Louisville, Ky. - ECC softball standouts took
up 12 spots on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)
Division II All-East Region teams, announced on Thursday afternoon.
Seven earned First Team distinction, while five earned Second Team
honors.
Leading the way on the First Team were four members of the ECC
Champion, LIU Post Pioneers including the ECC Player of the Year,
Aly Dzierzynski, and the ECC Pitcher of the Year, Liz Weber.
Dzierzynski has been one of the most feared hitters in Division II
with totals of 24 homeruns, 74 RBI, and a .435 batting average.
Weber has an ECC leading 24 wins and 1.94 earned run average on the
season.
The other two Pioneers on the First Team are shortstop Nicole
Hagenah and outfielder Alexis Gonzalez. Hagenah, the Co-Most
Outstanding Player of the ECC Championship with Dzierzynski, is
fifth in the ECC with a .410 batting average. She also has 13
homeruns, 15 doubles, and 50 RBI on the year. Gonzalez, an
ECC All-Conference First Team pick, has been as potent a hitter as
her teammates. Her current stat line includes a .372 batting
average and 18 homeruns and 66 RBI to rank second in the ECC behind
Dzierzynski.
ECC Rookie of the Year, Kayla Morrissey from Queens, is joined by
teammate Monique Roberge on the First Team. Morrissey finished her
freshman campaign with a .338 batting average, 12 homeruns, and 36
RBI from the designated player position. Roberge was a standout
both at the plate and in the circle for the Knights. Her hitting
numbers include a .394 batting average, 13 homeruns, and 52 RBI. In
the circle, she finished first in the ECC with 179 strikeouts in
156.0 innings pitched and also compiled a 16-7 record that included
two no-hitters.
Mercy's Julie Gross wraps up the First Team representatives from
the ECC at the utility-non-pitcher spot. Gross, who spent time at
shortstop, second base, and the outfield, hit .378 on the year with
42 hits and 23 RBI.
Second Team honorees include Isabelle Yaroch (Jr., P, Queens),
Dayna White (Sr., OF, Molloy), Natalie Wabshinak (Sr., OF, Mercy),
Paige Swantek (So., DP, LIU Post), and Tracey Balinskas (So., U-P,
Molloy).
All of the All-Region nominees are now eligible for All-American
consideration. The NFCA All-America squads will be announced on May
21.
2014 NFCA
All-East Region Teams
First Team
P - Ali Maloof, Southern New Hampshire
P - Liz Weber, LIU Post
C - Aly Dzierzynski, LIU Post
1B - Brielle Reighn, Caldwell
2B - Danielle McDevitt, Holy Family
3B - Kristen Knorr, Caldwell
SS - Nicole Hagenah, LIU Post
OF - Alexis Gonzalez, LIU Post
OF - Dara Schroeder, Georgian Court
OF - Shelby Yung, Pace
DP - Kayla Morrissey, Queens
U-P - Monique Roberge, Queens
U-NP - Julie Gross, Mercy
Second Team
P - Amber Padilla, Caldwell
P - Isabelle Yaroch, Queens
C - Alyssa Calderon, Caldwell
1B - Ciera Clark, Felician
2B - Lindsey Bolduc, Southern New Hampshire
3B - Taylor McDonough, Georgian Court
SS - Megan Fryday, Caldwell
OF - Caitlin McCready, Caldwell
OF - Dayna White, Molloy
OF - Natalie Wabshinak, Mercy
DP - Paige Swantek, LIU Post
U-P - Tracey Balinskas, Molloy
U-NP - Aubrey Orr, Bloomfield
