A player and a coach who led their respective teams to the first state titles in school history have been chosen as the MaxPreps National Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.
Paige McDuffee, a junior pitcher from Texas 5A state champion and MaxPreps national No. 1 The Woodlands, and Danny Hensley, head coach of Florida 5A state champion
Niceville (Fla.), collect this year's honors.
McDuffee had the Highlanders in the No. 1 spot in the
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 rankings from early March to the end of the season. The Woodlands lost only one game during that stretch, to Tomball in the 5A state playoffs, knocked off defending state champion Pearland in the semifinals of the state tournament and then edged O'Connor (Helotes) in the final. See video from the Pearland matchup at the end of this story.
McDuffee did almost all of the pitching for the Highlanders, posting a 38-1 record for the year with 227 strikeouts and a 0.97 ERA.
Hensley took Niceville to the 5A state championship last year, but lost to East Bay 2-0. In 2011, Hensley guided the Eagles to a 26-4 record and a 2-1 win over Bartow in the 5A title game. The 5A state division included three of the top 10 teams in the country according to the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Rankings.
Hensley was also able to accomplish the feat with three freshmen and a sophomore in the starting lineup.
"My biggest strategy I think with these girls is to treat them like athletes," Hensley told the Northwest Florida Daily News. "I'm going to respect you like an athlete if you compete like that. When you treat them like that they have a chance to elevate their game and get to a high level, and they answered the call every time this year."
McDuffee and Hensley head a group of 60 All-Americans chosen by the MaxPreps staff with the players split into a first and second team.
MAXPREPS ALL-AMERICAN SOFTBALL TEAM
First TeamPitcher - Paige McDuffee, The Woodlands (Texas), Junior
Paige McDuffee feature story
Gatorade
State and National Player of the Year... Houston Chronicle Pitcher of
the Year... Texas Sports Writers All-State Team... Texas Girls Coaches
Association All-State Team... Led The Woodlands to a Texas 5A state
championship and a MaxPreps No. 1 National Ranking.
Stats -
38-1 with 227 strikeouts and 0.97 ERA in 202 innings pitched. Batted
.405 with one home run, nine doubles and 42 RBIs.
Pitcher - Alyssa Bache, East Lake (Tarpon Springs, Fla.), SeniorLed East Lake to Florida 5A state semifinals... Named St. Petersburg Times' All-Suncoast Pitcher of the Year... Committed to Florida.
Stats - 25-1 record with five no-hitters, 256 strikeouts in 146.1 innings pitched, 11 shutouts and a 0.43 ERA.
Pitcher - Leslie Jury, Mann (Greenville, S.C.), Senior
Three-time Gatorade State Player of the Year... Five-time all-state selection... Led Mann to South Carolina 4A state championship... Committed to Alabama.
Stats - Record of 25-2 with 0.38 ERA and 233 strikeouts in 163.2 innings pitched. Batted .526 with 43 RBIs and four home runs.
Pitcher - Chelsea Wilkinson, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), Junior
Chelsea Wilkinson feature storyAlready a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year winner... Two-time Charlotte Observer Player of the Year... Led Alexander Central to North Carolina 4A state championship.
Stats - Record of 31-2 with 0.66 ERA and 370 strikeouts in 212 innings pitched. She also batted .358 with 34 RBIs and seven home runs.
Pitcher - Karysta Donisthorpe, Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.), Senior
Led Piedra Vista to sixth straight New Mexico 4A state title... Two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year... Coaches All-State Team... Committed to New Mexico State.
Stats - Record of 25-4 with 0.66 ERA and 307 strikeouts in 170 innings pitched. Had 18 shutouts and six no-hitters. She also batted .387 with 37 RBIs, 33 runs scored and 12 doubles.
Pitcher - Sara Driesenga, Hudsonville (Mich.), Senior
Sara Driesenga feature storyLed Hudsonville to back-to-back state titles as a sophomore and junior and the Michigan Division I quarterfinals as a senior... Three-time Gatorade State Player of the Year... Michigan Coaches Association Miss Softball... Committed to Michigan.
Stats - Career record of 97-10, 945 career strikeouts, 31 career home runs, 238 career hits and 186 career RBIs. As a senior went 34-3 with 0.60 ERA, 234 strikeouts in 218 innings pitched. Also had 56 RBIs and nine home runs.
Pitcher - Kaitlyn Schmeiser, Northern (Owings, Md.), Senior
Led Northern to Maryland AAA state title... Named Washington D.C. All-Met Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Committed to Maryland.
Stats - Went 18-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 241 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched. She had eight no-hitters and four perfect games. She also batted .541 with 31 runs, 47 RBIs and three home runs.
Pitcher - Erin Gabriel, Poland Seminary (Poland, Ohio), Senior
Erin Gabriel feature storyTwo-time Gatorade State Player of the Year... Coaches Division II All-State Team... Led Poland Seminary to Ohio Division II state championship... Committed to Tennessee.
Stats - Record of 16-1 with 0.82 ERA and 233 strikeouts in 110 innings pitched. She batted .571 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs.
Pitcher - Christina Gabriele, Gulliver Prep (Miami), Junior
Miami Herald All-Dade County 4A-1A Team... Florida Dairy Farmers 3A State Player of the Year... Led Gulliver to 3A state championship.
Stats - 21-2, 151 strikeouts, 0.93 ERA.
Pitcher - Kelly Heinz, Lee-Davis (Mechanicsville, Va.), Senior
Led Lee-Davis to the Virginia AAA state championship... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Richmond Times Dispatch Pitcher of the Year in 2010... Committed to Virginia Tech.
Stats - Record of 22-1 with 0.05 ERA, 292 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched. Also batted .443 with three home runs.
Catcher - Shelby Holley, Pisgah (Ala.), Senior
Holley extends home run record storyLed Pisgah to Alabama Class 3A state championship... Named MVP of 3A state tournament... Named Ms. Alabama Softball by Alabama Sportswriters Association... Set national records for home runs in a season, 35, and career, 78... Committed to Jacksonville State University.
Stats - Batted .617 with 98 RBIs in 149 at-bats, 35 home runs, 16 doubles, 54 runs.
Catcher - Shellie Robinson, DeLand (Fla.), Senior
Orlando Sentinel Central Florida Player of the Year... Committed to South Carolina Upstate.
Stats - Batted .595 with 17 home runs, 52 RBIs, 51 runs scored.
Catcher - Lauren Sweet, Santiago (Corona, Calif.), Senior
CIF Southern Section Division I Player of the Year... Riverside Press-Enterprise Player of the Year... Led Santiago to CIF Southern Section Division I title... Committed to Michigan.
Stats - Batted .496 with 50 RBIs, nine doubles, 44 runs scored, 15 home runs.
First Base - Alyson Ambler, Walla Walla (Wash.), Junior
Led Walla Walla to Washington 4A state championship... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Tri-City Herald Player of the Year.
Stats - Batted .506 with nine home runs, 36 runs scored and 34 RBIs. Also pitched and had a record of 15-0 with 0.57 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched.
First Base - Lauren Walker, Central York (Pa.), Senior
Two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year... York Daily Record Division I Player of the Year... Committed to North Carolina.
Stats - Batted .721 with 31 hits, nine doubles and 12 home runs including three home runs in one game.
First Base - Mary Stephens, Wylie (Abilene, Texas), Junior
Dallas Morning News Offensive Player of the Year... Texas Sports Writers Association 4A All-State Team... Texas Girls Coaches Association All-State Team.
Stats - Batted .557 with 63 runs scored, 19 home runs and 81 RBIs.
Infield - Mattie Fowler, Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.), Senior
Led Canyon del Oro to Class 4A Division I state championship... Named to Arizona Republic All-State Team... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Committed to Nebraska.
Stats - Batted .569 with 17 home runs, 22 doubles, 49 runs scored and she set a state record with 91 RBIs. She also went 14-0 in the circle with a 0.85 ERA, 74 strikeouts in 82 innings pitched.
Infield - Renada Davis, Tomball (Texas), Senior
All-Greater Houston Player of the Year... Texas Sports Writers Association 5A All-State Team... Committed to North Carolina State.
Stats - Batted .568 with 27 RBIs, 60 runs, 68 hits, 23 doubles, eight triples and 10 home runs.
Infield - Bailey Castro, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), Senior
Bailey Castro feature storyFort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel 3A-2A-1A Player of the Year (three years in a row)... Miami Herald All-Broward County Team... Committed to Florida.
Stats - Batted .618 with 32 runs, 28 RBIs, 16 home runs, 12 stolen bases.
Infield - Emily Sanders, Bartow (Fla.), Senior
Led Bartow to Florida 5A state championship game... Named Winter Haven News Chief Player of the Year... Florida Dairy Farmers 5A State Player of the Year... PolksPreps.com Softball Hitter of the Year... Committed to Indian River State College.
Stats - Batted .474 with 13 doubles, nine triples, three home runs and 55 RBIs.
Infield - Samie Fagan, Dunnellon (Fla.), Senior
Ocala Star Banner Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Committed to Florida.
Stats - Batted .693 with four doubles, three triples, 51 runs, 17 RBIs and 28 steals. Batted .629 for career with 234 runs and 141 stolen bases.
Infield - Cheyenne Cordes, Rodriguez (Fairfield, Calif.), Senior
Led Rodriguez to Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship... Solano County Athletic Conference MVP... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Committed to California.
Stats - Batted .652 with 12 home runs, 18 doubles, 64 runs, 66 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.
Outfield - Leah White, Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Senior
Arizona Republic All-State Team... Committed to Stanford.
Stats - Batted .638 with eight triples, 61 runs scored and 38 stolen bases.
Outfield - Ayanna Andrews, Countryside (Clearwater, Fla.), Senior
Named St. Petersburg Times All-SunCoast Player of the Year... Committed to LSU.
Stats - Batted .537 with 57 stolen bases.
Outfield - Dani Heichen, Pembroke Pines Charter (Fla.), Senior
Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel 6A-5A-4A Player of the Year... Committed to Appalachian State.
Stats - Batted .537 with 13 RBIs, 22 runs, 20 stolen bases.
Outfield - Kelsi Jones, Carmel (Ind.), Senior
Gatorade State Player of the Year... Indiana Girls Coaches Association All-State Team... Committed to Missouri.
Stats - Batted. .464 with 14 doubles, 33 RBIs, 36 runs scored and seven home runs.
Outfield - Dani Gilmore, El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.), Senior
Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year... West Valley League Player of the Year... Led El Camino Real to Los Angeles City Section championship game... Committed to Oregon State.
Stats - Batted .574 with 46 runs, 58 RBIs, 10 home runs, 13 stolen bases. Has 46 career home runs, 182 runs, 202 hits, 206 RBIs.
All-Purpose - Megan Granado, Coronado (Lubbock, Texas), SeniorTexas Sports Writers Association 5A All-State Team... Lubbock Avalanche Journal All-City MVP... Avalanche Journal 5A-4A South Plains MVP... Committed to Howard College.
Stats - .585 on-base percentage, 20 doubles, seven home runs, 48 RBIs, 64 runs scored.
All-Purpose - Lauren Haeger, Deer Valley (Glendale, Ariz.), Senior
Arizona Republic State Player of the Year... Led Deer Valley to Arizona 5A Division II state championship... Committed to Florida.
Stats - Batted .538 with 21 home runs, 12 doubles, 50 runs and 51 RBIs. Also pitched and was 26-5 with 0.44 ERA and 413 strikeouts in 208 innings pitched. Had two perfect games, six no-hitters and 16 shutouts.
All-Purpose - Layce Walker, Grace Baptist Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Senior
Gatorade State Player of the Year... Chattanooga Free Press All-City Player of the Year... Led Grace Academy to Tennessee Class A state championship game... Committed to Chattanooga State.
Stats - Record of 31-5 with 0.66 ERA and 326 strikeouts in 203 innings. Had 15 shutouts and two no-hitters. Also batted .486 with 67 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 19 home runs, 13 doubles and eight triples.
Continue to second team
