Nine Chipola Softball Players Named o All-Panhandle Conference Team

In her first season as head coach, Coach Kelly Brookins had nine players make the All-Panhandle Conference teams as voted by the league's coaches. The Florida College System Acitivites Association announced the team honors on their website on Monday, May 2. Head coaches from the five Panhandle Conference colleges selected First and Second Teams comprised of 17 players while any remaining players who received more than one vote were named Honorable Mention.

Five members of the 2022 squad were named to the Panhandle's First Team: Charity Bibbs, Janelle Martinez, Zayla McBurrows, Kinzie Nelson, and Marley Sims.

Charity Bibbs, a freshman right fielder from Vestavia Hills, Alabama, led the team in home runs with 12 and in slugging percentage at .624. She finished the regular season tied for second in the FSCAA in home runs, just one away from the leader. Bibbs was also strong in the circle for the Lady Indians. She started seven games and had a record of 4-1, including one complete game. She struck out 41 in 39.1 innings of work and had an ERA of 1.78.

Freshman catcher, Janelle Martinez was a force to be reckoned with in Coach Brookins' lineup all season. Batting third much of the season, Martinez drove in 60 runs to lead the Lady Indians in RBIs. Martinez batted .420 in 150 at-bats in 2022 and slugged four home runs. Opponents rarely attempted to run on her as she allowed just two stolen bases and threw out three attempting to steal.

Lake Wales native, Zayla McBurrows is making her second appearance on the All-Panhandle First Team. After being selected as an at-large player a season ago, she was named to this year's team as a Pitcher. The 2021 FCSAA/Region VIII Tournament MVP once again put up strong numbers for the Lady Indians and carried much of the load. In 20 starts and 89 innings pitched, McBurrows was 15-4 in the circle and carried an ERA of 1.81. She finished the regular season with 97 strikeouts, 13th in the FCSAA.

In 2021, Kinzie Nelson made the All-Panhandle Conference Second Team as a catcher. This season, she has been selected onto the First Team as an At-Large selection. The Bonifay native batted .347 in 2022 and was second on the team in home runs with five. Splitting time with Martinez behind the dish, Nelson did not make an error all season.

Another two-time member of the All-Panhandle Conference First Team is Marley Sims from Gulfport, Mississippi. Sims, a left-handed hitting short stop, led the Lady Indians in multiple offensive categories this season. Her team-leading .430 batting average was 9th in the FCSAA and second in the Panhandle. Sims also led Chipola in runs (48), hits (67), doubles (16), stolen bases (34), and on-base percentage (.491).

Three members of the 2022 also made the All-Conference Second Team: Freshman third baseman Kamari Strozier and freshmen pitchers Landyn McAnnally and Riley Reese. Jadyn Burney was also recognized as All-Conference Honorable Mention.

"I am proud of my girls that made All-Conference this season but also proud of my girls that did not," said Coach Brookins. "We wouldn't be going to state at the end of this week if It weren't for each and every one of them."

The Lady Indians begin defense of the 2021 State Title on Friday, May 6 when they take on the reigning National Champions, and current NJCAA #1, Florida SouthWestern State College. The two teams will play the final game of the first day at 6 PM CDT in Longwood, Florida at the Boombah Soldiers Creek Park.  

For more information, visit www.chipolaathletics.com