May 28, 2008

Sigmundur Masson, Taylor Freeman, Jenny Clay, Inga Effimenko and Maggie Welch are the lastest announced most valuable players for McNeese State athletics.

Masson, who has graduated, was named the men's golf team MVP for the second year in a row while Freeman, a sophomore and in his first year with the Cowboys this past season, was named the baseball team's MVP.

Clay is the softball team's MVP, Efimenko is the MVP for tennis and Welch the MVP for women's golf.

They join formerly announced MVPs Jordan Neil and Christi McRae in track, Bryan Smith in football, John Ford in men's basketball, Courtnee Hollins in women's basketball, Jessica Strama in volleyball and Renee Landers in soccer.

Taylor Freeman - baseball MVP

All MVPs will be recognized again in the fall during a McNeese home football game.

A native of Iceland, Masson was named the Southland Conference player of the year for 2008 and also tied for the league title. He posted a 72.5 scoring average in the spring, a 73.7 in the fall and an overall mark of 73.2.

He's scheduled to compete in next week's Louisiana state amateur championship at Gray Plantation and following that will turn pro.

Freeman, who is from Carney, OK, was the Cowboys' top hitter throughout the season and won the team's triple crown. He batted .372 with eight home runs and 52 RBIs. He also led the team in doubles with 20 and in slugging percentage with a .639 mark. A third team all-conference pick, Freeman, a catcher, posted a .398 batting average in league games only.

Maggie Welch - Cowgirl golf MVP

During the season he held one of the top hitting streaks in conference play, a 17 game binge.

Clay, a senior from Arnaudville, was twice named the SLC's utility player of the year and this past season earned a national Louisville Slugger player of the week honor . She played in 54 games for the Cowgirls in 2008, batting .386 with six home runs, 28 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. She also earned a SLC and Louisiana hitter of the week award.

Inga Effimenko - tennis MVP

At one time Clay held a 14 game hitting streak and she also led the conference in doubles and ranked 44th nationally with 17.

Effimenko, a sophomore from Serbia, posted the second best record on the Cowgirl tennis team this past season, a 9-9 overall mark as the team's No. 6 player. She was 5-5 in conference action, played on the No. 3 doubles team and won three of her last five matches.

Welch, a junior from Syracuse, KS, was named to the all-conference team for the second straight year after leading the Cowgirls with a 77.9 scoring average. She had a top five finish in tournament play this year along with two top 10 efforts. Her low round of even par 72 came in the Cowgirl Invitational.

Jenny Clay - softball MVP