ATLANTA, Ga. (March 25, 2024)– The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) has announced its softball weekly honors, released by the league office on Monday.
 
Sara Koonce (Maryville) was named Player of the Week, while Megan Ackerman (Maryville) earned Pitcher of the Week honors.
 
Maddi Spieks (Piedmont) was also tabbed Rookie of the Week.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sara Koonce, Maryville
Catcher  |  Senior  |  Fayetteville, Tenn.
 
Koonce played a pivotal role in Maryville’s 4-2 record last week. The senior catcher finished with a .611 batting average, going 11-for-18 at the plate. She finished with a triple, three home runs, and a total of 11 RBI. Koonce scored eight runs throughout the week. A standout moment for Koonce came during a doubleheader sweep at No. 12 Transylvania, where she blasted two home runs, sealing a victory for the Scots. Her impact was further felt in another doubleheader at No. 18 Huntingdon, where she went 4-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI. The Tennessee native’s performances have led her to the top of the CCS leaderboard, tying for the lead in home runs (5) and securing the top spot with 31 RBIs. 
 
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Megan Ackerman, Maryville
Pitcher  |  Senior  |  Johnson City, Tenn.
 
Ackerman played a crucial role in Maryville's 4-2 week, posting a 2-1 record with an impressive 0.36 ERA. The senior pitcher started three games and finished two of them, she limited opponents to just 12 hits across 19.1 innings pitched, without issuing any walks, resulting in an outstanding WHIP of 0.63 for the week. Opposing batters struggled against the Tennessee native, hitting a mere .174 throughout the games.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Maddi Spieks, Piedmont
Utility  |  Freshman  |  Monticello, Ga.
 
Spieks helped the Lions secure a 2-0 record with victories over Agnes Scott and Wesleyan. In the doubleheader against Agnes Scott, the freshman utility had 8 at-bats, scoring 3 runs and collecting 4 hits. Notably, in Game 1 of the doubleheader, she achieved a season-high of three hits. She finished with a season-high 4 RBIs, along with hitting a double and a triple. In a win over Wesleyan, the Georgia native secured 2 hits in 6 at-bats.
 
OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED

PLAYER OF THE WEEK	Brooke Stefankiewicz (Huntingdon); Alexa Gonzalez (LaGrange); Katie Jo Richardson (Belhaven); Leonardi Bell (Agnes Scott); Kara Taylor (Piedmont)
PITCHER OF THE WEEK	Allie Roberts (Huntingdon); Kennedy Carruth (Belhaven); Claire Chamberlain (LaGrange); Megan Steinmeyer (Piedmont)
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK	Kylie Stephens (Huntingdon); Maggie Dickson (Berea); Kayla Ocanas (Wesleyan); Macy Funderburk (Belhaven)

 














PAST WEEKLY HONOREES
Week 6
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
 
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Berea College, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
 
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