GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech softball standouts Tricia Awald, Chandler Dennis, Emma Kauf and Jin Sileo have each been named to the 2022 Softball All-ACC Academic Team, the Atlantic Coast Conference office announced on Friday.
The four honors mark the most Yellow Jackets selected to an All-ACC Academic Team since receiving five selections in 2013. Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career for undergraduate students. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.
Awald earns her first All-ACC Academic Team honor on the heels of a stellar season to culminate her decorated career. This past season alone, the Marietta, Ga., native received all-ACC honors and all-region honors for the second consecutive season after being named First Team All-ACC and NFCA Southeast Second Team All-Region. While leading the nation in walks per game and tying for second in Tech history in single season walks (52), Awald finished fourth in the NCAA and led the ACC in on-base percentage (.568) last season to rank third on The Flats all-time. The graduate first baseman also set a plethora of career program records for the White and Gold, including becoming Tech’s all-time leader in both doubles (57) and walks (169). Among all previous Yellow Jackets, the lefty slugger finished third in on-base percentage (.513), fourth in slugging percentage (.648) and fielding percentage (.989), fifth in batting average (.360) and total bases (433) and sixth in home runs (45), hits (237) and RBI (165).
Dennis garners her first All-ACC Academic Team selection in her first season on The Flats. A key cog in Georgia Tech’s run to an NCAA Regional, Dennis formed a dynamic duo in the circle along with fellow junior righty Blake Neleman to help propel the Yellow Jackets to heights the program hadn’t reached in a decade. The Michigan transfer led the Tech pitching staff with a 16-6 record, posting a 2.93 ERA through 34 appearances, including 22 starts. In 129 innings of work, Dennis surpassed the century mark in strikeouts with 107, allowing just a .229 batting average against. During the season, the right-handed hurler picked up one of three weekly ACC honors for the Yellow Jackets, being named ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week after going 4-0 against Syracuse and Dartmouth. Dennis tossed one of her six complete games last season and second shutout on the year against Dartmouth before picking up all three wins in Tech’s sweep of Syracuse. She clipped a 0.88 ERA and tallied 17 strikeouts on the week, putting together three scoreless outings in four appearances. Amongst her personal bests on the year, Dennis punched out 11 batters against Furman for a career high. The Suwanee, Ga., native later claimed two wins against NC State, allowing no earned runs on four hits for a flawless ERA with 13 strikeouts and a .091 batting average against through the series, including her second complete game one-hitter of the season.
Kauf picks up her second straight All-ACC Academic Team selection as she’s received the honor in each of her opportunities. Tech’s mainstay behind the dish also added First Team All-ACC honors, now receiving back-to-back recognitions, as well as an NFCA Southeast Second Team All-Region selection to her career accolades. In the box, Kauf has displayed her hitting acumen as she swatted 25 doubles throughout the season, finishing second in the nation and in single season program history for the Jackets. The Lincoln, Neb., native led the ACC with 71 hits last season, tying for 11th in Tech history in a season. Along with that, Kauf led the league in doubles per game (0.45) while ranking third in the league in total bases (118). During the season, Tech’s all-around weapon also earned an ACC Player of the Week award following a 9-for-12 week with three doubles, a triple and four RBI against UAB and NC State.
Sileo receives her first All-ACC Academic Team honor after anchoring Tech in the field for the second consecutive year. In doing so, the Yellow Jacket shortstop racked up an abundance of plays for her highlight reel as she made SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays twice (No. 4 and No. 6) with diving grabs along with three appearances on the NCAA’s Top Five Plays of the Week, also for her defensive prowess. On top of catching the nation’s eye, Sileo was recognized by the conference as she earned ACC Co-Player of the Week honors after leading the way in the field and at the dish against Troy, Georgia State and Charlotte. The Dacula, Ga., native batted .533, going 8-for-15 with a pair of doubles and RBI, seven runs scored, three walks and five stolen bases. Sileo posted a .611 on-base percentage as well as a .667 slugging percentage with the effort, also making one of the aforementioned highlight-reel plays in the field – a barehand flick tabbed No. 3 in the NCAA’s top plays that week. On the season, “Top 10 Jin” started all 56 games, tying for the team lead in steals (18) and runs scored (37) while ranking third on the team in hits (43), doubles (nine) and total bases (54) and top five in batting average (.287) and RBI (23), not to mention her first career triple.
All four Yellow Jackets succeeding in the classroom and on the field spurred the White and Gold onto a historic 2022 season. Georgia Tech earned its first win in an NCAA Regional since 2012, the most home wins in program history (24), the best nonconference win percentage in Tech history (0.844), the most ranked wins since 2015 (two) and since 2011 – its highest RPI (No. 23), most wins (38) and highest win percentage (0.679).
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