Latest news with #SECPlayeroftheWeek
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma's Ailana Agbayani wins Gold Glove award
Oklahoma's Ailana Agbayani wins Gold Glove award Ailana Agbayani picked up an award Wednesday that only one Oklahoma softball player ever won before. The Sooners' junior infielder earned a Rawlings Gold Glove award Wednesday. She was the only player in the country at second base who won one. By capturing the award, she joined former Oklahoma shortstop Grace Lyons as the only such winners from OU. In fairness, the award has only been given out since 2022. Agbayani totaled 100 assists, 69 putouts, and just one error. She was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Defensive team at season's end and had earlier been named SEC Player of the Week on April 29. At the plate, Agbayani has hit for a .336 batting average with eight doubles, four home runs, 35 RBI, and 36 runs scored. Unsurprisingly, the SEC did well in the Gold Glove awards. Agbayani joined conference mates Jocelyn Erickson from Florida (catcher), Arianna Rodi from South Carolina (first base), Koko Wooley from Texas A&M (shortstop) and Kendra Falby from Florida (centerfield) as SEC winners. Oklahoma State's Tallen Edwards won the third base award. Oklahoma returns to the diamond on Thursday in the first round of the Women's College World Series. The Sooners play at 1:30 p.m. CT against Tennessee, a team that took the regular-season series against the Sooners. OU has won the last four national championships and is playing its ninth straight WCWS. Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso will be seeking her ninth title, all of which have come with the Sooners. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn nearly sets conference record with 6 All-SEC selections
Auburn nearly sets conference record with 6 All-SEC selections Six Auburn Tigers were tabbed as All-SEC performers after a historic baseball season on the Plains in 2025. Outfielder Ike Irish (First Team All-SEC), pitcher Samuel Dutton and second basemen Chris Rembert (Second Team All-SEC), freshman Chase Fralick and Bub Terrell (SEC All-Freshman Team), and third basemen Eric Guevara earned (SEC All-Defensive Team) helped make history for the Tigers, as the six representatives from Auburn were the second most ever in conference history. The unquestioned offensive heartbeat of the Tigers, junior outfielder Ike Irish accumulated one of the best seasons in Auburn history from the plate. After missing some time in the beginning of the campaign, including the opening series of conference play, the Hudsonville, Michigan native raked his way to a .398 averaged, .480 on-base percentage, and .852 slugging percentage, to go along with 13 home runs and 92 total bases in SEC play. Each statistic ranked second in the conference. On the mound, Auburn's lone pitching representive on the All-SEC team was senior Samuel Dutton. After spending his first three college seasons as an LSU Tiger, Dutton sparkled in his lone year as a member of Auburn, becoming the first Tiger starter to earn a spot on the All-SEC team since Casey Mize in 2018. After throwing just 87 2/3 innings through his first three seasons at LSU, the senior eclipsed the 75 innings mark this season, finishing with a dazzling 3.58 earned run average and a team-high 6 victories and 89 strikeouts. Infielder Chris Rembert became the first Auburn's true freshman to earn All-SEC first or second team honors since Hunter Morris in 2008. A starter for the majority of the season, Rembert finished his inaugural collegiate campaign with a team-high .355 average and .485 on-base percentage. Both marks ranked the highest among freshman in the conference. Fellow first-year contributors Chase Fralick and Bub Terrell joined Rembert as All-SEC athletes. The catcher and outfielder tied for second on the team in doubled (14) while Fralick provided key defense behind the plate all season long. Fralick ranked third among all Tigers in averaged (.344) and finished fifth with 39 RBI. Terrell was almost equally impressive on the offensive side, as he slugged his way to a .287 average and 33 RBI. The lone Tiger on the All-SEC Defensive Team, third basemen Eric Guevara was fantastic on the hot corner all year long. The Panama native committed just 2 errors across 29 games this season, and saw his bat heat up towards the end of the campaign, as he earned SEC Player of the Week honors in the beginning of May. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter@TheRealBHauch
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn third basemen Eric Guevara wins SEC Player of the Week
Auburn third basemen Eric Guevara wins SEC Player of the Week Auburn third basemen Eric Guevara took home SEC Player of the Week honors after putting up one of the best offensive weeks in program, and conference, history during the Tigers three-game sweep of South Carolina. After coming into the second series of May with just three multi-hit efforts on his sophomore season resume, Guerva tallied 12 base knocks in three games, becoming the first SEC player to do so in a conference series since 2019, when Mississippi State's Tanner Allen also accomplished the feat against the Gamecocks. Totaling 22 bases during the No. 2 ranked Tigers' sweep of their conference counterparts, Guerva also drove in more than a third (9) of his 24 runs batted in on the season. The Panama native scored 7 runs as well, which was half of his total (14) heading into the second weekend of May. Now hitting a clean .340 on the season, Guerva was only retired three times in 16 plate appearances over the weekend, helping the Auburn lineup finish with gaudy run totals of 21, 11, and 11 over a three-game stretch, which was by far the largest scoring output by Butch Thompson's lineup in a series this season. Guerva and his Tiger teammates improved to the No. 2 ranking in most polls after the dismantling of South Carolina over the weekend, giving Auburn plenty of momentum heading into the final series of the regular season against Ole Miss next weekend. The Tigers will battle the Rebels in Oxford before heading to Hoover, Alabama for the SEC Tournament on May 20. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter@TheRealBHauch
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Will Florida basketball forward Alex Condon stay or go in the 2025 NBA draft in June?
Will Florida basketball forward Alex Condon stay or go in the 2025 NBA draft in June? The 2024-25 men's college basketball campaign was one to remember for Florida fans after the Gators brought home the bacon with their third-ever national championship. The achievement was a result of talented players being coached by a sensational staff, which ultimately amounted to a sum greater than its parts. Among the cornerstones of the Orange and Blue's epic run last season was sophomore forward Alex Condon, an athletic 6-foot-11-inch, 230-pound bruiser from Australia who elevated his game to anchor one of the best front courts in the sport. Last month, he decided to test the NBA draft waters but has yet to decide whether or not to take the plunge. The Athletic's Jim Root recently took a look at 11 NBA draft stay-or-go decisions that will play a huge role in how the 2025-26 season plays out. On his list, Condon comes in at No. 4. Looking at Alex Condon's NBA draft option "The Gators' shocking run to the national title came in large part due to a supremely talented trio of shot makers on the perimeter. Clayton, Alijah Martin and Will Richard all had major moments of brilliance during their March run. But Florida's deep and physical frontcourt was an overlooked aspect of its success," Root begins. "Todd Golden could cycle body after body in the paint to bludgeon opponents and wear them down over 40 minutes, and Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, the Gators' two starters, were crucial parts of that rotation. Chinyelu is also gauging NBA interest but is generally expected to return to school; however, the physical Australian Condon is much more of a true toss-up," he continues. "He struggled in the NCAA Tournament after an ankle injury late in the season, so he could be best served to return to school and show off his talents once more while leading the Florida front line for what would be a top 10-15 team heading into the year." It is worth noting that according to Torvik's Roster Cast tool, the Gators rank ninth with Condon while falling all the way to 19th without the power forward. Condon's collegiate career stats, accolades Over two seasons in Gainesville, Condon played in 74 total games while starting exactly half of them (37), averaging 9.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks per played in all 36 games and earned SEC All-Freshman honors last season, totaling 277 points, 229 rebounds and a team-leading 45 blocked shots. Condon was the first Gator in program history to make his first career start in the NCAA Tournament against the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024. This year, the multi-talented forward averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while cementing his status as a starter in Florida's rotation. He was recognized as the SEC Player of the Week three times during the 2024-25 campaign and was named third-team All-SEC. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'I love being here\nI love being an Aggie' Texas A&M's LaViolette spoke ahead of LSU series
'I love being here I love being an Aggie' Texas A&M's LaViolette spoke ahead of LSU series Texas A&M holds control over its postseason destiny with nine crucial SEC games remaining in regular-season play. Currently sitting at 8-13 in SEC standings, the Aggies must secure at least five more conference wins to reach the pivotal magic number of 13, keeping their hopes alive for postseason baseball in June. With two top-five teams left on the schedule, A&M will rely heavily on Jace LaViolette to return to peak form—the level of dominance he displayed against Arkansas, which earned him SEC Player of the Week honors. However, LaViolette faced struggles against Texas, recording just one official hit and striking out three times over the three weekends. Despite this, he took time for self-reflection, reminding himself of his love for the game and the opportunity to keep competing at a high level. "I was pretty in the dumps after probably one of the worst games in college I've ever played, but at the same time, I look at it and I'm like you know what, I could be somewhere totally different doing something totally different that I don't love, but instead I get to come here every day even though I went 0 for six I still got to do the thing that I love I still got to wake up and come here and play the game of baseball." LaViolette, who was originally committed to LSU before joining the Aggies, remains focused on the challenge ahead, knowing that his family in Louisiana will be watching closely. "I love being here I love being an Aggie and that's that's long time in the past" "My family still lives in Louisiana, so I mean they're excited to watch this, but at the same time it's just another weekend it's an important weekend that we just have to go and play good baseball, and no matter who we're playing" Below, you can watch the full press conference leading into the LSU series. Texas A&M will host No. 2 LSU (37-9) on Friday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m. CT. The game will stream on SEC Network+. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
