2014 PSAC Softball All-Conference Teams Released

Bookmark and Share

Can't view the gallery? Click here.

Lock Haven, Pa. – Mansfield’s Kate Pratt and California’s Natalie Wideman headline the 2014 PSAC softball All-Conference teams as their respective division’s Athlete of the Year, as selected by the league’s head coaches. Shippensburg’s Emily Estep is the East Pitcher of the Year, while California’s Alex Sagl is the West Pitcher of the Year. IUP’s Hannah Mercer was named the West Freshman of the Year, and Bloomsburg’s Taylor Parker is the East Freshman of the Year. Both Rick Bertagnolli of California and Edith Gallagher of Mansfield are repeat PSAC Coaches of the Year.
 
Pratt, the 2013 PSAC Central Division Athlete of the Year, is hitting .346 heading into Mansfield’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA D-II Softball Atlantic Regional. Pratt is now a three-time All-PSAC athlete and was voted a First Team utility pitcher in 2014. Over the course of the season Pratt has totaled 46 hits, 29 runs scored, 29 RBI, 15 doubles, and eight homeruns. In the circle Pratt holds a 1.64 ERA with 10 wins in 21 appearances. She has thrown over 119 innings and has held opponents to a paltry .210 batting average.
 
Wideman leads all league hitters with a .458 batting average and 45 runs scored. The First Team All-PSAC catcher is a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and was named the PSAC Championship’s Most Valuable Player. Wideman hit the go-ahead homerun in the sixth inning to clinch a 4-3 win over Shippensburg in the PSAC Championship title game last weekend. Wideman hit .632 during the conference tournament going 12-for-19.
 
Estep holds a league-low 1.13 ERA heading into the NCAA Championship as well as a PSAC-best 190 strikeouts. The 2011 and 2013 PSAC East Pitcher of the Year is now a two-time All-PSAC pitcher and is 23-3 on the season with seven shutouts and a .181 opponents’ batting average. So far this season Estep has given-up 112 hits in over 173 innings of work while surrendering just 28 earned runs.
 
Sagl carries a 1.40 ERA heading into the NCAA Championship and has totaled 23 wins during her sophomore season. She has fanned 169 batters and has allowed just 28 earned runs in 140 innings of work. In over 22 innings pitched during the conference tournament, Sagl allowed only three earned runs on 17 hits while striking out 25. 
 
Mercer, an All-PSAC West Second Team outfielder, is hitting just below .300 as a freshman and helped IUP earn its fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last five seasons. Mercer has 51 hits, 40 runs scored, 25 RBI, and 10 stolen bases so far this season. In the heart of conference play, Mercer went on an eight-game hit streak that spanned from April 5-April 12.
 
Parker, an All-PSAC East Second Team utility pitcher, is hitting at a .328 clip while holding a 1.71 ERA in 139 innings pitched. In her 41 games played Parker has amassed 40 hits, 25 runs scored, 22 RBI, and 10 doubles. In the circle Parker owns the league’s fifth-best ERA while holding batters to a .240 average. She has struckout 109 hitters and has allowed just 34 earned runs on 128 hits in 139 innings of action.
 
Bertagnolli, in his 21st season with the Vulcans, is now a 14-time PSAC West Coach of the Year. He has now earned the honor now six consecutive years and is a recent inductee into the NFCA Hall of Fame. California has reached the NCAA Tournament 19 times under his direction and has won the PSAC Conference title six times. This season the Vulcans captured their first conference crown since 2000.
 
Gallagher, in her 23rd season at the helm of the Mansfield program, has won Coach of the Year honors for three straight years. This year the Mountaineers earned their first-ever NCAA D-II Championship berth, while making their eighth postseason appearance under Gallagher. She is first women’s coach at Mansfield to surpass the 300-win milestone, and the team’s 23 wins this season marks the third-straight 20+ win season for the Mounties.

EASTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
Pos. Player University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
1B Colleen Smith* Kutztown Sr. Islip Terrace, NY / East Islip (Hofstra)
2B Taylor Pattillo Shippensburg So. Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area (Delaware State)
SS Taylor Weisman* Shippensburg Jr. Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East
3B Laura Altenburger West Chester So. Feasterville, Pa. / Neshaminy
OF Stephanie Simmeth** Mansfield Sr. Cheektowaga, N.Y. / St. Mary’s
OF Chrissy Belko Bloomsburg Sr. Old Forge, Pa. / Old Forge
OF Hilary Lyons* Shippensburg Sr. Cumberland, Md. / Allegany
C Rebecca Smith* East Stroudsburg Sr. Valatie, N.Y. / Ichabod Crane
DH Kim Murl* West Chester Sr. Hamilton, N.J. / Nottingham
P Emily Estep** Shippensburg Sr. Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area
P Brianna Andraos Millersville So. Malvern, Pa. / West Chester East
UP/NP No nominee
UP/P Kate Pratt**^ Mansfield Sr. Troy, Pa. / Troy

EASTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
Pos. Player University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
1B Cara McNeil East Stroudsburg Jr. Mount Tabor, N.J. / Parsippany Hills
2B Courtney Bauder* Mansfield Jr. Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore
SS Erika Yanora* Bloomsburg Jr. Tunkhannock, Pa. / Tunkhannock
3B No nominee
OF Kayla McHale* Bloomsburg Jr. Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern
OF Paige Stuppy Lock Haven Fr. Jonestown, Pa. / Northern Lebanon
OF Megan Kelly* West Chester Sr. Hatbroro, Pa. / Hatboro-Horsham
C McKenna Garlock Lock Haven Fr. Three Springs, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon
DH Sarah Bertoni Bloomsburg Jr. Nanticoke, Pa / Greater Nanticoke Area
P Rachael Liguori East Stroudsburg Fr. Gaithersburg, Md. / Damascus
P Allison Mende East Stroudsburg So. Ramsey, N.J. / Ramsey
UP/NP No nominee
UP/P Taylor Parker Bloomsburg Fr. Dewart, Pa. / Warrior Run

WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
Pos. Player University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
1B Lindsay Reicoff* California (Pa.) So. Pittsburgh, Pa. / Chartiers Valley
2B Shelby Lia^* California (Pa.) Sr. Whitby, Ontario / Donald A. Wilson
SS Breanna Morris* California (Pa.) Jr. Waynesburg, Pa. / Waynesburg Central
3B Ashley Samluk Slippery Rock So. Erie, Pa. / McDowell
OF Jasa Mitchell IUP Sr. Snow Shoe, Pa. / Bald Eagle Area
OF Brenna Cosgrove* Edinboro Sr. Fairview, Pa. / McDowell
OF Dani Treaster Seton Hill Jr. Lewistown, Pa. / Indian Valley
C Natalie Wideman** California (Pa.) Sr. Mississauga, Ontario / Streetsville Secondary
DH Stephani Ellis California (Pa.) Sr. Vancouver, British Columbia / Prince of Wales Secondary
P Alex Sagl* California (Pa.) So. Oakville, Ontario / Oakville Trafalgar
P Alexa Campbell IUP Jr. Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central
UP/NP Megan Jahoda California (Pa.) Fr. Buchanan, N.Y. / Hendrick Hudson
UP/P Jess Rectenwald Gannon Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills

WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
Pos. Player University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
1B Courtney Smith* Mercyhurst Sr. Hamburg, N.Y. / Immaculata Academy
2B Lauren Sauerwein Seton Hill Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa. /Mount Alvernia
SS Stefanie McCoy IUP Jr. New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge
3B Natalya Smarra California (Pa.) So. McKees Rocks, Pa. / Sto-Rox
OF Hannah Mercer IUP Fr. Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Hollidaysburg Area
OF Kirsten Wilcox Clarion Sr. DuBois, Pa. / DuBois
OF Eliza Sykes Slippery Rock Fr. Easton, Pa. / Easton Area
C Meghan Carney IUP Jr. Corry, Pa. / Corry
DH Alyssa Bates* Gannon So. Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield
P Kaity Davis California (Pa.) Fr. Massillon, Ohio / Jackson
P Emily Lobdell Slippery Rock Sr. Warren, Ohio / Warren Area
UP/NP Kaityln Kutchman Seton Hill So. Coraopolis, Pa. / Montour
UP/P Christine Henderson Seton Hill Jr. Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley
 
* Indicates previous All-PSAC first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC second team selection
 
 
WESTERN DIVISION EASTERN DIVISION
Athlete of the Year – Natalie Wideman, California Athlete of the Year – Kate Pratt, Mansfield
Freshman of the Year – Hannah Mercer, IUP Freshman of the Year – Taylor Parker, Bloomsburg
Pitcher of the Year – Alex Sagl, California Pitcher of the Year – Emily Estep, Shippensburg
Coach of the Year – Rick Bertagnolli, California Coach of the Year – Edith Gallagher, Mansfield