Softball: Bigham, Hylton earn All-ACC recognition

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Freshman right-hander Eden Bigham and freshman second baseman Jade Hylton both garnered All-ACC honors, as announced the conference office on Wednesday prior to the start of the ACC Softball Tournament.

Bigham was named an All-ACC Third Team selection and All-Freshman team selection while Hylton joined Bigham on the All-Freshman team.

It’s the second straight year for Virginia to place a player on the All-Freshman team as Sarah Coon was named to the squad a year ago. Bigham is the first overall All-ACC selection since Lacy Smith was a first-team selection in 2019.

Bigham holds a 2.34 ERA this season with a 13-6 record and 115 strikeouts entering the ACC Tournament on Wednesday. Among her 13 victories are wins over No. 13 Virginia Tech and at No. 4 Florida State. She holds eight complete-games and six shutouts on the season. Bigham was twice named ACC Pitcher of the Week and opened her collegiate career with a no-hit shutout of Lamar in the season-opener.

Coming into the ACC Tournament, Hylton led the Cavaliers offensively, hitting at a .310 clip on the year with a team-leading 33 runs scored and 26 RBI. She is tied for the team lead in home runs with 10. Hylton also leads the squad in stolen bases with 21 steals on 23 attempts to rank third in the ACC and among the top 40 players nationally. She was named a TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 player earlier this month.

2023 ACC Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Valerie Cagle, Clemson, Jr., P
Pitcher of the Year: Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State, Sr., P
Defensive Player of the Year: Carlli Kloss, Notre Dame, Jr., C
Freshman of the Year: Sarah Gordon, Louisville, Fr., C
Coach of the Year: Lonni Alameda, Florida State

First Team
C – Sarah Gordon, Louisville, Fr., C
INF – Ana Gold, Duke, So., 3B
INF – Abby Settlemyre, North Carolina, Sr., 2B
INF – Karina Gaskins, Notre Dame, Jr., 1B
INF – Joley Mitchell, Notre Dame., Sr., 3B
OF – D’Auna Jennings, Duke, Fr., OF­­
OF – Jahni Kerr, Florida State, So., OF
OF – Korbe Otis, Louisville, So., OF
P – Valerie Cagle, Clemson, Jr., P
P – Cassidy Curd, Duke, Fr., P
P – Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State, Sr., P
At-Large – Deja Davis, Duke, Gr., DP
At-Large – Aminah Vega, Duke, Fr., 2B
At-Large – Taylor Roby, Louisville, Gr., DP
At-Large – Yvonne Whaley, Pitt, Sr., SS

Second Team
Gisele Tapia, Duke, Sr., 1B
Jala Wright, Duke, Jr., P
Michaela Edenfield, Florida State, So., C
Devyn Flaherty, Florida State, Jr., 2B
Kaley Mudge, Florida State, Jr., OF
Makenna Reid, Florida State, Fr., P
Emma Kauf, Georgia Tech, Sr., C
Daisy Hess, Louisville, Sr., SS
Lilli Backes, North Carolina, So., P
Alex Brown, North Carolina, So., SS
Lexi Orozco, Notre Dame, Gr., DP
Kelsey Brown, Virginia Tech, Gr., OF
Emma Lemley, Virginia Tech, So., P
Bre Peck, Virginia Tech, So., DP
Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech, Jr., OF

Third Team
Caroline Jacobsen, Clemson, Gr., OF
Alia Logoleo, Clemson, Jr., SS
Ally Miklesh, Clemson, Gr., OF
Millie Thompson, Clemson, Jr., P
Kalei Harding, Florida State, Jr., 3B
Mack Leonard, Florida State, Sr., 1B
Easton Lotus, Louisville, So., 2B
Alyssa Zabala, Louisville, Fr., P
Carlli Kloss, Notre Dame, Jr., C
Kiersten Licea, North Carolina, Sr., 1B
Hannah Goodwin, NC State, So., 3B
Sarah Seamans, Pitt, Sr., 1B
Eden Bigham, Virginia, Fr, P
Jayme Bailey, Virginia Tech, Gr., 1B
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech, Jr., 2B

All-Freshman Team
Cassidy Curd, Duke, Fr., P
D’Auna Jennings, Duke, Fr., OF
Aminah Vega, Duke, Fr., 2B
Makenna Reid, Florida State, Fr., P
Sarah Gordon, Louisville, Fr., C
Alyssa Zabala, Louisville, Fr., P
Mickey Winchell, Notre Dame, Fr., OF
Madison Knight, Syracuse, Fr. P
Eden Bigham, Virginia, Fr, P
Jade Hylton, Virginia, Fr., 2B