Program record three Bulldogs tabbed First Team All-SEC

STARKVILLE, MS (WLBT) - For the first time in Mississippi State softball history, three Bulldogs earned First Team All-SEC honors as sophomore Mia Davidson, junior Fa Leilua and senior Kat Moore were selected as first-team honorees by the league’s coaches, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday.

The announcement marks the first time since 2009 that Mississippi State has boasted multiple All-SEC selections and the first time since 2008 (Chelsea Bramlett, Courtney Bures) that multiple Bulldogs have been tabbed to the All-SEC First Team. Mississippi State tied SEC regular-season champion Alabama for the most first-team selections.

Davidson earns her second consecutive All-SEC First Team honor, becoming the first Bulldog since Chelsea Bramlett (2008, 2009, 2010) to earn back-to-back first team selections.

Joining the Bulldog trio with postseason accolades was freshman outfielder Anna Kate Segars, who earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Turning in one of the most impressive slugging performances in SEC history, Davidson makes her return to the All-SEC First Team. Davidson closed the regular season as the conference leader in home runs per game (0.49), home runs (25) and total bases (142). The Hillsborough, North Carolina, native is also the NCAA Division I leader in home runs and home runs per game.

Her 25 home runs have set a new Mississippi State sophomore record and single-season record. The mark has tied Georgia’s Alex Hugo (2014) and Alabama’s Kelly Kretschman (1998) for the SEC’s single-season record.

Davidson rounded out the regular season ranking second in the conference with 61 RBI, becoming just the third Bulldog to record 60 RBI over a single season, and slugging percentage (.940). The Bulldog leader at the plate, Davidson also holds team highs in batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.492), runs scored (48), hits (59), doubles (8) and walks (21). Davidson is the lone player in the SEC to record at least 60 RBI, 55 hits and 45 runs scored this season.

Behind the dish, Davidson is lethal with four pick-offs and 10 runners caught stealing over her sophomore season. She holds a .980 fielding percentage, committing just six errors, coupled with 271 putouts and 30 assists.

Making a splash in her debut season in Maroon and White, Leilua led Mississippi State and all SEC designated players/utility athletes with a .387 average and eight home runs over league play. Leilua was one of two Bulldogs to start all 52 games this season as she finished second on the squad with a .369 batting average and .840 slugging percentage. The junior added 42 runs scored, 59 hits and 50 RBI.

The Hawthorne, California, native closed the regular season with 22 total home runs, which set a new Mississippi State junior record and ranks second in single-season history behind only her teammate Mia Davidson. Leilua currently ranks second in the SEC in home runs per game (0.42) and home runs, third in total bases (132) and fifth in slugging percentage.

Seeing action as a designated player and in the outfield, Leilua turned in a perfect fielding percentage over her debut season, recording nine putouts.

Saving her best for last, Moore earned her first All-SEC nod after turning up her slugging numbers at the plate. The Holly Springs, Mississippi, native slugged a career-high 11 home runs over the regular season to set a new Mississippi State senior record. Seven of her 11 home runs came in conference play, which led all SEC outfielders.

The centerfielder turned in a .336 average at the plate with 34 runs scored and ranked third on the team with 51 hits. Moore turned in a .645 slugging percentage over the regular-season, leading Mississippi State with four triples. She set a career high with 38 RBI.

Defensively, Moore recorded 60 putouts with four assists from the outfield. She also turned in a SportsCenter Top 10 performance with an athletic, home run-robbing grab against Memphis on April 10.

Wrapping up Mississippi State’s SEC honors, Segars is the second consecutive Bulldog to earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team, following Davidson in 2018. This marks the first time that Mississippi State has had back-to-back freshmen honored since the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Segars appeared in 36 total games for the Bulldogs, earning five starts in the outfield. The Moulton, Alabama, native turned in a .227 average in her 22 plate appearances with five hits, six runs scored and two RBI. The freshman held a .370 on-base percentage with help of three walks and two hit by pitches. Defensively, she recorded 22 putouts with three assists.