BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | Alabama State had four players selected to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) all-conference Tuesday night, on a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, announced by the conference office.
 
The four players selected are the third-most of any team chosen in the conference, trailing only Prairie View A&M with five and Texas Southern with six – for the second consecutive season.
 
Alexis Sydnor, an Opelika (Ala.) native, was named the Newcomer of the Year and earned first-team accolades after leading the conference in runs and hitting with a .415 batting average. The junior is third on the team in home runs and is tied for second in triples. She was also honored once this season as the SWAC Hitter of the Week, and leads the Lady Hornets with 12 stolen bases.
 
Charlene Castro was also named First Team as the designated player, hitting .320 on the season with 40 hits – including .379 in conference action. She is tied for the team-lead with 10 doubles and a team-high 31 runs batted in, with 17 coming in conference play. She also leads the team with 2.40 ERA, and is 4-2 in 19 appearances in the circle.
 
Alabama State had a pair of Second Team selections, including senior Kristin Gunter who leads the team in hitting during SWAC play at .439. She leads the Lady Hornets in at-bats and doubles with 10, while she is second on the team in runs (26), hits (45) and is fourth in RBIs. Gunter has struck out just six times in 130 official at-bats and is third on the team in hitting overall at .346.
 
Amira James was the final selection to the all-conference teams for Alabama State as the senior was named a Second Team outfielder. She finished the regular season hitting .315 with 29 hits – including 16 extra base hits. James has scored 25 runs and is third on the team with 23 RBIs, while also leading the team with eight home runs. She slugged .707 to lead Alabama State overall, and slugged .979 in SWAC play.
 
Alabama State opens play in the SWAC Softball Championship Tournament Wednesday morning at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex in Montgomery. Alabama State, the number two seed from the East, will face third-seeded Southern at 9 am.

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