ATLANTA, Ga. – The Wildcats anchor and director picked up the league's major hardware on Monday. Mariah Williams was voted the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Player of the Year and Fort Valley State Head Coach Rufus Green earned the Coach of the Year award. Along with the two major award winners, Taylor Watson received the Relief Pitcher of the Year for her work.

After being the top short stop last spring, Williams repeated as the best at her position on the All-SIAC First Team and now added the top individual title to her credit. Coach Green received the league's best of the 13 head coaches, while pitchers Rachel Clark and Watson, outfielder Avery Thomas and utility player Riley Jenkins all garnered All-SIAC Second Team acclaim.

Following a stellar first year with the program, Williams guided the team to its most successful campaign in more than two decades as a senior. The Griffin, Ga., native posted an impressive .471 batting average with 32 hits in 68 at bats, 28 runs scored, five doubles, a .618 slugging percentage, a .550 on-base percentage and 21 stolen bases in the team's SIAC contests. Overall, the short stop and lead-off hitter hit .429 (51 of 119) with 45 runs, seven doubles, two triples, two home runs and 23 RBI. Williams rounded out her overall stats with a .571 slugging percentage, 10 walks, 12 hit by a pitch, .518 on-base percentage and 36 stolen bases to earn her award.

In his third year directing the Wildcats, Coach Green deservedly was voted the SIAC Coach of the Year. Green led FVSU to the SIAC East title with a 20-4 overall mark, 16-3 against East Division foes. He also took his Wildcat team to a 10-game overall improvement to an impressive 30-15 record for the team's first 30-win season since 2003. Over his first three seasons at the helm, Green holds a 62-65 record leading the rising team filled with all freshman pitchers and four regular first-year position players and two other sophomores.

Despite somehow not being on the First Team at the position, Watson received the SIAC Relief Pitcher of the Year to go with being on the All-SIAC Second Team as a starting pitcher. The redshirt freshman went 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA over 51.2 innings and 37 strikeouts over 10 appearances in SIAC games. Overall, the Lowell, N.C., native was 10-4 with a 3.49 ERA with seven complete games and a shutout in 19 appearances over 88.1 innings and 55 strikeouts.

Manning the mainly the hot corner during her breakout first season, Leonard gained All-SIAC Second Team acclaim at Third Base. The first-year player from Alexander City, Ala., slugged .392 with 29 hits in 74 at bats in 24 SIAC games with 20 runs, a triple, two home runs and 25 RBI. Leonard added a .500 slugging percentage, 15 walks and 19 stolen bases in league contests. Overall, Leonard tied for the FVSU lead with four home runs and was one RBI shy of leading the team at 35 RBI. She hit .356 (48 of 135) with a .946 OPS, three doubles, three triples, 29 stolen bases and a .511 slugging percentage over the Wildcats 45 games.

The Wildcat leading pitcher in the circle, Clark joined her teammate on the All-SIAC Second Team at starting pitcher. The Lawrenceville, Ga., product was one of the best of any starting pitchers in the 13-team league within SIAC games where she was 10-3 with a 1.80 ERA with 2.5 shutouts and nine complete games over 81.2 frames of work with 33 strikeouts. For the season, Clark held a 13-7 record with a 3.45 ERA with 11 complete games over 31 appearances in 125.2 innings and 50 strikeouts.

Coming to FVSU this year, Thomas proved to be one of the top SIAC outfielders for the Second Team honor. The sophomore from Auburn, Ga., hit .269 with 18 hits in 67 at bats, but it was her biggest Conference hit of all that made the difference when she connected on a solo home run in the makeup single game at second-place Edward Waters in the top of the seventh and propelled FVSU to a 2-1 victory and East title. She also scored 15 runs, doubled three times, triple once, belted two homers and drove in eight runners with six stolen bases. Overall, Thomas tied for the Wildcat lead with four home runs on the year.

Jenkins split her time between catcher and designated player for the Second Team status at utility player. The junior from Rome, Ga., carried a hot SIAC bat at .385 with 15 hits in 39 at bats, five extra-base hits – two doubles, two triples and a home run – nine RBI and a .615 slugging percentage. Overall, Jenkins carried a solid average, as well, at .344 (21 of 61) with 13 runs, 14 RBI and six walks.

2024 SIAC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team

Player of the Year: Mariah Williams, Fort Valley State
Utility Player of the Year: Romona McLeod, Albany State
Starting Pitcher of the Year: Jersey Cabana, Lane
Relief Pitcher of the Year: Taylor Watson, Fort Valley State
Freshman of the Year: Penelope Foote, Lane
Coach of the Year: Rufus Green, Fort Valley State

Elite 14 Honoree
Theresa Pelland (Kentucky State, 4.0)

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