FRISCO, Texas – UTEP softball’s sophomore utility Zaylie Calderon and junior infielder Pate Cathey garnered Conference USA All-Academic Team plaudits, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Calderon and Cathey were selected for the first time in their careers to the 11-member team.
Calderon turned into head coach T.J. Hubbard’s go-to option out of the bullpen down the stretch of the season, turning in a Miner-best 3.95 ERA on the season. Calderon also led UTEP with a .281 opponent batting average, 46 strikeouts and four saves.
Beginning with the UAB series from April 10-11 through the LA Tech series from April 25-26 (11 games), Calderon found her groove with a 1.47 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 28.2 innings pitched. Calderon recorded a 3.27 ERA with a .264 ERA in 40.2 innings in conference play.
With the bat, Calderon compiled a .257 batting average with 27 hits and two doubles. Calderon saw red at the plate in UTEP’s final regular season series versus UTSA (May 7-9), going 5-for-12 with a double and two leadoff hits.
Junior infielder Pate Cathey finished her season with a .278 batting average and tied for the team-lead in doubles (8). Two of those doubles came in game two of the UTSA series on May 8 en route to a perfect 3-for-3 day.
Cathey had a .333 batting average and .382 on-base percentage and led the team with 13 RBIs in non-conference play. She finished the season third-best on the team with 17 RBIs.
CONFERENCE USA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Kourtney Gremillion, Charlotte
Lindsey Walljasper, Charlotte
Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
Hope Trautwein, North Texas
Heather Hill, Southern Miss
Hannah Borden, Southern Miss
Sierra Frazier, UAB
Zaylie Calderon, UTEP
Pate Cathey, UTEP
Paige Carter, WKU
