Softball 5/10/2023 8:01:00 AM

Abi Ledbetter Receives MVC Defensive Player of the Year

Maya Johnson Earns All-Conference Second Team Honors

NASHVILLE-- Belmont Softball's Abi Ledbetter named Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year alongside All-Defensive Team honors announced by the league office Wednesday morning. Maya Johnson received the MVC All-Second Team nod.

The senior from Livingston, Tenn. has posted another impressive season at first base for the Bruins. With appearances in all 50 games and 47 starts for the Bruins the first baseman has routinely covered first base with poise, dominance, with an occasional split. The senior has mastered fly ball catches along the first base line.

Aside from Belmont's catching position, Ledbetter posted the team high of 234 putouts with 246 catches for a .976 fielding percentage.

Ledbetter was also a part of five successful double plays for the team's high.

In her four year career as a Bruin Ledbetter has produced 843 putouts to successfully man first base.

This season Ledbetter posted an individual high of 11 putouts in the final game of the University of Illinois Chicago to help sweep the Flames.

A force on the field and in the classroom Ledbetter, has also received conference academic honors three times in her career, being named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll list in 2020, 2021, and 2022

Maya Johnson also received MVC honors as she was named to the All-Conference second team for her spectacular performances in the circle.

Johnson holds the regular season record in the NCAA for the most strikeouts in a single game at 22. Being the only Division I softball player this season to have two 20+ strikeout appearances.

The redshirt freshman sits at 199 strikeouts in 20 appearances with a 2.14 ERA. Johnson picked up 10 wins in her first season at Belmont in 101.1 innings pitched.

The Bruins will appear in their first MVC Championship contest Wednesday afternoon against Bradley University as the seventh seed in the tournament.

Follow Belmont Softball on social media - @BelmontSoftball on Twitter and @belmontsoftball on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

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Players Mentioned

#43 Abi Ledbetter: INF; 5' 10"; Senior

#23 Maya Johnson: P; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

#43 Abi Ledbetter
: 5' 10"; Senior
: INF

#23 Maya Johnson
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: P

Players Mentioned

#43 Abi Ledbetter

#23 Maya Johnson

Players Mentioned

#43 Abi Ledbetter

#23 Maya Johnson