JACKSON, Tenn. - The Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions didn't play on Wednesday's first day of the TranSouth/Gulf Coast Unaffiliated Group tournament, but they still walked away with plenty of hardware.

FHU placed four players on the TranSouth All-Conference team and also saw Sarah Elizabeth Cousar receive the conference's pitcher of the year award. She is the second Lady Lion to earn the honor, joining Tarrah Tucker who did it in 2009. Additionally, Todd Humphry was named coach of the year and the Lady Lions placed eight on the conference scholar-athlete teams.

The awards ceremony, which took place after the opening game, ended with Freed-Hardeman receiving its first-ever TranSouth Conference Championship banner. FHU went a perfect 14-0 in conference play, losing two games to rainout.

Cousar, a junior from Covington, Tenn., dominated opponents in the regular season with a 22-2 record and a 0.96 ERA with 189 strikeouts. She received the most votes in the balloting process but according to conference by-laws, she could not take both pitcher and player of the year awards. An all-conference selection as well, she hit .365 with five home runs and 18 RBIs from the leadoff spot.

For Humphry, it was his first softball coach of the year award to go along with four received for volleyball.

Joining Cousar on the all-conference team were seniors Mercedes Norfork, Shelby Cummings and Amber Vansandt. Norfork hit a team-high .368 with 22 RBIs while Cummings hit .337 and led the team in on-base percentage at .458 on the strength of 21 walks. Vansandt hit .287 and led the team in RBIs with 23.

Cousar, Cummings and Norfork were also recognized as TranSouth Scholar Athletes along with Lauren Bradley, Savannah Cole, Summer Cole, Bailey Morgan and Kohnley Wade. The Cole sisters and Cousar were also named NAIA Scholar Athletes.

FHU faces Bethel (Tenn.) University on Thursday at 4:00 PM in the winners bracket semifinals.