BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Former Ouachita softball member Haley Chambers and current Lady Tiger Kristen Rigsbee continue to earn honors for their outstanding individual performances, as both were named to the Gulf South Conference West Division All-Decade First Team, officials announced on Thursday.
After helping set the all-time program best wins mark in 2010 with a 36-24 overall mark, Chambers earned honors as an outfielder, while teammate Rigsbee was named to the team as a designated player. Both continue to compile an impressive list of accolades even after the season has been complete.
Chambers became the first All-American in Ouachita Baptist Softball history, when the Booneville native was named to the 2010 Daktronics All-America First Team as an outfielder, recording the honor after earning a First Team spot on the 2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Region team, as well as the 2010 Daktronics All-South Region Softball Team as an outfielder. The Booneville native also was named to the 2010 All-GSC First Team. Chambers collected 206 hits, 28 home runs and 130 RBI during her four-year career from 2007-2010.
Along with the postseason awards, the senior was named Louisville Slugger/National Fast Pitch Coaches Association Division II National Player of the Week and also Gulf South Conference Player of the Week on March 17 after recording 15 RBI in 19 plate appearances and hitting .684 with four doubles, two home runs and a triple.
As the Lady Tigers set the all-time program wins mark, Chambers ranked among the conference’s best in the majority of offensive categories, including teaming up with Rigsbee and junior Sarah Bell to set the program-best home run mark with 13, breaking the previous record of 12 that Rigsbee set in 2008. The senior finished second in the GSC in RBI (69) and batting average (.435), third in slugging percentage (.769), doubles (19) and total bases (143), fourth in hits (81) and fifth in on-base percentage (.483).
Rigsbee garnered Second Team honors on the 2010 Daktronics All-South Region Team as a designated player, after earning First Team honors on the All-GSC Team as a pitcher and designated player. The Frisco native finished 20-10 on the mound in 2010, recording 205 strikeouts in 191 innings. At the plate, the junior was equally as dangerous, hitting .390 with 11 doubles, 13 home runs and 45 RBI on 69 hits. Rigsbee also earned GSC Player of the Week honors on April 6, after hitting .555 for the week with four home runs and driving in 14 RBI in 18 plate appearances.
During her career from 2008-present, Rigsbee has accumulated a .407 career batting average, along with 32 home runs and 103 RBI at the plate.
Arkansas-Monticello’s Meredith Heckel and Delta State’s Alyse Hasty were named co-West Division Players of the Decade, while Lindsey Kight was honored as the West Division Pitcher of the Decade. Alvy Early of Arkansas-Monticello gave the Cotton Blossoms a clean sweep of All-Decade honors as he was honored as Coach of the Decade by conference officials.
