a mass communications major. She posted a 20-11 pitching record with a 1.58 earned run average this spring. She is the only Patriot hurler in the history of the program to win 20 games more than once in a career -- after winning 29 games in 2008 and 21 games as a freshman. At the plate, Wolf hit .323 with five doubles, four home runs, and 27 RBIs – the second highest total on the squad.
Birchmeier, a native of Port Richey, Fla., is an accounting major and has compiled a 3.57 GPA. Last season, she batted .324 with 23 runs scored, 10 doubles, one home run, and 20 RBIs. She was first among the Patriot regulars with a .415 on-base percentage and 13 multi-hit games.
Beauvais, a native of Manassas, Va., has a 3.52 GPA as a management major. Despite missing 16 games with a broken bone in her glove hand, she batted .311 and drove in 10 runs during the 2009 campaign.


Peach Belt Conference 2009 All-Academic Softball Team
First Team
Player School Yr. Hometown GPA Major
Tamela Bell Francis Marion Sr. Covington, GA 3.83 Elementary Education
Lakyn Bendle Francis Marion Sr. Amsterdam, OH 3.89 Psychology
Mandy Chandler GCSU Sr. Covington, GA 3.52 Marketing
Kaelin Farrington North Georgia Sr. Watkinsville, GA 3.90 Middle Grades Ed.
Megan Lakes USC Aiken Sr. Columbia, SC 3.80 Elementary Education
Sarah Moore Columbus St. Sr. Smiths, AL 3.72 Biology
Jessica Skeels North Georgia Jr. Lawrenceville, GA 3.96 Middle Grades Ed.
Jessica Strong Armstrong Atl. St. Sr. Fountain Valley, CA 3.97 Mathematics
Lindsey Swanson GCSU Sr. Kennesaw, GA 3.97 Psychology
Michaela Wolf Francis Marion Jr. Littleton, CO 3.57 Mass Communications

Second Team
Kat Beauvais Francis Marion Jr. Manassas, VA 3.52 Management
Jessica Birchmeier Francis Marion Jr. Port Richey, FL 3.57 Accounting
Carrie Jones Columbus St. So. Midland, GA 3.92 Exercise Science
Kasey Knight North Georgia So. Watkinsville, GA 3.27 Exercise Science
Kori Pickowitz GCSU Sr. Keller, TX 3.72 Health Education
Trisha Snider North Georgia Jr. Highland, MD 3.27 Criminal Justice
Kim Stercay North Georgia So. Lilburn, GA 3.28 Art Marketing
Daisy Stewart Lander Jr. Roswell, GA 3.38 Nursing
Amanda Wheeless Columbus St. So. Woodstock, GA 3.80 Exercise Science