Brooklyn Ulrich Named to All-Sun Belt First Team

CHAMPIONSHIP FUND

NEW ORLEANS – Marshall softball had a trio of players named to the Sun Belt All-Conference teams with redshirt-sophomore Brooklyn Ulrich being selected to the All-SBC First Team. Senior Sydney Bickel and sophomore Bella Gerlach garnered All-SBC Second Team honors as well.

"Brooklyn has had a breakout season in which she's become a total new hitter up to the plate," Head Coach Morgan Zerkle said. "She's bought into everything we've taught and has put the work in herself in the cages, which has given her so much confidence. She's now one of the most feared hitters in the conference."

Ulrich's breakout season consisted of hitting .451 in SBC play with 37 hits and 11 doubles in those games. Her 11 home runs and 30 RBI were second-best among all players in conference games only.

In all games combined, she was one of just five hitters in the league batting .400 or better. Ulrich became the first player for Marshall since 2007 to hit multiple grand slams in the same season when she hit her second against ULM on Mar. 28.

Ulrich finished as the SBC's co-leader in RBI with 48, tied with teammate Bella Gerlach.

Gerlach, in addition to her conference-leading 48 RBI, finished second in the league with 15 home runs.

The sophomore Western Michigan transfer entered the season without a collegiate home run, but had three multi-homer games in 2024. She hit four home runs in a single weekend at Georgia State, including a go-ahead home run in the 7th inning when her team was trailing (one of two go-ahead HR's in the 7th inning in 2024), earning her SBC Player of the Week on Apr. 9.

Gerlach finished the regular season with a .351 average.

"Bella has had elite bat speed her whole life but has really figured out how to control her barrel this season," said Zerkle. "She's been a cage rat all year, and I'm so happy to see her hard work pay off."

Bickel, the Preseason All-SBC Shortstop, matched her career-season in 2023 with a .363 average in 2024. This year, she hit a career-high three home runs as a power slapper. She hit three more triples in 2024, making her one of three players in program history, along with her head coach Morgan Zerkle, to have 10+ triples with the Herd.

Defensively, Bickel was part of 19 double plays with career-high 137 assists and 102 putouts.

"Sydney Bickel is one of the best all-around athletes in the conference, consistently finding ways to get on base," added Zerkle. "It's no surprise she's an all-conference performer again!"

2024 Sun Belt Conference Softball Postseason Awards

Pitcher of the Year: Jessica Mullins, Texas State (Sr., P - Tarkington, Texas)

Player of the Year: Mihyia Davis, Louisiana (So., OF – Lovelady, Texas)

Freshman of the Year: Payton List, James Madison (R-Fr., DP – Beaver, Pa.)

Newcomer of the Year: Brooke Ellestad, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kimberly, Wis.)

Coach of the Year: Gerry Glasco, Louisiana

All-Sun Belt First Team
Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (So., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall (R-So., 2B – Mesa, Ariz.)
Hannah Earls, Texas State (Sr., SS – Willis, Texas)
Brooke Ellestad, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kimberly, Wis.)
Sara Vanderford, Texas State (Gr., 3B – Pasadena, Texas)
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana (So., OF – Lovelady, Texas)
Reed Butler, James Madison (Gr., OF – Pomfret, Md.)
Kayt Houston, App State (Sr., OF – Rock Hill, S.C.)
Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama (Gr., OF – Orange Beach, Ala.)
Bella Henzler, James Madison (So., C – Allison Park, Pa.)
Hannah Borden, Southern Miss (Gr., C – Trussville, Ala.)
Payton List, James Madison (R-Fr., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
Olivia Lackie, South Alabama (Sr., P – Walker, La.)
Jessica Mullins, Texas State (Sr., P - Tarkington, Texas)
Sam Landry, Louisiana (Jr., P – Mont Belvieu, Texas)

All-Sun Belt Second Team
Sam Roe, Louisiana (JR., 1B – Destin, Fla.)
JJ Smith, Texas State (Sr., 1B – Rosenberg, Texas)
Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana (Jr., 2B – Keller, Texas)
Taylor McKinney, Troy (Jr., 2B – Montgomery, Ala.)
Audra Thompson, Troy (Sr., SS – Kissimmee, Fla.)
Sydney Bickel, Marshall (Sr., SS – Peoria, Ariz.)
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina (So., 3B – Nampa, Idaho)
Lourdes Bacon, ULM (Sr., OF – San Antonio, Texas)
Emma Davis, Georgia Southern (So., OF – Grayson, Ga.)
Bella Gerlach, Marshall (So., OF – Corydon, Ind.)
Peyton Darnell, App State (Gr., C – Fort Mill, S.C.)
Laney Credeur, Louisiana (Jr., DP – Old Mines, Mo.)
Jana Lee, Southern Miss (Jr., DP – Albany, Ga.)
Raelee Brabham, Coastal Carolina (5th Yr., P – Moncks Corner, S.C.)
Chloe Riassetto, Louisiana (So., P - Friendswood, Texas)

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Marshall University Athletics

Brooklyn Ulrich Named to All-Sun Belt First Team

Players Mentioned

Sydney Bickel

Bella Gerlach

Brooklyn Ulrich

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