Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Lauren Liseth from Fairfield University has been named the 2013 MAAC Softball Player of the Year and highlights the 2013 All-MAAC Softball Teams chosen by the league’s nine head coaches.

Liseth, a junior catcher, leads the league with her .405 batting average while contributing a .767 slugging percentage and a .578 on-base percentage, good for second place in both of those categories.  She also leads the league in doubles (14) and walks (52). Liseth has tallied 47 hits, 38 runs scored, 35 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 46 games played for the Stags this season.  During the regular season, she fielded 195 putouts and assisted on 46 more for a .968 fielding percentage.

Jennifer Sansano from Niagara University was named the 2013 MAAC Pitcher of the Year.  Sansano has posted a 2.13 ERA and a 10-11 record on the mound.  The junior has tallied a conference-high 163 strikeouts in 141 innings pitched for the Purple Eagles this season and held her opponents to a .211 batting average.

Nicole Cheek from Marist College was chosen as the 2013 MAAC Rookie of the Year.  She is currently owns a .365 batting average, and has registered a conference-best 62 hits, including nine doubles, two triples and a league-high 14 home runs.  Cheek has also recorded 41 runs scored and led the league with 49 RBI during the regular season for the Red Foxes.

Liseth, Sansano and Cheek were each named to the All-MAAC First Team.  The rest of the team includes Robin Kennery from Canisius College, Kate Bowen from Manhattan College, Danielle Koltz from Marist, and Paige Lloyd and Shannon Jones from Siena in the infield.  The outfield is comprised of Cheek, Lauren Filicia from Jodi Petersen from Iona College and Kehli Washington from Rider University.  Cheek is the designated player, while Elena Bowman from Manhattan and Jessika-Jo Sandrini from Siena are the utility players.  Sansano and Rae Ball from Fairfield were selected as the pitchers of the All-MAAC First Team.

The All-MAAC Second Team includes Alyssa Zahka from Marist and Becky Zill from Niagara at catcher, while Meghan Cuddy from Canisius, Kristen Filicia, Amanda Babcock from Manhattan and Dana Sensi from Rider each earned a spot in the infield.  The outfield includes Fairfield’s Sammy Ruffolo, Niagara’s Alexis Wayne and Siena’s Mandy Ferro.  Alyssa Lancaster from Siena is the designated player, while Marist’s Alyssa Zahka is the utility player.  Emily Osterhaus from Marist and Jessika-Jo Sandrini from Siena round out the All-MAAC Second Team as the pitchers.

Siena College head coach Bill Lajeunesse was named as the 2013 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year.  Lajeunesse, in third year at the helm of the Saints, has guided Siena to an overall record of 21-24 record during the regular season, including a 12-4 mark in the MAAC, en route to a share of the MAAC regular season title and the top seed in this year’s championship.

2013 MAAC Softball Awards

First Team

Second Team