Mark Redburn was named Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year and junior Rachel Rook was tabbed OVC Pitcher of the Year headlining SEMO Softball’s All-Conference honorees for the 2021 season.
Redburn earned his second-straight OVC Coach of the Year award after leading the Redhawks to a program record 23 conference wins and their second consecutive OVC regular-season title. In league play alone, SEMO outscored its opponents by a +100 (165-65) margin. Statistically, the Redhawks rank among the league's top two teams in 15 different statistical categories.
A native of Republic, Missouri, Rook is only the second player in SEMO softball history to garner OVC Pitcher of the Year accolades. Also a First-Team All-OVC selection, Rook leads the OVC in five statistical categories. Nationally, Rook ranks eighth in saves, 15th in shutouts, and among the top 35 in three other categories: 29th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.8), 32nd in strikeouts and 33rd in wins.
In addition, first baseman Ashley Ellis and center fielder Rachel Anderson earned first-team All-OVC accolades along with Rook, while freshmen Jillian Anderson and Katie Dreiling landed on the league's All-Newcomer team.
The Redhawks clinched back-to-back OVC Regular Season titles last weekend, and this week are competing in the OVC Softball Championship tournament in Oxford, Ala., for the chance to return to an NCAA Regional. The top-seeded Redhawks won their opening round game yesterday with an 11-2 victory over fourth-seed Jacksonville State.
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