From Staff Reports

MONTEVALLO – The University of Montevallo set a new Peach Belt Conference record with five Falcons being named either Player of the Year, Runner of the Year or Athlete of the Year in women’s sports in the conference during the 2016-17 academic year. 

The Falcons featured the PBC women’s cross country Runner of the Year in junior Katie Nelson, the PBC volleyball Player of the Year in junior Kristy Bohan, the PBC women’s golf Player of the Year in senior Arin Eddy, the PBC softball Player of the Year in Kelsey Vining and the PBC women’s track and field Athlete of the Year in Chelsea alum Cheyenne Thompson.

CHEYENNE THOMPSON (PBC WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR)

Thompson, who was also named the EAB Elite 15 Award winner with the highest grade-point average in the championship event, claimed the individual title in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 1,500-meter run, as well as finishing runner-up in the women’s 5,000-meter run and finishing seventh in the women’s 800-meter run.

Thompson won the women’s 1,500-meter run after setting a new program record with her time of 4:34.48, which also set a new Peach Belt Conference record.

The Chelsea, Alabama native also set a new PBC and school record with her time of 10:57.01 in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Thompson started off the final day of the PBC Championship with her runner-up performance in the women’s 5,000-meter run with her time of 18:09.72. Thompson then came in seventh overall in the women’s 800-meter run with her time of 2:20.57.

KATIE NELSON (PBC WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR)

Nelson became the first student-athlete to be named the Peach Belt Conference Runner of the Year three times since the award was designated for regular-season accomplishments in 2008.

The junior from Brewton, Alabama was also named the conference’s Runner of the Week three times this season.

Nelson won the Jacksonville State University Foothills Invitational and the Florida State University Invitational and has finished in the top 10 in individual standings in all four races during the regular season.

Nelson held two of the top three-fastest 6K times in the Peach Belt Conference this season, along with the fastest 5K time. Nelson finished runner-up in the PBC Championship with a 6K time of 21:43.8. She came in third overall in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championship with a 6K time of 21:29.4 while also leading the Falcons in the NCAA Division II National Championship with a 6K time of 22:08.2.

KRISTY BOHAN (PBC VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR)

Bohan was also named a second team NCAA Division II All-American by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association and the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America, becoming the first member of the Montevallo volleyball program to earn All-American honors since Gretchen Koppersmith, Brigin Hales and Carla Ragland were each named National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-Americans in 1995.

Bohan was also named the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Player of the Year and a first team All-Region selection by the D2CCA and CoSIDA. She was also named a first team NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, well as the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year and a first team All-Conference selection.

The Huntsville, Alabama native either led the Peach Belt Conference or finished second in the conference in seven different statistical categories.

Bohan led the Peach Belt Conference with 452 total kills and an average of 4.26 kills per set, which also ranked her 13th nationally among all NCAA Division II players at the end of the regular season. She also led the conference with 115 total blocks and finished second in the conference with an average of 1.08 blocks per set.

Bohan also led the conference with 548.5 points and finished first in the conference with her average of 5.2 points per set, which also ranked her fifth nationally among all NCAA Division II players at the end of the regular season.

She also finished second in the conference with her .333 hitting percentage.

Bohan registered 27 kills in the Falcons’ 3-1 loss against Augusta University in a Peach Belt Conference match Sept. 17, which marked the most kills by a PBC player in a single match this season.

Bohan also registered 10 blocks in the Falcons’ 3-2 win over Belmont Abbey College in a non-conference match Sept. 9, which marked the most blocks by a PBC player in a single match this season.

Bohan was also named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Academic Team with a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade-point average as a Psychology major.

ARIN EDDY (PBC WOMEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE YEAR)

Eddy turned in a phenomenal performance in her final season with the Falcons. This past season, the Hartsell, Alabama native led the PBC with second top-10 finishes in nine events this year.

Eddy recorded her fourth career win at the season-opening Full Moon Invitational.  A two-time PBC Player of the Week, she shot a 67 at the Full Moon, the lowest single round in the PBC this year.  She also finished 10th at the Barry Women’s Invitational, shooting a 219 over the three rounds, the second lowest 54-hole total in the PBC.

Eddy finished the season second overall in stroke percentage at 74.20 and had four top-five results.

This is the first time that Eddy has earned this award and also helps keep the Player of the Year honor at Montevallo for the fifth time in the last seven years.

Eddy was also named to the All-Conference first team by PBC Coaches for the third time in her career.

KELSEY VINING (PBC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR)

Vining was also named a first team All-Peach Belt Conference selection for the third consecutive season.

The center fielder from Plano, Texas led the Falcons with a .403 batting average, which ranked her fifth in the Peach Belt Conference this season, while also driving in a team-high 35 runs.

Vining also led Montevallo with a .643 slugging percentage and a .467 on-base percentage while finishing with four home runs on the season, which tied her for second on the team. Vining led the Falcons with 18 extra-base hits during the regular season.

The preseason All-Peach Belt Conference selection showed off her speed on the base paths with five triples, which tied her for first in the conference, and 25 stolen bases, which ranked her fifth in the conference. Vining was also second on the team with 25 runs scored during the regular season.

Vining, who started all 45 of the Falcons’ games this season, was also named a preseason National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II Player of the Year watch list selection and a preseason NCAA Division II All-American by the NFCA. Vining was also named the top junior in the Southeast Region by Down South Softball before the season.