MONTICELLO, Ark. — The news today from the Gulf South Conference office was good for the University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team, as seniors Meredith Heckel and Gemma Gibson were named to the 2008 All-GSC first team, while junior teammate Lindsey Randall made the second team.
 
“This is an extremely great way to honor these young women for playing hard throughout the entire season,” said head softball coach and athletic director Alvy Early said. “This season we had our ups and downs, but it’s the leadership of these three, along with others, that kept us in the hunt for another conference tournament berth.”
 
Heckel (Hot Springs, Ark.) becomes just the fourth player in UAM history to earn first team honors in four straight seasons. Only Jodie Scott (2003-06), Lindsey Kight (2001-04) and Julie Bowen (1999-02) have accomplished the feat.
 
During the 2007 season, Heckel racked up a .298 overall batting average, while hitting .320 in conference games. She added 15 more home runs to her total, which puts her at 51 total over her four seasons. She had three multiple home run games during the season, and in nine games, drove in more than one run.
 
After holding the team’s longest hitting streak of the season with 11 straight games, she also finished the regular season leading the team with 34 RBI.
 
Heckel has started at first base and hit leadoff for all of UAM’s 51 games this season, aiding to the 10th straight berth into the conference tournament.

Gibson (Dodd City, Texas) is not a stranger to the All-GSC team either. As a freshman in 2005, Gibson was named to the second team after finishing the season with a .303 batting average.
 
This season, Gibson made the first team after hitting .305 with six doubles and seven stolen bases. She started the season as the team’s shortstop, but then was moved to center field and third base. She has played 27 games at third base, and has only made six errors for a .961 fielding percentage.

Randall (Keithville, La.) has been named to All-GSC second team after leading the Blossoms in hitting with a .365 batting average overall and a .378 average in GSC games.
 
The transfer from Bossier Parrish Community College has started 49 games at shortstop and two at third base and finished the regular season with a .900 fielding percentage.
 
Randall drove in more than one run in nine different games, while having five games of at least three hits.
 

“For us to do what we should do in the tournament, these three have to be focused and ready to go,” said Early. “Their leadership is a big factor in our success. Having said that, I am very proud of them, and it has been a privilege to coach Gemma and Meredith, and I’m looking for great things to come out of Lindsey next season.”
 
The Blossoms open play in the 2008 GSC Softball Championship Tournament on Friday, May 2 at noon against Alabama-Huntsville. The game can be heard live on the radio at KHBM-FM 93.7 and online at uamsports.com.