Central Islip, N.Y. - Junior catcher Aly
Dzierzynski (Fontana, Calif.) of LIU Post has been named the 2014
East Coast Conference Softball Player of the Year as voted on by
the league’s coaches. Dzierzynski's teammate, senior pitcher
Liz Weber (Brightwaters, N.Y.) was named the Pitcher of the Year,
while freshman designated player Kayla Morrissey (New City, N.Y.)
from Queens has been awarded the Rookie of the Year honor.
Dierzynski, now a three-time All-Conference recipient, earns the
second ECC major award of her career after being named the Rookie
of the Year in her freshman campaign. The junior backstop was a
force both at the plate and behind it for the Pioneers this season.
Currently, Dzierzynski ranks among the conference leaders in nearly
every offensive category including leading the league with 18
homeruns and 58 RBI. She also is second in the league with a .418
batting average and is in the top-five in hits (62), total bases
(129), on-base percentage (.476), and slugging percentage (.872).
Her league leading homerun total set the LIU Post single season
record as well. Dzierzynski was nearly as good behind the plate as
she was standing next to it. She made only one error in 220 chances
for a .995 fielding percentage and also threw out 41percent of
runners attempting to steal.
Like her teammate, Weber is no stranger to ECC All-Conference major
awards. After sharing the conference Player of the Year honor in
2013, she has been named the conference's top hurler in 2014. In 25
appearances and 22 starts that span 116.0 innings, Weber has
compiled a 19-3 record with a 1.51 earned run average in the
circle. Her win and earned run average totals are good for
first in the ECC. Weber is among the conference leaders with a .224
batting average against, three shutouts, and 72 strikeouts as
well.
Morrissey had a standout debut campaign for Queens. In 47 games the
designated player has smacked 48 hits in 137 at-bats, good for a
.350 batting average to go along with 33 RBI and 28 runs scored.
Morrissey hit for power as well, ripping 18 extra-base hits,
including 11 of which left the yard. Her 11 homeruns currently rank
sixth in the conference.
Jamie Apicella of LIU Post has been selected Coach of the Year by
his peers for the second straight season. This season,
Apicella guided the Pioneers to a 41-7 overall record and a 25-3
mark in conference play to claim the top seed in the ECC
Tournament. The Pioneers are currently the top-ranked team in
the East Region and No. 17 in the National Fastpich Coaches
Association’s Division II Top 25 poll heading into
post-season play.
Dzierzynski, Weber, and Morrissey are joined by Kelly Bentson (Sr.,
1B, Mercy), Brenda Lee (Jr., 2B, Molloy), Arianna LaPuma (So., 3B,
Dowling), Nicole Hagenah (Sr., SS, LIU Post) Alexis Gonzalez (Sr.,
OF, LIU Post), Crystal Tarango (Jr., OF, Dowling), Dayna White
(Sr., OF, Molloy), Tracey Balinskas (Jr.., UTL, Molloy), and
Isabelle Yaroch (Jr., P, Queens), on the ECC All-Conference First
Team.
Second Team honorees include Milan Botte (So., C, Molloy), Jamie
Laird (Jr., 1B, Dowling), Erica Fischetti (Sr., 2B, Dowling), Maria
Palmeri (So., 3B, LIU Post), Nicolette Sinagra (Sr., SS, Molloy),
Catherine Havens (Jr., OF, LIU Post), Nicole Pirretti (Jr., OF,
Queens), Natalie Wabshinak (Sr., OF, Mercy), Paige Swantek
(So., DP, LIU Post), Monique Roberge (Jr., UTL, Queens), Ashley
Martin (Fr., P, LIU Post), and Tiffany Irrera (Sr., P,
Bridgeport).
LIU Post had the most All-Conference selections with eight. Molloy
was next with five, while Dowling and Queens both had four
selections.
2014 ECC
Softball All-Conference
First Team
C - Aly Dzierzynski, LIU Post
1B - Kelly Bentson, Mercy
2B - Brenda Lee, Molloy
3B - Arianna LaPuma, Dowling
SS - Nicole Hagenah, LIU Post
OF - Alexis Gonzalez, LIU Post
OF - Crystal Tarango, Dowling
OF - Dayna White, Molloy
DP - Kayla Morrissey, Queens
UTL - Tracey Balinskas, Molloy
P - Liz Weber, LIU Post
P - Isabelle Yaroch, Queens
Second Team
C - Milan Botte, Molloy
1B - Jamie Laird, Dowling
2B - Erica Fischetti, Dowling
3B - Maria Palmeri, LIU Post
SS - Nicolette Sinagra, Molloy
OF - Catherine Havens, LIU Post
OF - Nicole Pirretti, Queens
OF - Natalie Wabshinak, Mercy
DP - Paige Swantek, LIU Post
UTL - Monique Roberge, Queens
P - Ashley Martin, LIU Post
P - Tiffany Irrera, Bridgeport
Player of the Year: Aly Dzierzynski, Jr., C, LIU
Post
Pitcher of the Year: Liz Weber, Sr., LIU Post
Rookie of the Year: Kayla Morrissey, Fr., DP,
Queens
Coach of the Year: Jamie Apicella, LIU Post
