AWARDS & ACCOLADES
-USA South All-Sportsmanship Team (Basketball / 2022-23)
SENIOR (2023 / Softball): Wrapped up her senior season by playing and starting 30 games, missing just two contests as she transitioned from basketball … finished in the Top-5 in 13 statistical categories in 2023 for Salem, including RBI (13-1st), home runs (4-1st), runs (16-2nd), hits (19-2nd), doubles (4-t-2nd), total bases (35-2nd), at bats (78-2nd), slugging percentage (.449-3rd), batting average (.244-3rd), hit by pitch (2-t-3rd), walks (7-4th) and on-base percentage (.318-5th) … made her season debut against LaGrange at the Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Raleigh, N.C. … had her first hit later that afternoon versus Eastern Mennonite (March 5), driving a home run over the left field wall as she went 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBI and a run scored … wrapped up the second game with Guilford (March 11) with one hit, a double, versus the Quakers … slammed her second home run of slate, finishing 1-for-3 from the plate with a run scored in the second game of the series with Ferrum (March 19) … responsible for two RBi and a base hit in a victory over Livingstone (March 20) in game two … scored one run each in games with N.C. Wesleyan (April 2) and Mary Baldwin (April 5) … slammed her third home run of the season at Southern Virginia (April 11), finishing 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBI and a run scored … put together her fourth multi-hit game of the season, closing 3-for-3 with an RBI and a double, against Greensboro (April 15) … scored two runs in the first game of the series at Shaw (April 18), accounting for one RBI … had her fourth dinger of the season against Sweet Briar (April 23), where she was 2-for-3 from the plate with a run scored and an RBI … swiped one base, while finishing 2-for-3 from the plate with two runs scored and an RBI versus Methodist (April 29) … notched a base hit, resulting in an RBI, while scoring two runs in the season finale against Methodist (April 29).
SENIOR (2022-23 / Basketball): An all-around performer for the Spirits, Atkins closed out her season with 97 points and 88 rebounds … was a staple in the Salem lineup, making 15 starts in 23 contests … converted 35-of-118 field goals over the course of the season and was the second-best free throw shooter on the unit with players with at least 10 attempts … knocked down 25-of-37 at the free throw line, finishing 67.6 percentage, second only to Dionne Sampson … instrumental in helping Salem claim a victory over Warren Wilson (Nov. 8), delivering nine points by virtue of a 4-for-9 shooting performance from the field … followed with a seven-point performance versus Randolph (Nov. 12), hitting three free throws and two field goals … posted eight rebounds for Salem in clash with Mary Washington (Nov. 20) … reached double figures in points (10) against Mary Washington (Nov. 20) after finishing with four field goals and two free throws … responsible for nine points in a clash with Guilford (Dec. 29) … capped off December with a 10-rebound performance versus Ferrum (Dec. 30) … emerged with six points against league foes N.C. Wesleyan (Jan. 4), knocking down three field goals … wrapped up a start versus Meredith (Jan. 18) with six points by virtue of three field goals, grabbing six rebounds in the process … posted seven rebounds in back-to-back games against Meredith (Feb. 11) and Brevard (Feb. 18) … established her single-game season-high in points (12) in a setback to Brevard (Feb. 18) after finishing 5-of-6 from the field and 1-of-2 at the charity stripe.
SOPHOMORE (2022 / Softball): Joined the team after the conclusion of the 2021-22 basketball campaign … ranked in the Top-5 of 16 statistical categories, including triples (1-1st), hit by pitch (6-1st), fielding double plays (2-t-1st), home runs (4-2nd), slugging percentage (.457-2nd), RBI (21-2nd), doubles (5-2nd), total bases (42-3rd), putouts (83-3rd), total plate appearances (110-3rd), walks (11-3rd), hits (23-t-3rd), chances (139-4th), assists (39-4th), on-base percentage (.367-4th), runs scored (10-4th), batting average (.250-5th) … opened the 2022 campaign with a 1-for-2 outing against Guilford (Feb. 26), connecting on a double while scoring one run … drove in her first RBI of the season at Ferrum (Feb. 27) … finished 1-for-3 at the plate in the first-ever meeting with Carolina University (March 5), resulting in a pair of RBI … had a grand slam, finishing 1-for-3 from the plate with four RBI with a run scored, in the second game of the series with Carolina University (March 5) … wrapped up the second game of the series with Randolph by blasting second home run of the season in a 1-for-3 outing that resulted in an RBI and a run scored … came through with two hits in a setback to DeSales (March 9) at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Dreams Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. … scored one run and delivered a hit in Salem’s 10-9 win over Shaw (March 19), helping complete the sweep of the Bears … was 1-for-2 from the plate, delivering a double, in the USA South opening series with Meredith (March 26) … finished 2-for-2 from the plate with four RBI, recording a double and a home run, while scoring two runs in the second game against Southern Virginia (April 6) … enjoyed a solid series versus Averett (April 9), delivering three hits, including a 2-for-3 outing with a double … ended the season on a seven-game hitting streak, which began in the second game of the doubleheader with Pfeiffer (April 16), going 1-for-2 from the plate … followed that with a 1-for-3 outing in the opening game of the series with Mary Baldwin (April 20) … was 2-for-2 from the plate with three RBI and a run scored, while finishing with a home run and a triple, in the 6-5 win in game two against Mary Baldwin … had a single and an RBI while going 1-for-2 at the plate at N.C. Wesleyan (April 23) … was 1-for-3 from the plate in the afternoon game against the Battling Bishops on April 23rd … instrumental in helping Salem earn a 5-3 win over Carolina University (April 24), finishing 2-for-4 from the plate … ended the season with a 2-for-4 outing, which included an RBI and a double, in the second game of the series with the Bruins.
SOPHOMORE (2021-22 / Basketball): One of only three players (Dionne Sampson, Cree Bass) to play in all 24 games for Salem … one of eight players on the roster to eclipse 100-point plateau, finishing with 123 on the slate … was responsible for 46 field goals, including six 3-pointers, while hitting 25-of-36 (69.4%) at the charity stripe … grabbed 58 rebounds (38 defensive), forcing 22 steals and handing out 12 assists … finished with 93 of those points in USA South action, hitting 36 field goals, five 3-pointers, while successfully converting 72.7 percent of her free throws, tying her alongside Cree Bass for third-best free throw percentage … emerged with 43 rebounds (31 defensive), while making 18 steals and eight assists … came through with five points, by virtue of two field goals and a free throw, in her collegiate debut at Randolph (Nov. 10) … scored nine points three days later in a clash with Virginia Wesleyan … opened December action against Mary Baldwin (Dec. 4), topping double figures (11) for the first time in her career after hitting 4-of-9 from the floor and a pair of free throws … responsible for eight points in 17 minutes at Methodist (Jan. 8), hitting a single-game season-high six free throws along the way … emerged with eight points, hitting 3-of-4 from the floor, along with a single-game season-high six rebounds (five defensive) in a 74-61 win against Meredith (Jan. 29) … followed that by scoring nine points against the Avenging Angels the following afternoon, hitting three field goals in 29 minutes … had five games where she was perfect at the free throw line … had at least two rebounds in the first eight games of the season (Nov. 10-Dec. 15) … corralled four rebounds (three defensive) at Averett (Feb. 10) … pulled in five rebounds (four offensive) in a 92-83 overtime win at William Peace (Feb. 12).
FIRST YEAR (2020 / Softball): Wrapped up her first season on the diamond by hitting .208 (5-of-24) after completing in nine games … finished fourth on the team in doubles (three), while scoring four runs in the process … one of seven Salem hitters with multiple doubles on the campaign … joined Breanna Herman, Brianne Coleman and Brittany Morton as the only hitters in the lineup with a home run for the Spirits in the abbreviated season … responsible for a .458 slugging percentage … owned a .269 on-base percentage … made her collegiate debut in the night cap of a doubleheader versus Guilford (Feb. 19) and came through with a three-run home run in the third inning for the Spirits … enjoyed a three-game hitting streak between Feb. 29 and March 1 in a series of contests at Huntingdon and Agnes Scott … ended the season with a double versus FDU-Florham (March 11), finishing 1-for-4 from the plate.
PREP: Graduated from Surry Central High School in 2019 … a three-sport athlete in softball, basketball and golf … a four-time letterwinner in softball, under coaches Whitney Joyner and Donald Joyner, Atkins was named Honorable Mention (2016) and All-Conference (2017, 2018, 2019) in her career … earned three varsity letters in basketball, under the direction of coaches Mandy Holt and Lauren Johnson, while being named Honorable Mention (2017-18) and All-Conference (2018-19) … member of the varsity golf team on three occasions, under coaches Lauren Johnson and Daniel Broughton, earning All-Conference, All-Region and All-State in consecutive seasons between 2016 and 2018.
PERSONAL: Savanah Rose Atkins … daughter of Shelley and Tim Atkins … born October 5, 2000 … has two siblings, Megan and Izreal … member of National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, National English Honor Society and National Art Honor Society … graduated Magna Cum Laude … active in Interact Club and Special Olympics … competed in Club Softball for Triple Threat (2012-14) under coach Greg Woodbury and for the Carolina Cardinals (2015-17) under coach Jeff Webster … played AAU basketball for the Surry Stars (2010-19) and head coach Kellie Cochran.
