Okeechobee Native LeAnna Cotton Named All-OAC in Softball

2014 May 5

LeAnna Cotton, a native of Okeechobee, FL, and member of the Capital University softball team, was one of three Crusaders to garner All-Ohio Athletic Conference accolades, the league announced Saturday following the conclusion of the conference tournament.

Junior centerfielder Kelsey Swain (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) and sophomore second baseman Brooklyn Staten (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) earned second team All-OAC honors, while junior left fielder LeAnna Cotton (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee) was named honorable mention all-conference. The trio helped the Crusaders post the program's 16th consecutive season with 20 or more wins under head coach Nan Payne.

Swain, now a three-time second team All-OAC honoree, led Capital with a .399 batting average and 35 runs scored in 40 games played and currently ranks in the top five in the league in both stolen bases (16) and triples (3). She also led all outfielders on the team with five assists and registered 17 multi-hit games for the season.

Last season, Swain was selected first team All-Central Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and earned All-OAC Tournament honors.

Staten, the 2013 OAC Rookie of the Year, played and started in 36 contests, finishing second on the team in batting average (.360) and runs (25). She currently leads the OAC with 12 sacrifice hits and ranks ninth in the conference in stolen bases (9).

Staten was also a second team All-OAC pick in 2013.

Cotton led the team and ranks in the top 10 in the conference in home runs (7), runs batted in (32), total bases (75) and slugging percentage (.581). She also stands fourth in the league with eight sacrifice hits.

A two-year starter in the outfield, Cotton was named Academic All-OAC a year ago.