The University of Mississippi Athletics
DeDe Justice Named All-SEC
5/7/2003 | Softball
May 7, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Ole Miss softball player DeDe Justice was named to the All-SEC second team on Wednesday, as announced by the league office. Justice is the first Rebel selected since 1998.
A sophomore designated player from Vero Beach, Fla., Justice led the SEC in home runs (11) and RBI (28) in conference play, and finished top three in homers (15), RBI (45) and slugging percentage (.693) for the season overall. She also set new single-season school records in those three categories.
Justice, who was voted Team MVP by her peers, became the first Rebel to homer twice in one game, and pulled off the feat three times, all against SEC opponents. Her school-record two-homer, six-RBI performance against Kentucky earned her the first SEC Player of the Week selection ever for an Ole Miss player.
Justice launched game-winning, walk-off home runs in the final two games of the Mississippi State series, and also homered during late game-winning rallies against No. 10 Georgia and Tennessee.
After two seasons, she is the Rebel career leader in batting average (.317), on-base percentage (.417), slugging percentage (.640) and home runs (26).
"It's a wonderful honor, and it says a lot about the quality of player that DeDe is," said Ole Miss head coach Candi Letts. "We feel like she should have been chosen first team after the kind of season she had. Nevertheless, we are proud she got honored. It shows our players are earning recognition, and it's something for this program to build on."
Justice's All-SEC pick marks the fourth in the seven-year existence of the Ole Miss fastpitch program. Stephanie Vaglica and Amanda Fine nabbed second team distinction in 1997, and Fine again in 1998.
2003 SEC SOFTBALL AWARDS
Pitcher of the Year: Michelle Green, GeorgiaAthlete of the Year: Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi StateCoach of the Year: Lu Harris-Champer, GeorgiaFreshman of the Year: Stephanie VanBrakle, Alabama
First Team All-SEC:P - Jenny Gladding, FloridaP - Michelle Green, GeorgiaC - Lacy Prejean, AlabamaINF - Jackie McClain, AlabamaINF - Mylin Prieto, FloridaINF - Kim Wendland, GeorgiaINF - Danielle Quinones, South CarolinaDP/UTL - Kristi Durant, TennesseeOF - Ashley Courtney, AlabamaOF - Lindsey Cameron, FloridaOF- Nicole Barber, GeorgiaOF - Iyhia McMichael, Mississippi State
Second Team All-SEC:P - Stephanie VanBrakle, AlabamaP - Kristin Schmidt, LSUC - Lyndsey Angus, KentuckyINF - Ashley Godfrey, GeorgiaINF - Nikki Jones, KentuckyINF - Christy Connor, LSUINF - Amber Rhinehart, TennesseeDP/UTL - Tessa Lynam, LSUDP/UTL - DeDe Justice, Ole MissOF - Camille Harris, LSUOF- Jodi Fittro, South CarolinaOF - Jennifer Nelson, Mississippi State
