MAAC Announces 2015 Softball Awards
MAAC Sports
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference has announced its 2015 Softball All-MAAC teams and major award winners as chosen by the leagues 11 head coaches at the annual awards show.
Elena Bowman of Manhattan College has been named the 2015 MAAC Player of the Year and headlines the All-MAAC teams, while Fairfield University’s Lauren Filicia claims the league’s inaugural Defensive Player of the Year honor. Marist College’s Melanie White was selected as the 2015 Pitcher of the Year and Canisius College’s Erika Mackie was announced as the 2015 Rookie of the Year. Kim Griffin was voted amongst her peers as the 2015 Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year to round out the major awards.
Bowman, a junior catcher from San Mateo, California, leads the MAAC in batting average (.474), slugging percentage (.983), on base percentage (.608), total bases (114), walks (34), home runs (16), and tied for first with 41 RBIs. She is second in the league with 38 runs scored and tied for fourth with 55 hits. A unanimous choice to the All-MAAC First Team and unanimous selection as the 2015 Player of the Year, Bowman was named MAAC Player of the Week three times during the season.
Filicia, a junior outfielder, becomes the conference’s first ever Defensive Player of the Year. She has a .396 batting average, good for fourth in the MAAC during the year. Filicia ranks third in the conference in runs scored, registering 37, and is tied for fourth with 55 hits. The San Diego, California native, also stole 15 bases during the regular season, ranking fourth in the league and recorded an on base percentage of .458, good for sixth in the MAAC.
White, a right handed pitcher from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, posted a 16-11 record during the regular season with a 2.95 ERA. Her 16 wins and her 145 strikeouts led the MAAC during 2015. The senior pitched 17 complete games and picked up one save. White also ranks in the top five of the conference in opposing batting average, holding opponents to a .259 average. Additionally, she was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week twice this season.
2015 Rookie of the Year, Mackie, was a unanimous selection to the inaugural All-Rookie Team. The freshman left handed pitcher, recorded a Canisius best 14 wins in her rookie campaign. She posted a 3.22 ERA in 21 starts and 29 appearances, while striking out 53 batters. The Scranton, Pennsylvania native earned three saves in relief for the Golden Griffins and allowed an opposing hitting percentage of .266 percent.
Canisius College head coach Kim Griffin was named as the 2015 Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year. Griffin, in only her first season at the helm of the Golden Griffins, led a team that was chosen eighth in the coaches’ preseason to a 26-17 overall record and 15-5 league mark. She also guided the team to a share of the regular season MAAC title and the top overall seed in the 2015 Softball Championship.
Bowman (catcher), Filicia (outfield), and White (pitcher) were all named to the All-MAAC First Team. Joining the trio on the First Team in the infield were Kristen Turner of Iona, Nikki Barba from Quinnipiac, Dana Sensi of Rider, who was a unanimous choice, and Paige Lloyd form Siena. Joining Filicia in the outfield were the Canisius duo of Jessica Berzins and Michelle DelPrince. Jordan Paolucci of Quinnipiac is the designated player, while Jennifer Vazquez of Manhattan College is the utility player. Amy Bright of Manhattan joins White as a first team pitcher.
Mackie (pitcher) headlined the All-MAAC Second Team. Also claiming spots on the All-MAAC Second Team included, Fairfield ‘s catcher Tori Reed, and infielders Amanda Paxton from Manhattan, Marist’s teammates Maureen Duddy and Kyrsten Van Natta, and Siena’s Stephanie Viggiano. The outfielders were Fairfield’s Sammy Ruffolo, Allison Hand of Iona, and Colleen McWilliams of Marist. The second team designated player was Lindsey Silfer of Canisius and the second team utility player was Janine Lalli from Marist. Amanda Gatt of Siena joined Mackie as pitchers.
All-MAAC First Team
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Catcher
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Elena Bowman*
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Manhattan College
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Infield
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Kristen Turner
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Iona College
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Nikki Barba
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Quinnipiac University
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Dana Sensi*
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Rider University
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Paige Lloyd
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Siena College
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Outfield
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Jessica Berzins
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Canisius College
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Michelle DelPrince
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Canisius College
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Lauren Filicia
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Fairfield University
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Designated Player
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Jordan Paolucci
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Quinnipiac University
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Utility
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Jennifer Vazquez
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Manhattan College
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Pitcher
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Amy Bright
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Manhattan College
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Melanie White
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Marist College
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All-MAAC Second Team
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Catcher
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Tori Reed
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Fairfield University
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Infield
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Amanda Paxton
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Manhattan College
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Maureen Duddy
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Marist College
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Kyrsten Van Natta
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Marist College
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Stephanie Viggiano
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Siena College
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Outfield
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Sammy Ruffolo
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Fairfield University
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Allison Hand
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Iona College
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Colleen McWilliams
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Marist College
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Designated Player
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Lindsey Silfer
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Canisius College
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Utility
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Janine Lalli
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Marist College
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Pitcher
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Erika Mackie
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Canisius College
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Amanda Gatt
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Siena College
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All-Rookie Team
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Erika Mackie *
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Canisius College
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Destinee Pallotto
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Fairfield University
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Kate Robinson*
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Fairfield University
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Briana Matazinsky*
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Manhattan College
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Gabrielle Kelliher
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Marist College
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Samantha Reily*
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Marist College
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Chloe Howerth
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Monmouth University
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Amanda Riley
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Monmouth University
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Casey Herzog
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Quinnipiac University
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Miranda Magana
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Quinnipiac University
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Nicole Feoli*
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Saint Peter's
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Lauren Butts
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Siena College
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Paige Hess
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Siena College
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Player of the Year
Elena Bowman*, Manhattan College
Defensive Players of the Year
Lauren Filicia, Fairfield University
Pitcher of the Year
Melanie White, Marist College
Rookie of the Year
Erika Mackie, Canisius College
Lids Team Sports Coach of the Year
Kim Griffin, Canisius College
*Denotes unanimous selection