Softball

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- Adelphi's Schaper Earns Top Pitcher, Molloy's Sydor Is Top Rookie,
Bridgeport's Steen Earns Coaches' Nod -

 Central Islip, N.Y. - Senior outfielder Taras Wallace of Dowling College and Barnaget, N.J. and senior pitcher Samantha Yodowitz of LIU/C.W. Post and Suffern, N.Y. have been named the East Coast Conference (ECC) Softball Players of the Year, headlining the 2008 ECC All Conference Awards as voted by the conference coaches.

Wallace, who earned the honor last season, finished as the ECC leader in a number of offensive categories including batting average (.470), on base percentage (.620), slugging percentage (.750) doubles (26), total bases (99), walks (53), and finished second in RBI (44) and third in stolen bases (24) and total hits (62).

Yodowitz, meanwhile put forth a devastating combination of skills on the mound and at the plate. She posted a league low ERA of 1.15 (1.09 ECC), was the league leader in wins with a 23-6 mark (9-1 ECC), led the ECC in appearances (32) and finished second in strikeouts (160) and opposing batting average (.186). At the plate, Yodowitz hit .341 with seven home runs and 36 RBI. She finished among the top seven individually in nine offensive categories including total bases (92), RBI, home runs, triples (4), runs scored (39), total hits (56), and slugging percentage (.561).

Julie Schaper of Adelphi University and Warwick, N.Y., earned Pitcher of the Year honors thanks to a 20-2 overall mark with a 1.17 ERA including a 10-0 mark and 0.52 ERA in ECC play. Overall, Schaper led the league in strikeouts and opposing batting average (.181). She finished second overall in total wins and ERA.

Shortstop Alexandra Sydor of Molloy College and Glen Cove, N.Y. earned Rookie of the Year honors after a freshman campaign that included a .400 batting average (fourth overall in the ECC) with one home run and 31 RBI (ninth overall). Sydor added a slugging percentage of .493 and an on base percentage of .459 (second in the ECC).

Valerie Steen of the University of Bridgeport was named Coach of the Year. Steen guided the Purple Knights to a significant improvement over last season as Bridgeport finished 22-22 overall, following a 12-30 mark in 2007. Notably, the Purple Knights improved from 6-14 in ECC play in 2007 to 11-9 this season which included a berth in the ECC championship tournament.

Along with Wallace and Schaper, the ECC All Conference First Team included Diana DiPiano and Dely Francisco of Adelphi, Holly Eringis, Christie Softy, Melissa Medina and Kelsey Cooley of C.W. Post, Jackie Hannan of Dowling, and Michelle Walsh of Molloy.

The Second Team included Yodowitz, Katy Brophy and Jessica Vogt of Adelphi, Amanda Wentz of Bridgeport, Melissa Hippo and Katie Younes of C.W. Post, Meghan Walter and Breanne Gleason of the University of New Haven, and Brilynn Fields and Lia Lara of NYIT.

The Third Team included Kristin Brennan of Adelphi, Brittany Steiner and Hannah Larson of Bridgeport, Kristina Demeo and Keri Boystak of Dowling, Lisa Boystak and Nina Cesare of NYIT, and Karen Thorne, Jessica Rickel and Jess Gogatz of Saint Thomas Aquinas College.

2008 East Coast Conference Softball All Conference Teams

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

Players of the Year:      
Taras Wallace, Dowling
Samantha Yodowitz, LIU/C.W. Post

Pitcher of the Year:
Julie Schaper, Adelphi

Rookie of the Year:
Alexandra Sydor, Molloy

Coach of the Year:
Valerie Steen, Bridgeport