FARMVILLE, Va. – More than a month following the end of its magical 2016 campaign, the records keep pouring in for Longwood softball.
 
A program-record seven players from the 2016 Big South Champion squad were selected to the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State University Team, as announced Thursday afternoon by the organization.
 
The seven players from the Lancers matched James Madison for most in the Commonwealth. The seven selections surpasses the five selections in 2013 and 2015 as the most in program history and marks the fourth straight campaign with at least three selections.
 
First baseman Jamie Barbour, shortstop Emily Murphy and reigning Big South Pitcher of the Year Elizabeth McCarthy headlined the first-team for the Lancers. Meanwhile, Longwood placed four players on the second team, including All-Big South selections Carly Adams, Karleigh Donovan and Sydney Gay. In addition, Kelsey Sweeney was also named to the second team in the utility/designated player role.
 
Those seven were core members of a record-breaking Longwood team that went 40-20 en route to capturing back-to-back Big South Regular Season and Tournament Championships. The Lancers then defeated Princeton and North Carolina in the NCAA Harrisonburg Regional to advance to the program's first-ever NCAA Regional Championship game.
 
Murphy, a senior, received her third career VaSID nod, while McCarthy – the 2015 and 2016 Big South Pitcher of the Year – has received first-team honors in each of her three seasons in blue and white. It also marks the second straight campaign that Sweeney was named one of the top players in Virginia.
 
McCarthy adds to her list of accolades after posting a 19-10 record with a 2.53 ERA in 193.1 innings pitched. She added 180 strikeouts and will begin the 2017 season 49 punchouts away from Longwood's all-time career record, held by Brianna Wells. As the most experienced pitcher of the Longwood pitching staff, McCarthy led the four-man staff to the program's lowest team-ERA (2.29) in the Division I era to rank among the top-25 in the NCAA.
 
A four-time All-Big South selection, Murphy was voted as the top shortstop in the Commonwealth after a season where she hit .365 with 51 RBI, 12 doubles and 12 home runs to spearhead the Longwood offense throughout the 2016 campaign. Among Longwood's all-time greats, Murphy became the third player in program history to hit 50 career home runs, joining former teammates Megan Baltzell and Brooke Short. Her 50 career blasts sit sixth all-time in the Big South, as she also ranks among the top-five at Longwood in RBI (192), runs scored (182) and stolen bases (66).
 
Meanwhile, Barbour receives her first VaSID honor in her final campaign in a Lancer uniform. A 2016 All-Big South performer and a local product of Amelia, Va., Barbour was a steady force on the right side of the diamond at first base. She finished sixth in the conference with a .366 batting average and led the Lancers in conference play with a .486 average.
 
Adams also earns the first VaSID selection of her four-year career following a season that saw her ranked among the top-15 in the conference with a .325 batting average. A 2016 All-Big South first-team performer, Adams led the squad seven games with three hits or more and had a total of 16 multi-hit contests.
 
Following a breakout rookie campaign with 20 wins and a Big South-leading 1.93 ERA, Gay earns her first VaSID distinction. The Big South Tournament MVP and second team All-Big South performer, Gay tied for 10th on Longwood's all-time charts in single season wins and was fifth in single season strikeouts (176). Gay's sub-2.00 ERA earned her the distinction of finishing the season inside the top-10 among the rookies in the NCAA. Gay was stellar in the postseason, particularly the Big South Tournament where she went 4-0 and didn't allow a run in five appearances with 24 strikeouts.
 
Donovan was stellar for the Lancers in her debut season with the Lancers, particularly the NCAA Tournament where she batted .500 (6-for-12) – including her walk-off single against North Carolina to send the Lancers into the NCAA Regional Championship. A second-team All-Big South selection, Donovan batted .333 throughout the season to rank among the top-15 in the conference.
 
A second-team All-Big South selection, Sweeney finished the 2016 campaign with a .305 batting average. A Big South All-Tournament team selection, Sweeney batted .462 (12-for-26) in 10 postseason games with hits in nine of those 10 contests. Sweeney earns her second VaSID accolade.
 
With their seven selections, Longwood has had 31 players selected to VaSID All-State teams since joining the Division I ranks in 2008 while 20 of those selections have come in the last four seasons.
 
2016 VaSID All-State University Division Softball Team
 
VaSID Player of the Year – Jailyn Ford, Sr., James Madison
VaSID Pitcher of the Year – Megan Good, So., James Madison
VaSID Coach of the Year - Mickey Dean, James Madison
VaSID Rookie of the Year – Lauren Duff, Virginia Tech
 
First Team
C – Erica Field, Sr., James Madison
1B – Jamie Barbour, Sr., Longwood
1B – Taylor McCoy, Sr., Hampton
2B – Madyson Moran, Jr., James Madison
SS – Emily Murphy, Sr., Longwood
3B – Morgan Tolle, So., James Madison
OF – Taylor Newton, Jr., James Madison
OF – Jaclyn Amader, Fr., Liberty
OF – Hope Sobelewski, Fr., Hampton
DP/Utility – Jailyn Ford, Sr., James Madison
P – Megan Good, So., James Madison
P – Elizabeth McCarthy, Jr., Longwood
P – Maggie Tyler, Sr., Virginia Tech
 
Second Team
C – Lauren Duff, Fr., Virginia Tech
1B – Danni Ingraham, So., Virginia
2B – Carly Adams, Sr., Longwood
SS – Niki Prince, Jr., James Madison
3B – Karleigh Donovan, R-Fr., Longwood
OF – Julia Czarnecki, Sr., George Mason
OF – Casey Price, Sr., George Mason
OF – Allison Davis, So., Virginia
DP/Utility – Megan Dunning, Sr., Norfolk State
DP/Utility – Kelsey Sweeney, So., Longwood
P – Julie DiMartino, Fr., Liberty
P – Sydney Gay, Fr., Longwood
P – Marina Vitalich, Fr., George Mason
 
#GoWood