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Five LSU Tigers listed in D1Softball, Extra Inning Softball Top 100 Rankings

LSU infielder Georgia Clark (25) throws during an NCAA softball game against Stephen F. Austin on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

BATON ROUGE, La. – Five total LSU players have been listed in the D1Softball and Extra Inning Softball Top 100 rankings entering the 2023 season, including junior outfielder Ciara Briggs, junior infielder Danieca Coffey and graduate students infielder Georgia Clark, pitcher Ali Kilponen and infielder Taylor Pleasants.

Briggs ranks No. 37 in Extra Inning Softball and No. 46 in D1Softball. Briggs comes off a season where she became the first collegiate Gold Glove Award Winner in the program’s history and was selected to the SEC All-Defensive Team after registering a perfect fielding percentage on 89 chances. Briggs was also earned All-SEC and NFCA All-Region honors after recording a .368 batting average behind 70 hits and had a team-high 53 runs scored. Briggs will enter this season on a five-game hitting streak.

Pleasants ranks No. 41 on Extra Inning Softball’s list and No. 53 by D1Softball. Pleasants, a 2021 All-American and two-time All-SEC honoree concluded 2022 with a .295 average and led the team with 28 extra-base hits, including 15 doubles, 12 home runs and one triple. She was also second on the team with 48 RBIs. Pleasants currently ranks No. 3 all-time in the program’s record book with a .610 slugging percentage and is tied with Briggs at No. 10 all-time with a .425 on-base percentage.  

Kilponen sits at No. 56 in the Extra Inning Softball rankings and No. 82 for D1Softball. Kilponen was selected to the 2022 All-SEC First Team and NFCA All-Region second team after posting an 18-9 record with 145 strikeouts and a 2.29 ERA. Kilponen threw 17 complete games, logged five shutouts, and had one save on the year. Currently, Kilponen ranks No. 7 all-time with five saves and No. 9 with a .204 career opposing batting average.

Coffey is ranked No. 62 by Extra Inning Softball after a breakout 2022 season that placed her on the All-SEC and NFCA All-Region second teams. Coffey led the Tigers last season with a .379 batting average, 72 hits, a .457 on-base percentage and 10 stolen bases. She also tallied 44 runs and 26 RBIs. At the third base position, Coffey logged. The Angleton, Texas native enters the 2023 season on a 16-game reached base streak and seven-game hitting streak.

Clark is ranked No. 69 in the Extra Inning Softball Top 100 Rankings after turning in a career season in 2022 that got her selected to the All-SEC and NFCA All-Region team for the first time. Clark led the Tigers with a .667 slugging percentage, 61 RBIs which ranked No. 16 in the nation, and 16 home runs. She concluded the season with a .301 batting average behind 47 hits and 32 runs. Clark has reached in 22 consecutive games and is currently riding a five-game hitting streak. Clark enters the 2023 campaign ranked No. 7 all-time with a .582 career slugging percentage and No. 9 all-time with 30 career home runs.    

(LSU Athletics Press Release)