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SEC Sports
Alabama softball is racking up recognition heading into the SEC Tournament and the rest of the postseason.
The 2026 USA TODAY Sports Network’s All-SEC team named Jocelyn Briski as SEC Pitcher of the Year and Patrick Murphy as SEC Coach of the Year.
Briski has gone 20-2 with a 1.46 earned-run average, striking out 167 batters in 129â…” innings pitched. She is also named a top-25 USA Softball Player of the Year finalist for her standout junior season.
Murphy led the Crimson Tide to a 47-6 record overall and 19-5 in league play. He was the first coach in the SEC to win 500 conference games after the Crimson Tide's 4-0 shutout over Auburn on Saturday, April 11.
The No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide is coming off a sweep of No. 21 South Carolina (30-25, 7-17) for the last series of the regular season. With a two-round bye under its belt, Alabama will make its first SEC Tournament appearance in the quarterfinal against the winner of Game 5 in the bracket. That matchup will feature No. 7-seed Arkansas against the winner of Game 2 between Mississippi State and Kentucky.
A panel of nine reporters who regularly cover the league selected final nominees. See the full team and award list below.
USA TODAY Sports Network All-SEC softball team, awards
- Coach of the Year: Patrick Murphy, Alabama
- Player of the Year: Kendall Wells, Oklahoma
- Pitcher of the Year: Jocelyn Briski, Alabama
- Freshman of the Year: Kai Minor, Oklahoma
- Newcomer of the Year: Peja Goold, Mississippi State
- First base: Katie Stewart, Texas
- Second base: Keirstin Roose, Georgia
- Shortstop: Gabbie Garcia, Oklahoma***
- Third base: Ella McDowell, Arkansas
- Outfield: Taylor Shumaker, Florida
- Outfield: Ella Parker, Oklahoma
- Outfield: Kai Minor, Oklahoma
- Designated player: Mya Perez, Texas A&M
- Pitcher: Jocelyn Briski, Alabama***
- Pitcher: Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
- Pitcher: Keagan Rothrock, Florida
