With the softball season in the books for 2023, we reached out to head coaches for all the local teams for Player of the Year Nominees. Coaches were permitted to send up to their top 5 players for consideration. The nominee pool includes 29 players. Next up, we will whittle the list down to a finalist group, and the public will be able to vote for a last finalist to join the final list.

Izzy Anthros – Union County FR P #5

STATS: 11-9, 2.27 ERA, 126 K, 111 IP; .355 AVG (27 Hits), 4 HR, 27 RBI, 15 R, 7 2B, 4 3B, 8 BB

Layne Bailey – Dawson County SR P #1

STATS: 17-9, 1.80 ERA, 164 K, 18 BB, 0.971 WHIP, 162.2 IP; .345 AVG (40/116), 4 HR, 19 RBI, 9 2B

Taylor Burton – Lumpkin County SO P/1B #21

STATS: .377 AVG, 4 HR, 23 RBI, .429 OBP

Ace Cochran – Dawson County JR CF #13

STATS: .411 AVG (46/112), 15 RBI, 9 2B, 11 BB, 2 SB; 4 OF Assists

Emily Diffenderfer – Habersham Central JR 3B #0

STATS: .385 AVG, 15 RBI, 24 R, 24 SB, .467 OBP, .462 SLG, .928 OPS, .928 FLD

Sloane Dyer – Union County JR 1B #13

STATS: .382 AVG (26 Hits), 20 RBI, 23 R, 4 2B, 12 BB

Elizabeth Edwards – Towns County SR 1B #27

STATS: .344 AVG, 12 RBI, 18 R, .449 OBP; .960 FLD, 112 PO

Chloe Erlewine – Rabun County JR C #22

STATS: .364 AVG (24/66), 2 HR, 24 RBI, 5 2B, 2 3B, .457 OBP, 1.048 OPS

Logan Fain – White County SO 3B #24

STATS: .417 AVG (30 Hits), 4 HR, 32 RBI, 22 R, 8 BB, .452 OBP, 1.119 OPS; .962 FLD, 53 AST, 22 PO

Scotlyn Fain – Towns County SO SS/P #23

STATS: .320 AVG, 11 RBI, 17 R, 10 SB, .410 OBP; .946 FLD, 38 PO, 50 Assists

Mary Faulkner – Banks County SO SS #10

STATS: .494 AVG (42 Hits), 3 HR, 25 RBI, 34 R, 11 2B, 2 3B, 19 BB, 7 K, 20 SB

Peyton Gaylor – Banks County FR P #7

STATS: 20 Wins, 2.00 ERA, 176 K, 175 IP, 27 BB, .931 WHIP

Gracie Gladding – Union County SR C #9

STATS: .534 AVG (39 Hits), 8 HR, 35 RBI, 9 R, 5 2B, 13 BB

Bryce Greenwood – Dawson County SO C #8

STATS: .425 AVG (48/113), 3 HR, 29 RBI, 11 2B, 6 K; 8 CS, 4 Pickoffs

Emma Hare – White County JR SS #22

STATS: .400 AVG (38 Hits), 16 RBI, 33 R, 37 SB, 7 BB, .447 OBP; .980 FLD, 53 AST, 43 PO

Reagan Hays – Jefferson SO 2B #14

STATS: .446 AVG, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 30 R, 9 2B, .505 OBP

Lilly Helton – Union County JR DP #21

STATS: .380 AVG (19 Hits), 13 RBI, 10 R, 4 2B, 4 BB

Christina Keller – Rabun County SR P #2

STATS: .369 AVG (24/65), 21 RBI, 30 R, 18 SB, 3 2B, 1 2B, .506 OBP

Lily Kidd – Lumpkin County JR 3B #36

STATS: .379 AVG, 15 RBI, 4 2B, .439 OBP (missed last 8 games to injury)

Drew Livingston – Towns County JR DP #3

STATS: .400 AVG, 14 RBI, 9 R, .466 OBP

Laura Mauldin – Towns County SR C #10

STATS: .413 AVG, 11 RBI, 17 R, 5 SB, .550 OBP; .984 FLD, 115 PO

Jacie McCall – Rabun County JR CF #5

STATS: .333 AVG (26/78), 1 HR, 28 RBI, 17 R, 8 2B, 1 3B

Georgia Patton – Union County SR SS #7

STATS: .439 AVG (36 Hits), 1 HR, 16 RBI, 30 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 9 BB

Gillian Price – Jefferson JR CF #20

STATS: .512 AVG, .539 OBP, 30 R, 22 SB

Jenna Rapp – Jefferson FR SS #3

STATS: .455 AVG, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 33 R, 7 2B, 5 3B, .500 OBP

Shelby Rinefierd – Habersham Central JR C #10

STATS: .329 AVG, 12 RBI, .346 OBP, .418 SLG, 763 OPS, .989 FLD, 5 PB in 142.2 INN

Desiree Trudel – Commerce JR SS/P/3B #00

STATS: .468 AVG (29/62), 10 HR, 23 RBI, 19 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 9 BB, 6 K, .527 OBP, 1.065 SLG, 1.592 OPS; 3-3, 5.63 ERA, 42 K, 41 IP; .962 FLD, 3 E

Riley Walker – Stephens County JR OF #4

STATS: .405 AVG (30 Hits), 3 HR, 20 RBI, 22 R, 9 2B, 2 3B, .416 OBP; 10-8, 4.20 ERA, 53 K

Mili Watts – Rabun County SR SS #12

STATS: .577 AVG (45/78), 5 HR, 22 RBI, 42 R, 12 SB, 8 2B, 5 3B, .649 OBP, 1.649 OPS