MAAC Co-Players of the Year Katie Miranto and Felicia Coffey Headline 2008 All-MAAC Softball Team
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. Canisius College senior shortstop Katie Miranto and Niagara University junior outfielder Felicia Coffey have been named the 2008 MAAC Softball Co-Players of the Year and highlight the 2008 All-MAAC Softball Teams chosen by the league’s nine head coaches.
Miranto leads the league with her .409 batting average, while contributing a .584 slugging percentage and a .465 on-base percentage. She has tallied 63 hits, a league-best 49 runs scored and 35 RBI in 47 games for the Golden Griffins this season, who ended the regular season at 35-12 overall and 15-1 in MAAC play.
Coffey is second on the league’s batting list with a .404 average, and also registered a .602 slugging percentage and a .453 on-base percentage. So far this season she has recorded a conference-high 67 hits, 42 runs scored and 23 RBI over the course of 46 games for the Purple Eagles, who now stand at 27-19 overall and 13-3 in conference action.
Canisius junior right-hander Juliette Bowers was named the 2008 MAAC Pitcher of the Year. Bowers has posted a 1.96 ERA and an 18-1 record on the mound. She has tallied 111 strikeouts in 125.0 innings pitched for the Griffs this season.
Canisius freshman outfielder Lauren Hope was named the 2008 MAAC Rookie of the Year. She owns a .342 batting average, and has registered 53 hits, 40 runs scored and 10 RBI this season for the Griffs.
Miranto, Coffey and Bowers were named to the All-MAAC First Team. The rest of the team includes Fairfield University’s Erin Frank and Siena College’s Andrea Piela at catcher, as well as Marist College’s Melissa Giordano, Niagara’s Teresa Healy and Siena’s Jennifer Granato in the infield. The outfield is made up of Jenny Maheu of Canisius, Julia Jacoby of Fairfield, and Jenna Baker of Niagara. Manhattan College’s Danielle Just is the designated player for the third straight year. Bowers and Sarah Minice from Fairfield were selected as the pitchers of the All-MAAC First Team.
Hope was named to the All-MAAC Second Team. The rest of the squad includes Michelle Fridey of Canisius at catcher, while Emily Helbig from Canisius, Riannon Thomas and Kristin Trifiolis from Fairfield, Tory Healy and Maggie McDonald from Niagara, and Lauren Weingart from Siena earned a spot in the infield. The outfield includes Niagara’s Kristin Sito and Rider University’s Tiffany Day-Neutill. Fairfield’s Jenna DiBernardo is the designated player, while Canisius’ Cameron Norton and Siena’s Jamie Piela are the utility players. Marist’s Megan Rigos and Niagara’s Brooke Viola round out the All-MAAC Second Team as the pitchers.
Canisius head coach Mike Rappl was named as the 2008 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year. Rappl, in his 29th year at the helm of the Golden Griffins, guided Canisius to a 35-12 record during the regular season, including a 15-1 mark in the MAAC. This marks the seventh time he has won this award.
2008 MAAC Softball Awards
First Team
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Name
|
School
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Position
|
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Erin Frank
|
Fairfield
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Catcher
|
|
Andrea Piela
|
Siena
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Catcher
|
|
Katie Miranto
|
Canisius
|
Infield
|
|
Melissa Giordano
|
Marist
|
Infield
|
|
Teresa Healy
|
Niagara
|
Infield
|
|
Jennifer Granato
|
Siena
|
Infield
|
|
Jenny Maheu
|
Canisius
|
Outfield
|
|
Julia Jacoby
|
Fairfield
|
Outfield
|
|
Jenna Baker
|
Niagara
|
Outfield
|
|
Danielle Just
|
Manhattan
|
Designated Player
|
|
Felicia Coffey
|
Niagara
|
Utility
|
|
Juliette Bowers
|
Canisius
|
Pitcher
|
|
Sarah Minice
|
Fairfield
|
Pitcher
|
Second Team
|
Name
|
School
|
Position
|
|
Michelle Fridey
|
Canisius
|
Catcher
|
|
Emily Helbig
|
Canisius
|
Infield
|
|
Riannon Thomas
|
Fairfield
|
Infield
|
|
Kristie Trifiolis
|
Fairfield
|
Infield
|
|
Tory Healy
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Niagara
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Infield
|
|
Maggie McDonald
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Niagara
|
Infield
|
|
Lauren Weingart
|
Siena
|
Infield
|
|
Lauren Hope
|
Canisius
|
Outfield
|
|
Kristin Sito
|
Niagara
|
Outfield
|
|
Tiffany Day-Neutill
|
Rider
|
Outfield
|
|
Jenna DiBernardo
|
Fairfield
|
Designated Player
|
|
Cameron Norton
|
Canisius
|
Utility
|
|
Jamie Piela
|
Siena
|
Utility
|
|
Megan Rigos
|
Marist
|
Pitcher
|
|
Brooke Viola
|
Niagara
|
Pitcher
|
Co-Players of the Year
Katie Miranto, Canisius
Felicia Coffey, Niagara
Pitcher of the Year
Juliette Bowers, Canisius
Rookie of the Year
Lauren Hope, Canisius
Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year
Mike Rappl, Canisius