FULLERTON, Calif. – The Big West Conference announced their end of the year conference awards on Tuesday and Cal State Fullerton had nine players earn conference honors. Deshea Hill, Zoe Richard, Ari Williams, and Bryanna Ybarra were named to the first-team All-Big West. Sophie Frost, Trish Parks, Julia Valenzuela, and Sammie Vandiver were named to the second-team All-Big West while Brooke Clemetson earned a Big West Honorable Mention. Hill also earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
Head Coach Kelly Ford earns her third consecutive Big West Coach of the Year award this season sharing it with Long Beach State Head Coach Kim Sowder. It is the first time in conference history a coach has ever won three straight COY awards. Coach Ford earns the award after leading Fullerton to its third-straight Big West Championship crown. It's also the third consecutive season with the Titans earning 16+ Big West victories.
Julia Valenzuela (SO; C; La Mirada, CA) brings home a Second-Team selection in her first season as the starting catcher for Fullerton. Valenzuela was a force to be reckoned with behind the dish throwing out 36% of would-be base stealers and only allowing six past balls in 56 games. There were only six innings this season where the sophomore was not behind the dish for the Titans. Offensively, her bat came alive in conference play. She finishes the regular season with a .327 average in Big West play to go along with a team-leading 15 RBI.
Sammie Vandiver (SR; LF; Huntington Beach, CA) earns her fifth Big West award after earning three in her freshman year, one in her sophomore year, and now a First-Team selection this year. The senior was phenomenal out of the two-spot in the Titan lineup leading the team with 62 hits on the year, making it the third year she has surpassed the 60-hit mark. For the season, she finishes third on the team with a .330 average and 30 runs scored. Vandiver currently ranks in the top 10 all-time in average, on-base percentage, hits, and runs scored in program history.
Brooke Clemetson (SR; RF; Covina, CA) earns an Honorable Mention for her first career Big West accolade. The senior leadoff hitter was exceptional this season, leading the team in runs scored (44), triples (3), walks (39) and stolen bases while tying for best on-base percentage on the team. She is the first Titan to ever break the 30-stolen base mark setting the single-season record with 33 on the season. Her 39 walks on the year are the fifth most all-time in program history as well.
Trish Parks (R-JR; P; Chino Hills, CA) takes home an All-Big West Second Team Selection just one day after earning her first career Pitcher of the Week award. The junior transfer has been lights out in conference play going a perfect 9-0 in 12 appearances and sporting a 1.86 ERA which is the third-lowest mark in the Big West. She ends the regular season on a 19-inning scoreless streak with the last run allowed coming in the first inning against UCLA.
Deshea Hill (FR; 3B/DP; Carlbad, CA) earns First-Team honors in her rookie season after leading the team with a .377 overall batting average, which was third-best in the Big West. The freshman also ranked tied for second on the team in hits (52), fourth in doubles (8), third in RBI (28), fourth in total bases (66), second in slugging percentage (.478), and tied for first in on-base percentage (.426). Hill earned two Big West Field Player of the Week awards this season as well.
Zoe Richard (SO; 1B; Highland, CA) earns her second-career All-Big West accolade after being named to the All-Freshman Team last season. Richard was dominant once league play started going on an 11-game hitting streak and collecting hits in 13 of the final 14 games of the season. She finishes the regular season hitting .315 overall, but .365 in conference. Her 13 doubles, 32 RBI, and 74 total bases all lead the Titans.
Bryanna Ybarra (SR; 3B/DP; Torrance, CA) rightfully takes home a First-Team Selection after absolutely dominating at the plate in Big West play. In the 21 conference games, she ranks first in the conference in batting average (.426) and on-base percentage (.493), second in total bases (39), third in slugging percentage (.639) and hits (26), fourth in runs scored (16), and seventh in RBI (13). She earned her first career Big West Field Player of the Week award earlier this season.
Ari Williams (JR; CF; Moreno Valley, CA) was also a First-Team Selection improving on her Second-Team selection last season. Williams was one of the most consistent players in the Titan lineup this season hitting .311 overall and .359 in conference play. Her 33 runs scored are good for second most on the team as well as her 22 steals. This season, the junior broke the all-time stolen base record now sitting at 71 career stolen bases. It's also the third consecutive season with 20+ stolen bases, something no Titan has ever done before.
Sophie Frost (SO; P; Mill Creek, WA) is the final award winner, taking home a Second-Team selection. After minimal work in her freshman year, Frost has come out as the clear ace of the Titan pitching staff leading the team in just about every category. Her 2.17 overall ERA ranks fifth lowest in the conference and her 80 strikeouts ranks eighth. In her 26 appearances, the sophomore started 21 games and threw 16 complete games, five of which were shutouts.
Big West Awards:
Player of the Year: Savannah Horvath (CSUN)
Pitcher of the Year: Cielo Meza (LBSU)
Defensive Player of the Year: Hannah Rodriguez (UCR)
Freshman Field Player of the Year: Naomi Hernandez (LBSU)
Freshman Pitcher of the Year: Brooke Yanez (UCD)
Coach of the Year: Kelly Ford (CSF) and Kim Sowder (LBSU)
First Team All-Conference
Lindsey Chalmers (CP)
Stephanie Haywarad (CP)
Deshea Hill (CSF)
Zoe Richard (CSF)
Ari Williams (CSF)
Bryanna Ybarra (CSF)
Savannah Horvath (CSUN)
Nichole Fry (LBSU)
Naomi Hernandez (LBSU)
Cielo Meza (LBSU)
Taylor Rowland (LBSU)
Alyse Rojas (UCD)
Brooke Yanez (UCD)
Jenna Curtan (UCR)
Nicole Lopez (UH)
Second Team All-Conference
Chelsea Convissar (CP)
Sophie Frost (CSF)
Trish Parks (CSF)
Julia Valenzuela (CSF)
Sammie Vandiver (CSF)
Jessica Alexander (CSUN)
Mackenzie Babbit (CSUN)
Hailey Dolcini (UCR)
Emma Ramelot (UCR)
Hannah Rodriguez (UCR)
Sierra Altmeyer (UCSB)
Alyssa Diaz (UCSB)
Callee Heen (UH)
Honorable Mention
Hailey Martin (CP)
Brooke Clemetson (CSF)
Megan Stevens (CSUN)
Jessica Flores (LBSU)
Lauren Macleod (LBSU)
Devyn Magnett (LBSU)
Grayce Majam (LBSU)
Katie Kibby (UCD)
Isabella Leon (UCD)
Tayler Misfeldt (UCR)
Sammy Fabian (UCSB)
Freshman Team
Dakota Casper (CP)
Deshea Hill (CSF)
Jillian James (CSUN)
Naomi Hernandez (LBSU)
Alysa Rojas (UCD)
Brooke Yanez (UCD)
Hailey Dolcini (UCR)
Seanna Garewal (UCR)
Sammy Fabian (UCSB)
Maci Fines (UCSB)