Honnold and Laird Named to All-SEC Softball Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri softball players Alex Honnold and Jenna Laird were both named to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team, the league announced Friday. 

For Honnold, the SEC postseason honor is the first in her career at Mizzou.

The junior center fielder from West Des Moines, Iowa, ranked 10th in conference play with a .443 on-base percentage. She hit .290 in SEC games with four home runs, two doubles, 14 runs, and 10 RBI to go with a .493 slugging percentage.

Overall, in 2023, Honnold was fifth in the league for batting average (.414, 27th in the NCAA), slugging percentage (.800, 21st in the NCAA), on-base percentage (.554, 10th in the NCAA) and runs (51). She was also third for walks (42), sixth for triples (3), seventh for hits (60), ninth for RBI (46), and ninth for home runs (13) this season. Honnold also compiled 11 doubles. 

Her slugging percentage ranks second all-time in Mizzou program history while her batting average stands seventh. Honnold is also fifth in the record books for walks in a single season. 

Honnold has registered 19 multi-hit games (second on MU) and a team-best 10 multi-RBI games in 2023. She had a reached-base streak of 17 games and a hitting streak of 11 games. 

Honnold, a Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 20.

For Laird, the SEC postseason honor is her sixth in her career at Mizzou and second-straight All-SEC Second Team (three-time All-SEC player).

The junior shortstop, and leadoff hitter from East Meadow, New York, paced the Tigers in SEC play with a .291 batting average to go with 14 runs, three doubles, five RBI, .371 on-base percentage, and a .329 slugging percentage. 

In the league, Laird ranked third for total plate appearances (90), fifth for steals (7), and fifth for at bats (79) during SEC play. 

Overall, in 2023, Laird was first in the SEC for total plate appearances (218), second for steals (30, 22nd in the NCAA), second for at bats (188), fifth for walks (64), and sixth for runs (49). She was second on Mizzou behind Honnold with a .340 batting average with 49 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, 29 RBI, a .429 on-base percentage and a .415 slugging percentage. 

Laird also notched 96 assists (10th in SEC, 41 assists in SEC play) in the middle of the infield.  

She led Mizzou with 22 multi-hit games and was second on the squad with nine multi-RBI games. Laird tallied a team-best 18-game reached base streak and an eight-game hitting streak in 2023. 

The All-SEC Teams consist of 21 student-athletes on the First Team, 21 student-athletes on the Second Team, and a nine-member All-Defensive Team. No ties were broken. 

Skylar Wallace of Florida was selected as the Player of the Year, and Maddie Penta of Auburn was named the Pitcher of the Year. Karlyn Pickens of Tennessee was tabbed the Freshman of the Year, and Karen Weekly of Tennessee was chosen as the Coach of the Year.

The Tigers will now wait for Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show. The selection show will air on ESPN2 at 6 p.m., CT and will announce the 64 teams that will be competing across 16 regionals.

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