ANNANDALE, Va. – UVa-Wise softball juniors Taylor Brandts and Zoe Millard have been named Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State with the release of the 2017 College Division All-State Softball teams Thursday afternoon. Right-handed ace pitcher Brandts was placed on the VaSID All-State First Team, while starting right fielder Millard was named to the second team. It is Brandts' second VaSID All-State honor after being named to the first team in 2014 as well.
 
Brandts was absolutely sensational for the Cavs throughout season and became just the second Cavalier to claim All-American status after earning All-American honorable mention accolades from both the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) and Fastpitch News. A native of King George, Virginia (King George H.S.), Brandts struck out 15 batters in just nine innings of work at the 2017 NCAA Division II Softball Championship Atlantic 1 Regional hosted by UVa-Wise. Her 15 K's tied the most strikeouts by any pitcher at the regional championship. With the Cavs' 2-1 win over eighth-seeded Chowan University in an elimination game of the Atlantic Regional, Brandts became the winningest pitcher in UVa-Wise softball history as she notched her 61st career victory to surpass Lauren Snead (2007-10).
 
During the Mountain East Conference Tournament, Brandts went 3-1 and owned a 0.50 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 28 innings inside the circle to be named to the MEC All-Tournament Team.
 
For the season, Brandts went 23-7 on the rubber with two saves in 34 appearances and 30 starts. Her 23 wins ranked her in the top-25 nationally in victories and set a program record for the most wins in a single season. The righty's 15 complete game shutouts this season was fourth-most nationally as she tossed 27 complete games in 204 and 2/3 innings of work. Brandts owned the fourth-lowest ERA in the nation at 0.99 and ranked in the top-25 nationally in strikeouts (192). Holding opponents to a .187 batting average for the year, Brandts' 4.65 hits allowed per seven innings led the MEC and was 16th-best in the nation.
 
During the month of April Brandts was nearly untouchable as she went 12-0 with a save and gave up just three runs for a 0.17 ERA. She posted eight consecutive complete game shutouts, just two off of the all-time NCAA Division II record, and tossed 56-straight innings of scoreless ball.
 
Brandts was named MEC Pitcher of the Week three different times during the season and claimed three national pitcher of the week plaudits. On April 19 she garnered the prestigious National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Pitcher of the Week accolade after tallying back-to-back no-hitters on April 14-15 against Shepherd University and Fairmont State University. Brandts was also named FPN Pitcher of the Week twice, including claiming the national award after going 3-0 with three complete game road shutouts and 32 strikeouts the week of April 3-10.
 
Earlier, Brandts was named to the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team and the NFCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team. The junior also claimed All-Mountain East Conference First Team honors for the second time in her career.
 
Millard, a native of Glen Allen, Virginia (Glen Allen H.S.), captured her first All-MEC accolade at the end of the regular season as a first-team selection and was also named to the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team. She led UVa-Wise at the plate with a team-best 69 hits and a .354 batting average, nearly doubling her hit total from a year ago. Ranking seventh in the MEC and 83rd nationally in total hits, Millard's 82 total bases were a team best. Scoring the second-most amount of runs for the Cavs (32), the leadoff hitter saw a team-high 195 at bats and ranked in the top 10 in the league with 202 total plate appearances. Millard tallied 14 RBI on the season and connected on two triples while she tied for the most stolen bases (4) on the team and was the only Cav to start all 55 games. In conference play, Millard hit .373, collected 41 hits and scored 15 times.
 
On April 21 the right fielder knocked out her first career home run, a two-run walk-off shot that secured a 9-0, run-rule home victory over Notre Dame College.
 
Virginia Wesleyan swept the VaSID All-State individual awards and placed four on the first team after claiming the 2017 NCAA Division III national title.
 
Visit uvawisecavs.com for all Cavalier softball news, statistics, complete schedule and more.
 
VaSID Major Awards
Cassetty Howerin Player of the Year
Hanna Hull Pitcher of the Year
Brandon Elliott Coach of the Year
Hanna Hull Rookie of the Year
 
First Team VaSID
P Hanna Hull (Virginia Wesleyan)
P Taylor Brandts (UVa-Wise)
P Courtney Wright (Virginia Wesleyan)
C Jessica Lindsay (Virginia Wesleyan)
1B Cassetty Howerin (Virginia Wesleyan)
2B Sam Bird (Mary Baldwin)
3B Mariah Foltz (Eastern Mennonite)
SS Jessica Long (Averett)
OF Leah Andrews (Christopher Newport)
OF Samantha Hall (Averett)
OF Rachael Shiflett (Christopher Newport)
DP Kaitlyn Aherron (Averett)
 
Second Team VaSID
P Candace Whittemore (Randolph-Macon)
P Aubrey Bates (Christopher Newport)
P Emily Kendrick (Emory & Henry)
C Calah Savage (Christopher Newport)
1B Caley Hodge (Emory & Henry)
2B Grace Wild (Christopher Newport)
3B Kaylah Duplain (Virginia Wesleyan)
SS Rachael Payne (Christopher Newport)
OF Skylar Dickens (Lynchburg)
OF Savannah Jones (Eastern Mennonite)
OF Zoe Millard (UVa-Wise)
DP Mikalia Guard (Bridgewater)