Senior Alecia Kemp, junior Hayley Suchland and freshman Arianna Layne represented the Wilmington College softball team’s contingent on the All-Ohio Athletic Conference team.
Layne garnered Rookie of the Year honors as well as being named second team All-OAC as an outfielder. Suchland joined Layne on the second team All-OAC at shortstop while senior Alecia Kemp was given honorable mention All-OAC.
Layne, a graduate of Middletown High School, was Wilmington’s top power hitter in 2021 as she led the team in home runs with eight, runs batted in with 25 and tied for the lead in doubles with seven. Once named the OAC Hitter of the Week, Layne began her collegiate career with a two-home run, four-RBI game that started a stretch of a 15-of-16 games with at least one hit. She also made 68 putouts and 27 assists playing primarily the outfield.
“I’m so extremely proud of Ari [Layne],” coach Beth Floyd said. “It’s an incredible honor to be selected by the OAC coaches as Rookie of the Year. The sky is the limit for Ari. She is a hard-working and talented young lady.”
Suchland was the other Quaker to utilize the long ball, belting six home runs alongside stealing a team-best 10 bases. The Springfield Northwestern High School alumna made 66 putouts and 95 assists defensively while also striking out 43 batters over 69 innings in the circle.
“Hayley [Suchland] did a great job for us this year at shortstop and on the mound,” said Floyd. “She is a hard-working and extremely athletic young lady who shines on both sides of the ball.”
Kemp, a native of Blanchester who went to Little Miami High School, hit a .315 clip during her senior season to go along with a team-high 18 walks drawn. Her on-base percentage of .409 was second on the team of those individuals with over 25 at bats. Playing almost exclusively second base, Kemp had a .966 fielding percentage with 104 putouts and 59 assists to go along with just six errors.
“This was Alecia’s [Kemp] best year,” Floyd said. “She has really grown over the last four years and was our most consistent player this year. Alecia just got better every series.”
Wilmington finished the 2021 spring season with a 16-24 overall record and a 15-21 mark in the OAC.
