All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

McDaniels, Kimble earn Big 10 All-Conference softball honors

TENNERTON – Buckhannon-Upshur’s Shelby McDaniels and Jansen Kimble earned Big 10 Conference softball honors, as the all-conference team was released Wednesday.

McDaniels earned First Team honors as a shortstop, while Kimble was tabbed for Second Team honors as a pitcher.

McDaniels, a senior who recently announced her decision to play softball at Glenville State University, led the Lady Bucs in hitting with a .440 average. She collected 37 hits in 84 at-bats with nine doubles, one triple and three home runs.

She drove in a team-best 31 runs while finishing second on the team in runs scored with 34. In 96 plate appearances, she struck out just three times. McDaniels also threw 26 2/3 innings for B-U and posted a 3-3 mark with an earned-run average of 3.68.

“Shelby put together a really nice senior year to cap a great career where she is either the career leader or top three in just about every category offensively,” Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Levi Bender said. “It really is too bad that her defense doesn’t get highlighted as much, but for the second year in a row she kept her error totals under five — I think three again — which is unheard of as an infielder.”

Kimble, just a sophomore, was the workhorse in the circle for the Lady Bucs as she appeared in 21 games, starting 19 while throwing 108 1/3 innings. She finished the year with an 8-12 mark and an earned run average of 3.69.

At the plate, she hit .313 going 25-for-80 at the plate with two home runs and 24 RBIs.

“Jansen, as a sophomore, has truly earned her second-team nod,” said Bender. “She was the workhorse in the conference innings-wise. She battled a lot of ups and downs and kept making strides to better herself and her teammates. She set career highs in strikeouts for a single game and a season this year.”

Lincoln, which won the conference title this season, received two individual awards as Delaney Haller was named Pitcher of the Year while Yancey Weaver was named Coach of the Year. Philip Barbour’s Sara Simon was named Player of the Year.

Despite not winning the league, Robert C. Byrd led the All-Conference Team with six selections.

“I felt we had other players deserving of recognition, especially if you look at the statistics of Taylor Spratt and Robin Ball, but other players on other teams got snubbed too,” concluded Bender.

Big 10 All-Conference Softball Team

First Team

Pitcher – Fran Alvaro (Robert C. Byrd)

Catcher – Emma Kyle (Liberty)

First Base – Liz Murphy (Fairmont Senior)

Second Base – Ava Junkins (Robert C. Byrd)

Shortstop – Shelby McDaniels (Buckhannon-Upshur)

Third Base – Emerson Haddix (Elkins)

Left Field – Kaitlyn Stone (Elkins)

Center Field – Kady Crock (Liberty)

Right Field – Isabell Prieto (Robert C. Byrd)

Utility – Fredrick Maloley (Grafton)

Utility – Lilly Kriss (Philip Barbour)

Utility – Abby Hartley (Lewis County)

Utility – Alexis Williams (Lincoln)

Second Team

Pitcher – Jansen Kimble (Buckhannon-Upshur)

Catcher – Gina Alvaro (Robert C. Byrd)

First Base – Avery Childers (Robert C. Byrd)

Second Base – Izzy Talerico (East Fairmont)

Shortstop – Alyssa Dunn (Robert C. Byrd)

Third Base – Rachel Mason (Bridgeport)

Left Field – Faith Gaines (East Fairmont)

Center Field – Emily Robey (Lincoln)

Right Field – Emily Brown (Lincoln)

Utility – Blair Nuzum (East Fairmont)

Utility – Haley Younkins (Liberty)

Utility – Cadence Lambert (Lincoln)

Utility – Grayson Purkey (Lewis County)

Player of the Year – Sara Simon (Philip Barbour)

Pitcher of the Year – Delaney Haller (Lincoln)

Coach of the Year – Yancey Weaver (Lincoln)

Share this story:

RECENT Stories

WVWC Track - Wesleyan Sports

Wesleyan softball settles for a split with Concord in MEC doubleheader

West Virginia Wesleyan softball shut out Concord 2-0 in the opener but fell 11-7 in Game Two as both teams earned a win in Friday’s rain-affected doubleheader.

Maxine Virginia Malcolm

Maxine Virginia Malcolm, 96, formerly of French Creek, WV, and a retired Abbott Laboratories employee known for her faith and love of family, died April 23, 2025, leaving behind children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Strawberry Festival Parade

West Virginia Strawberry Festival parade routes and parking restrictions announced

The West Virginia Strawberry Festival and City of Buckhannon have announced the parade routes, schedules and parking restrictions from May 10-18 to ensure safety and smooth operations during the 83rd annual celebration in Buckhannon.

Coordinator hired to support WVWC’s Certificate in Addiction Counseling program

West Virginia Wesleyan College has appointed addiction specialist Jon Dower as coordinator for its new Certificate in Addiction Counseling program, aiming to enhance behavioral health education and address statewide substance use challenges.

Wesleyan launches Certificate in Addiction Counseling program to combat substance use disorders in Appalachia

West Virginia Wesleyan College is launching a fully online, post-master’s Certificate in Addiction Counseling this fall to help address substance use disorders in West Virginia and the broader Appalachian region.

City of Buckhannon announces yard waste collection schedule and rescheduling update

Buckhannon residents can receive yard waste collection on designated Fridays and drop off limited loads at the Recycling Center for free, with the May 16 collection now rescheduled to May 23 because of the Strawberry Festival.

Donald Lee Simons

Donald Lee Simons, 77, a Buckhannon construction worker and former country club caddy known for his love of fishing, died at home on April 23, 2025, survived by family and friends.

Turn the page on a long winter: Little Free Libraries are the perfect Spring activity

Little Free Libraries in Upshur County offer free books at numerous locations, fostering community connections and literacy for all ages while encouraging residents to donate, borrow, and share a wide variety of reading materials.

The Colonial Arts Center & CAC Gallery Present: 2025 Vandalia Arts Journal Exhibition

The CAC Gallery will host the inaugural exhibition of The Vandalia Arts Journal from April 25 to May 10, featuring WV Wesleyan College students’ literary and visual works.

Upshur County FFA members compete in the West Virginia Beef Stockman’s Contest at the 2025 Beef Expo

Four Upshur County FFA members gained hands-on experience and new skills while competing in knowledge and evaluation events at the West Virginia Beef Stockman’s Contest during the Beef Expo at WVU Jackson’s Mill.

Buckhannon Zoning Board of Appeals Agenda: May 28, 2025

The City of Buckhannon has released the agenda and public notice for its Zoning Board of Appeals meeting scheduled for May 28, 2025.

Baseball suffers losses to Point Pleasant and University

The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball team fell to Point Pleasant 8-5 then suffered a 16-0 shutout against University, dropping their record to 7-11.