AUBURN, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced its post-season awards Friday morning with head coach Karen Weekly and freshman Karlyn Pickens garnering individual honors. McKenna Gibson, Payton Gottshall, Taylor Pannell, Pickens and Rylie West garnered All-SEC First Team honors – while Kiki Milloy, Sophia Nugent and Zaida Puni landed second-team recognition.
Leading Tennessee to a 40-9 record and its second straight SEC regular season crown, Weekly garnered 2024 SEC Coach of the Year honors. It is the second year in a row that Weekly has been named coach of the year and is her fourth time being tabbed as the award winner.
After a dominating season in the circle, sophomore Karlyn Pickens was voted as SEC Pitcher of the Year – joining Monica Abbott as the only Lady Vols to win the award.
With only conference stats considered, Pickens finished SEC play with a 9-3 record, six complete games, four shutouts and a save. The flamethrower notched 94 strikeouts over 86.2 innings of work and held opposing hitters to a .181 batting average.
The Weaverville, North Carolina, native closed league play with a 1.70 ERA.
Since 1997, UT has collected 85 total All-SEC accolades from 47 student-athletes.
Voted on by the league’s 13 head coaches, the All-SEC Teams consist of 21 student-athletes on the First Team, 21 student-athletes on the Second Team and a nine-member All-Defensive Team. No ties were broken in the selection process.
McKenna Gibson • 3B • Jr. • Santa Clarita, Calif.
Named All-SEC First Team in consecutive seasons, Gibson has been a steady performer for Tennessee. Hitting .291 with a .506 and .345 slugging and on-base percentage, the third baseman has five doubles, four home runs and 19 RBIs in SEC play this season.
Payton Gottshall • P • Gr. • Massillon, Ohio
One of the best pitchers in the nation, Gottshall holds a 1.41 ERA in conference play with a 9-2 record. The right-hander tossed four complete games and two shutouts with 68 strikeouts over 69.1 innings pitched. She held opposing hitters to a .147 batting average. Gottshall is a first-time All-SEC team member.
Taylor Pannell • OF • R-Fr. • Milan, Ill.
The redshirt freshman led Tennessee in conference play this season with a .342 batting average, six home runs and finished second on the squad with 18 runs batted in. Pannell slugged .589 with a .360 on-base percentage. This marks Pannell’s first appearance on the All-SEC team.
Karlyn Pickens • P • So. • Weaverville, N.C.
The other half of Tennessee’s one-two punch in the circle, Pickens was named the SEC Pitcher of the Year after a stellar sophomore season. Pickens earned All-SEC First Team honors for the first time in 2024 after earning second-team accolades in 2023.
Rylie West • OF • Sr. • Eastvale, Calif.
A senior outfielder, West slashed .308/.538/.356 in league play as she garnered All-SEC First Team accolades for the first time in her career. Playing in 21 games, West scored 13 runs, clubbed four home runs and drove in 11 runs in her final season on Rocky Top.
Kiki Milloy • OF • Gr. • Woodinville, Wash.
For the fourth time in her career, Milloy has earned All-SEC honors. A second-team member, the graduate hit .284, scored a team-high 20 runs with four doubles and three home runs. Milloy also stole a team-best seven bases during conference play.
Sophia Nugent • C • Jr. • Seal Beach, Calif.
A first-year Lady Vol, Nugent was tabbed All-SEC Second Team after hitting .277 with 10 runs, four doubles, five home runs and 14 RBIs. The junior was solid behind the plate with 118 putouts and three assists.
Zaida Puni • DP • Sr. • Carson, Calif.
The senior split time at first base and being the designated player in 2024 – earning All-SEC honors for the third time. Puni knocked five home runs during the conference season with 17 RBIs – slugging .507 with a .425 on-base percentage.
