KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s Meghan Gregg was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year while Caylan Arnold earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning.
Gregg was also named All-SEC first team and earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team. Arnold was chosen for the All-Freshman Team as well. Other Vols that collected SEC postseason honors were sophomores Brooke Vines and Matty Moss, who were both named All-SEC second team, and Chelsea Seggern, who joined Arnold on the All-Freshman Team.
With this year’s honorees, UT has now had 57 All-SEC selections and 26 SEC All-Freshman picks in program history.
Gregg is the fifth player in Tennessee history to earn player of the year honors, joining the likes of former All-Americans India Chiles (2007), Tonya Callahan (2008), Lauren Gibson (2013) and Madison Shipman (2014). The junior shortstop is having a career year, leading the SEC in RBIs, batting average, slugging percentage, doubles and total bases. Her 71 RBIs are a career high and rank fourth in UT single-season history. The Williamson, Ga., native has also been stellar defensively, posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in SEC play. This marks the second straight year that Gregg has earned All-SEC first team recognition. She is also a finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
Arnold is the fourth Volunteer to take home SEC Freshman of the Year honors and the first since 2011. Other Freshman of the Year selections include Monica Abbott (2004), Kat Dotson (2010) and Ellen Renfroe (2011). The Maryville, Tenn., native has been phenomenal all season long for UT, posting a 19-7 record with a 1.90 ERA and 140 strikeouts. She has recorded wins over eight ranked opponents, including victories over Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida, who have combined to win the past five national championships. Arnold’s 140 strikeouts are the most by a Tennessee freshman since Renfroe had 259 in 2011. She is also a top-25 finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year award.
Vines was named All-SEC for the first time in her career after earning All-Freshman Team honors last season. The versatile sophomore led the Vols with 22 RBIs in conference play and has set career highs in nearly every offensive category this season. Vines ranks second on the team in batting average, hits, RBIs, slugging percentage and total bases.
Moss has also built off a strong freshman campaign last year and earned All-SEC accolades for the first time in her career. The sophomore right hander ranks second in the SEC with 23 wins and is tied for fourth in the league with a career-high 162 strikeouts. The Greenville, S.C., native has defeated eight ranked teams while leading the pitching staff with a 1.80 ERA. She has also thrown 11 complete games and five shutouts this season, both career bests.
Seggern earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors after starting all 53 regular-season games at third base for UT. The Texas native ranks fourth on the team with 30 RBIs and is second on the squad with 18 extra-base hits. Seggern has also provided the Vols with a steady presence at third base, leading the team with 115 assists.
To view the full All-SEC teams click HERE.
Tennessee opens postseason play in the SEC Tournament at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. The host Vols enter the tournament as the No. 3 overall seed and will play the winner of Wednesday’s first-round game between No. 6 LSU and No. 11 Missouri.
-UT Athletics
