Smith, Price and Parker Headline PSAC Softball Awards
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has released its softball all-conference teams, the league announced Monday afternoon.
All-conference teams and major award winners are determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
In the Central, Bloomsburg senior Taylor Parker was named Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season. It marks the 14th time that BU has claimed the award and first time since 2013-14 that an athlete has repeated in any division. Parker tied for the PSAC lead with 11 homeruns while sitting third in the league in RBI with 41. The senior hit .364 while earning 13 walks. In the circle, she posted a 16-8 record while striking out 162 batters in 150.2 innings and boasting a 2.28 earned run average.
BU senior Mallory Tomaschik was named Pitcher of the Year after posting a 13-8 record to go with a 2.09 ERA and 140 strikeouts over 127.1 innings. Tomaschik is the fifth Huskie to earn the award and first since 2013. She tossed 12 complete games and seven shutouts. She struck out 10 or more batters on four different occasions, including a season-high 15 against Goldey Beacom April 24.
Mansfield’s Alli McGovern was tabbed Freshman of the Year and is the second MU representative to earn the merit and first since 2013. In 32 contests, McGovern posted a .398 batting average along with a pair of triples and five doubles. McGovern turned in 14 multi-hit games while her squad posted a 21-14 overall record.
Lock Haven’s Kelly Shannon claimed the Coach of the Year. It marks the seventh time that LHU has earned recognition and the first since 2009. The Bald Eagles entered the PSAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Central and won three games on Thursday to advance to the championship round on Saturday. Under her direction this season, five Bald Eagles earned all-conference recognition.
In the East, Millersville senior Brittany Smith was tabbed Athlete of the Year. She is the first Marauder to earn the award and is the second MU representative to win any major award. Smith finished second in the league with a .443 batting average while tying for seventh in RBI with 36. She accumulated 12 doubles, three triples and three homeruns. Smith swiped 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
Kutztown senior Savannah Nierintz was named Pitcher of the Year, marking the fifth time KU has received the award. She is the first KU pitcher since 2012 to accomplish the feat. Nierintz posted a 21-7 record while sporting the second-lowest ERA in the league (1.67). She racked up 172 strikeouts in 201.2 innings. The senior threw 23 complete games, six shutouts and earned three saves.
West Chester’s Bri Garber grabbed Freshman of the Year accolades and is the second Golden Ram to earn the award. Garber hit .388 on the season with 17 RBI. She scored 38 runs while racking up five doubles and a pair of triples.
KU’s Judy Lawes earned the Coach of the Year for the 11th time in her career and first since 2012. She led KU to the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Region in the upcoming NCAA DII Softball Tournament. Lawes guided three athletes to all-conference recognition. The Golden Bear pitching staff posted the third-best ERA in the PSAC (2.27).
In the West, California junior Emily Price was tabbed Athlete of the Year. This marks the 14th time that a Cal player has garnered the award. Price finished fourth in the PSAC in batting average with a .429 clip while driving in 25 runs. She amassed 14 doubles and three long balls.
Gannon senior Olivia Gumbita won the Pitcher of the Year award and is the first Golden Knight to claim the honor. She dominated with a 1.86 ERA in 146.2 innings of work. She struck out 151 batters while tossing 17 complete games. She twirled three shutouts while earning three saves. Gumbita struck out at least eight batters on seven different occasions.
California’s Paige Wilson grabbed Freshman of the Year accolades and is the 11th Vulcan to garner the award. Wilson batted .397 with nine RBI and four doubles. This marks the sixth time in the last seven years that Cal has won the award.
Gannon’s Tom Jakubowski was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Golden Knights to a 28-14 overall record and the No. 1 seed in the West. He is the first GU coach to win the award and led five athletes to all-conference recognition.
A total of nine athletes have appeared on all-conferences teams at least three times.
A complete list of all honorees is below.
PSAC SOFTBALL CENTRAL DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown/Previous |
| Catcher |
Bryanna Lonick |
Jr. |
IUP |
Burgettstown, Pa. / Burgettstown |
| First Base |
McKenna Garlock^** |
Sr. |
Lock Haven |
Three Springs, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon |
| Second Base |
Kaitlyn Beers |
Fr. |
IUP |
Reynoldsville, Pa. / Dubois |
| Shortstop |
Hannah Mercer^^* |
Sr. |
IUP |
Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Hollidaysburg |
| Third Base |
Michelle Holweger* |
Sr. |
Lock Haven |
Lansdale, Pa. / North Penn |
| Outfield |
Emily Mayhew** |
Jr. |
Bloomsburg |
Perkasie, Pa. / Pennridge |
| Outfield |
Taylor Winkelman* |
So. |
Bloomsburg |
Springfield, Pa. / Springfield |
| Outfield |
Morgan Cannin* |
So. |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jenners, Pa. / North Star |
| Designated Player |
NONE |
|
|
|
| Utility/Non Pitcher |
Koryn Wickwire* |
Jr. |
Mansfield |
Wysox, Pa. / Towanda |
| Utility/Pitcher |
Taylor Parker^* |
Sr. |
Bloomsburg |
Dewart, Pa. / Warrior Run |
| Pitcher |
Bekah Slattery* |
So. |
Lock Haven |
Douglassville, Pa. / Daniel Boone |
| Pitcher |
Mallory Tomaschik* |
Sr. |
Bloomsburg |
Catawissa, Pa. / Southern Columbia |
| At-Large |
Rachel Mouilleseaux^* |
Sr. |
Lock Haven |
Endicott, N.Y. / Union Endicott |
| At-Large |
Alli McGovern |
Fr. |
Mansfield |
Binghamton, N.Y. / Binghamton |
| At-Large |
Rachael Sterner* |
Jr. |
Mansfield |
Duncannon, Pa. / Susquenita |
| At-Large |
Lauren Goetz |
So. |
IUP |
Cleveland, Ohio / Cuyahoga Heights |
| At-Large |
Faith Ceely |
So. |
Lock Haven |
Troy, Pa. / Troy |
Athlete of the Year: Taylor Parker, Bloomsburg
Pitcher of the Year: Mallory Tomaschik, Bloomsburg
Freshman of the Year: Alli McGovern, Mansfield
Coach of the Year: Kelly Shannon, Lock Haven
PSAC SOFTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown/Previous |
| Catcher |
Gabby Tareila |
Jr. |
Kutztown |
Limerick, Pa. / Spring-Ford |
| First Base |
Brittany Smith* |
Sr. |
Millersville |
Wyomissing, Pa. / Wilson |
| Second Base |
Sara Ercolani* |
So. |
West Chester |
Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown |
| Shortstop |
Alyssa Herion* |
So. |
West Chester |
Avon Grove, Pa. / Avon Grove |
| Third Base |
Mary Wallick |
Jr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Bristol, Pa. / Bristol |
| Outfield |
Sara Keeny* |
So. |
Kutztown |
Warminster, Pa. / William Tennent |
| Outfield |
Bri Garber |
Fr. |
West Chester |
Willow Street, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg |
| Outfield |
Tara Bicko* |
Jr. |
Shippensburg |
Johnstown, Pa. / Greater Johnstown |
| Designated Player |
Madison Vicendese |
So. |
East Stroudsburg |
Ellicott City, Md. / Maryvale Prep |
| Utility/Non Pitcher |
Megan McCurdy |
Jr. |
Millersville |
Woodstown, N.J. / Woodstown |
| Utility/Pitcher |
Chloe Collins* |
Jr. |
Shippensburg |
Adamstown, Md. / Tuscarora |
| Pitcher |
Savannah Nierintz^* |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
Clifton Heights, Pa. / Upper Darby |
| Pitcher |
Amanda Houck |
Jr. |
West Chester |
Gap, Pa. / Pequea Valley |
| At-Large# |
Sarah Walasavage^* |
Sr. |
West Chester |
Minersville, Pa. / Minersville |
| At-Large |
Heather Lutz* |
Sr. |
Millersville |
Horsham, Pa. / Hatboro-Horsham |
| At-Large |
Cat Hammer* |
Jr. |
West Chester |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan |
| At-Large |
Danielle Wissinger |
Sr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown |
| At-Large |
Taryn Wilson |
So. |
Shippensburg |
Hegins, Pa. / Tri-Valley |
Athlete of the Year: Brittany Smith, Millersville
Pitcher of the Year: Savannah Nierintz, Kutztown
Freshman of the Year: Bri Garber, West Chester
Coach of the Year: Judy Lawes, Kutztown
PSAC SOFTBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown/Previous |
| Catcher |
Lauren Hawley |
Jr. |
Slippery Rock |
Brookfield, Ohio / Brookfield |
| First Base |
Kherrin Morgan |
So. |
Gannon |
Hamilton, Ohio / Talawanda |
| Second Base |
Megan Brown |
So. |
Slippery Rock |
Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg |
| Shortstop |
Emily Price^* |
Jr. |
California |
Warren, Ohio / Howland |
| Third Base |
Ashley Perillo |
Jr. |
Seton Hill |
Greensburg, Pa. / Greater Latrobe |
| Outfield |
Rachel DiBartolomeo* |
Sr. |
Mercyhurst |
Saegertown, Pa. / Saegertown |
| Outfield |
Jackie Martinez* |
Jr. |
Gannon |
Phoenix, Ariz. / Xavier College Prep |
| Outfield |
Paige Hertzog |
Jr. |
Seton Hill |
Mt. Pleasant, Pa. / Mt. Pleasant |
| Designated Player |
Megan Jahoda** |
Sr. |
California |
Buchanan, N.Y. / Hendrick Hudson |
| Utility/Non Pitcher |
Jolene Teller |
Fr. |
Mercyhurst |
Sagamore Hills, Ohio / Nordonia |
| Utility/Pitcher |
Kellyn Perich |
So. |
Gannon |
Veneita, Pa. / Peters Township |
| Pitcher |
Amanda Huff |
R-Jr. |
Seton Hill |
Colora, Md. / Rising Sun |
| Pitcher |
Olivia Gumbita^* |
Sr. |
Gannon |
Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe |
| At-Large |
Abbey Suhoski |
R-Jr. |
Seton Hill |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Baldwin |
| At-Large |
Danna Heh |
So. |
Edinboro |
Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny |
| At-Large |
Emily Nagle |
Jr. |
Slippery Rock |
Bellwood, Pa. / Bellwood-Antis |
| At-Large |
Caitlin Baxter* |
Sr. |
Slippery Rock |
Butler, Pa. / Butler |
| At-Large |
Maria Taliani |
Fr. |
Gannon |
Cheswick, Pa. / Deer Lakes |
Athlete of the Year: Emily Price, California
Pitcher of the Year: Olivia Gumbita, Gannon
Freshman of the Year: Paige Wilson, California
Coach of the Year: Tom Jakubowski, Gannon
*Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection
#Number of honorees altered due to tie