EDISON, NJ - Iona College junior pitcher/outfielder Alison Higgs has been named the 2004 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Softball Player of the Year and highlights the 2004 All-MAAC Softball Team chosen by the league's nine head coaches.

Higgs led the league with her .400 batting average while contributing a conference-best 60 hits and 34 runs scored. She also tallied 23 RBI in 47 games for the Gaels this season, who ended the regular season at 26-20 overall and 9-7 in MAAC play. Higgs finished second in the MAAC with her 1.37 earned run average, going 22-9 on the mound for the Maroon and Gold. She struck out 173 batters in 219.1 innings of work.

Rider University's Heather Beintema was named the MAAC Pitcher of the Year. Beintema, a sophomore, led the conference with her 0.85 ERA, posting a 20-5 record on the mound and tallying 220 strikeouts in 172.0 innings pitched for the Broncs.

Niagara University catcher Nicole Sum was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year. She finished tied for fifth in the MAAC standings with her .333 batting average, registering 45 hits, 18 runs scored and 15 RBI this season for the Purple Eagles.

Higgs and Beintema were named to the All-MAAC First Team. The rest of the All-MAAC First Team includes Fairfield's Diana Fasano (.276 BA, 37 H) at catcher and Canisius' Beth Enk (.273 BA, 36 H) at first base. Liz Hammel of Iona (.331 BA, 47 H) was selected at second base. Fairfield's Molly Harris (.273 BA, 41 H) is at shortstop, and Niagara's Cheryl Julicher (.363 BA, 33 RBI) is at third base. The outfield is made up of Jamie Gorczynski of Canisius (.270 BA, 31 H), Laura Sandonato of Fairfield (.323 BA, 29 RBI) and Courtney Weed (.302 BA, 55 H) and Amanda Tu (.347 BA, 28 RBI) of Rider. Fairfield's Cagney Ringnalda (.325 BA, 27 RBI) is the designated player, and Higgs is the utility player. Beintema and Andrea Bunten (1.81 ERA, 195 SO, 139.0 IP) of Canisius were selected as the pitchers of the All-MAAC First Team.

The All-MAAC Second Team includes Sum and Amanda Pucci (.299 BA, 35 H) from Iona both at catcher, Alyson Funn (.333 BA, 32 H) from Iona at first base, and Brandey Weed (.298 BA, 50 H) from Rider at second base. Siena College's Veronica Arrendondo (.240 BA, 29 H) is at shortstop, while Manhattan College's Michelle Gutierrez (.286 BA, 36 H) earned a spot at third base. The outfield is made up of Canisius' Becky Owen (.282 BA, 37 H), Iona's Alex Sprague (.315BA, 35 H) and Saint Peter's Jen Cordero (.313 BA, 30 H). Manhattan's Jennifer McCracken (.207 BA, 28 H) is the designated player, while Rider's Maddy Boulden (.283 BA, 23 RBI) is the utility player. Fairfield's Tracy Sylvestre (1.65 ERA, 103 SO, 182.2 IP) and Manhattan's Jillian Medea (1.89 ERA, 177 SO, 196.2 IP) round out the All-MAAC Second Team as the pitchers.

Fairfield head coach Julie Brzezinski was tabbed as the 2004 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year. Brzezinski, in her seventh year of coaching the Stags, guided Fairfield to a 28-31 record this season, including a 12-4 mark in the MAAC, as the Stags earned their third straight MAAC regular season title and the top seed in the MAAC Tournament.

2004 Softball All-MAAC Teams