Gators shortstop [autotag]Skylar Wallace[/autotag] is the best softball player in the Southeastern Conference.
That statement became fact on Friday afternoon when the conference announced its postseason awards and crowned Wallace the SEC Player of the Year.
Wallace is the seventh Gator to win the award and first since Amanda Lorenz did it in 2018. She is slashing .463/.613/1.052 and has belted 19 home runs, drove in 55 runs and stolen 30 bases. Her batting average, slugging percentage, eight triples and 141 total bases lead the SEC as well.
Naturally, the conference player of the year also earned an All-SEC First Team nod, as did teammate Charla Echols for a second-straight season. Kendra Falby and Reagan Walsh were named to the All-SEC Second Team, too.
The Gators were knocked out of the SEC tournament a few hours after Wallace received the good news. A 4-0 loss to top-seeded Tennessee end the conference title run for Florida, but the NCAA Tournament still awaits. Regional placements will be announced on Sunday.
Wallace should get a chance to tie the program record for homers during the tournament. At 19, she sits just three behind Brittany Schutte’s 2011 record of 22 big home runs. Florida is guaranteed at least two more games this season with it being double-elimination, and Wallace has gone deep three times in one game before.
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1959]
[mm-video type=video id=01gz591pdh0pc5ff0qrc playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gz591pdh0pc5ff0qrc/01gz591pdh0pc5ff0qrc-2405793ca1ac6b563e18ee86d305a820.jpg]
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.