JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (February 10, 2025) – The Atlantic Sun Conference announced its first week of awards for softball on Monday, as North Alabama swept both honors with sophomore
Briley Dover winning ASUN Player of the Week and junior
Emily Simon winning ASUN Pitcher of the Week.
Both players were instrumental for UNA at the Stinger Classic hosted by Alabama State, as the Lions won all five games against ASU and Nicholls State.
Dover, who earned second team all-conference honors and ASUN All-Freshman honors last season, started her sophomore season quite the opposite of a "slump." The Loretto, Tenn. native went 10-for-18 at the plate for a .556 batting average, including nine runs and seven RBIs.
On Saturday against Nicholls State, Dover went 5-for-5 with a single, double, two triples and a seventh inning home run to complete the first cycle in UNA's seven-year Division I history. Dover also set two Division I single-game school records with five hits and two triples.
Dover also had a perfect day at the plate on Sunday against Alabama State, going 3-for-3 with two homers. She finished the week with more multi-base hits than any other ASUN player, including three homers, two triples and a double. She also had a sac fly on Friday.
This season, Dover moved from third base to shortstop. She made just two errors on 13 chances, including nine assists.
In the circle, junior transfer
Emily Simon was virtually unstoppable this weekend. The Athens, Ala. native made three appearances, posting two wins and a save. She pitched 12.0 shutout innings with just four hits and two walks allowed to go with 10 strikeouts.
In her UNA debut, Simon pitched against Alabama State in the Friday game and went all 7.0 innings. She gave up just four hits with one walk and seven punchouts. On Saturday, she relieved her twin sister,
Katie Simon, and threw 4.0 scoreless and hitless innings for the win.
Her final appearance of the weekend came on Saturday against Alabama State, as she entered in the eighth inning of a tight game. Alabama State came back from down 4-1 to tie the game, then UNA took a 6-4 lead in the top of the eighth. Simon sat down three in a row for the save.
This marks the first career ASUN weekly award for both players. Last season,
Hailey Jones and
Haven Kirby both won ASUN Player of the Week, while
Alivia Wilken was a two-time ASUN Pitcher of the Week.
The Lions are back in action this weekend at the Chattanooga Challenge, which begins Friday at 12:30 p.m. against Lindenwood.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
