IRVING, Texas - Conference USA has announced the 2017 softball all-conference teams and postseason superlative awards, as selected by a nomination and vote by the league's 12 head coaches. After claiming its first regular season title and the No. 1 overall seed in the C-USA Championship, nationally-recognized Marshall claimed three of the five superlative awards. Head Coach Shonda Stanton was voted C-USA Coach of the Year, while a pair of her senior leaders in Jordan Dixon (C-USA Pitcher of the Year) and Morgan Zerkle (C-USA Player of the Year) were also recognized. Rookie standout Shannon Saile paced the FIU pitching staff to the league's lowest ERA and earned C-USA Freshman of the Year honors, while Louisiana Tech's Krystal De La Cruz helped lead her squad to a West Division Crown, garnering C-USA Newcomer of the Year accolades in the process.

Stanton, the winningest coach in Marshall softball history, reached the 30-win plateau for the 12th time during her time in Huntington, West Virginia. She led the 2017 squad to a league-best 20-4 record in C-USA play and a current national ranking of No. 23 in the NFCA Coaches Poll.

Dixon, who has accumulated the most wins among pitchers in the program's history, became just the second player in C-USA history to reach the 100-win, 1,000-strikeout milestone in her illustrious career. This season, the senior leads the league in strikeouts (165, seventh nationally), wins (30, second nationally) and innings pitched (237.2, second nationally). Her 1.74 ERA and .189 opposing batting average both rank second among league leaders.

Zerkle, who has compiled a storied career herself, lived up to the billing of her Preseason Player of the Year selection. The Milton, West Virginia, native is one of 34 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and will continue her career this summer with Team USA and as a member of the Scrap Yard Dawgs of National Pro Fastpitch. Zerkle leads C-USA in batting average (.476) and ranks among the top 10 in runs scored (44, sixth), doubles (12, t-fourth), total bases (115, third), hits (69, second), RBI (42, fourth) and stolen bases (37, t-third). This season, the senior became Marshall's all-time leader in stolen bases and triples.

Saile garnered C-USA Freshman of the Year honors following a highly productive rookie campaign in the circle. The FIU ace boasts a league-best 1.46 ERA paired with a 17-8 record over 33 appearances and has been recognized as C-USA Pitcher of the Week four times this season. The Land O'Lakes, Florida, native has allowed just one run while striking out 62 over her last nine appearances (6-0). In her wins over division leaders Marshall and Louisiana Tech, Saile posted an ERA of 0.14 and an opponent batting average of .089.

Rounding out the specialty awards was Louisiana Tech's Krystal De La Cruz who snagged the C-USA Newcomer of the Year award. The sophomore transfer from Texas A&M International made an immediate impact for the Lady Techsters, bolstering their pitching staff to the fourth-best ERA in the league (2.46) and clinching the C-USA West Division crown. De La Cruz's 2.03 ERA this season ranks sixth among league leaders and her three home runs allowed is the least among qualifying C-USA pitchers.

2017 Conference USA Softball Specialty Awards
Pitcher of the Year: Jordan Dixon, Marshall
Player of the Year: Morgan Zerkle, Marshall
Freshman of the Year: Shannon Saile, FIU
Newcomer of the Year: Krystal De La Cruz, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year: Shonda Stanton, Marshall

First-Team All-Conference USA
C - Taylor McCord, Marshall
C - Morgan Harris, Middle Tennessee
IF - Haley Pace, Charlotte
IF - Stephanie Texeira, FIU
IF - Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic
IF - Morgan Zerkle, Marshall
IF - Kelli Schkade, North Texas
OF - Jackie Schoff, FIU
OF - Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
OF - Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee
OF - Lindsey Stewart, UTSA
DP/Utility - Ali Galaz, Louisiana Tech
P - Shannon Saile, FIU
P - Krystal De La Cruz, Louisiana Tech
P - Jordan Dixon, Marshall

Second-Team All-Conference USA
C - Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
C - Molli Garcia, UAB
IF - Ashley Leon, FIU
IF - Elicia D'Orazio, Marshall
IF - Lauren Holifield, Southern Miss
IF - Taylor Sargent, UTEP
IF - Cortney Smith, UTEP
OF - Delaney Rickey, Florida Atlantic
OF - Jazlyn Crowder, Louisiana Tech
OF - Eloise Tribolet, Marshall
OF - Samantha Reynolds, Southern Miss
OF - Bailee Baldwin, UTSA
OF - Celeste Loughman, UTSA
DP/Utility - Kaitlin Ryder, UTEP
DP/Utility - Jordan Mauch, WKU
P - Haley Wiseman, Charlotte
P - Amanda Wilson, Florida Atlantic
P - Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech

Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Shannon Saile, FIU
Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
Elizabeth DeShields, Marshall
Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
Lacy Gregory, North Texas
Lindsay Gregory, North Texas
Claire Blount, UAB
Destini England, UAB
Celeste Loughman, UTSA
Lindsey Stewart, UTSA
Kelsey Aikey, WKU