Dillard's Bates, Gress win Week 6 HBCUAC Softball Weekly Awards
NEW ORLEANS - March 17, 2025 - Dillard University catcher Ca'Terra Bates claims Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Softball Player of the Week and Jennifer Gress repeats as Pitcher of the Week. The ladies were recognized for their performances between March 10-16, the conference announced on Monday.
Bates hit 8-for-13 in five games last week. She scored six runs and drove in nine. Six of her eight hits went for extra bases with five doubles and a triple. Bates recorded seven hits in the three-game series against Voorhees University, helping the Lady Bleu Devils to a sweep. She ranks seventh in the conference with a .638 slugging percentage.
Gress earned a win and didn't allow an earned run in eight innings. In Saturday's series opener, she held Voorhees to an unearned run on four hits and struck out seven. She threw three scoreless innings in the finale and struck out four. Gress ranks second in the HBCUAC with a 3.09 earned-run average and third with 45 strikeouts. This is her second honor.
Additional softball weekly nominees: Faith Byram (Stillman), Ashlyn Hallman (Oakwood), Katie Johnson (Oakwood), Katelyn Lankford (Stillman), Sofia McPhie (Talladega), Sofia Wagner-Stiles (Talladega)
2025 Softball Players of the Week
|
Date |
Player |
Pitcher |
|
Jan. 27-Feb. 9 |
Lauren Haskins, Stillman |
Avary Lumpkin, Stillman |
|
Feb. 10-16 |
Haley Weatherspoon, Dillard |
Mary-Elizabeth Landry, Dillard |
|
Feb. 17-23 |
Madison Bubel, Stillman |
Sydney Arnett, Oakwood |
|
Feb. 24-March 2 |
Rha'Khaya Jones, Rust |
Leona Joshua, Rust |
|
March 3-9 |
Lauren Haskins, Stillman |
Jennifer Gress, Dillard |
|
March 10-16 |
Ca'Terra Bates, Dillard |
Jennifer Gress, Dillard |
-HBCUAC-
About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.