Duke’s Claire Davidson named ACC Softball Player of the Year

Duke senior Claire Davidson batted .423 and became the first Blue Devil to ever bat in 60 runs in a single season, earning her ACC Player of the Year honors.

The ACC unanimously named Duke senior Claire Davidson its Player of the Year on Wednesday.

Davidson helped lead the Blue Devils to a program-record 44 wins during the regular season. She batted .423, the best mark on the team, and she racked up extra-base hits. Davidson finished with 16 doubles, 17 home runs, and a school-record 61 RBIs to end up with a slugging percentage of 0.923. the highest mark in the Power 5.

Davidson hit another gear down the stretch of the regular season. Over an 11-game stretch from March 28 to April 13, she hit eight home runs and batted in 21 runs.

She tallied at least three hits in five different games, she hit two home runs in the same game against North Carolina on April 7, and she recorded multiple RBIs in 17 of Duke’s 50 games.

The Blue Devils, who won the regular-season conference crown, swept the ACC awards. Senior Jala Wright was named Pitcher of the Year, sophomore second baseman Aminah Vega was named Defensive Player of the Year, and coach Marissa Young earned Coach of the Year honors.