MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Softball Team
Edison, N.J. (July 14, 2020) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th Anniversary throughout the 2020-21 academic year, continuing its mission to provide student-athletes the opportunity to succeed in both academics and athletics.
The 40
th Anniversary Softball Team highlights some of the best student-athletes in MAAC history. MAAC Softball traces back to 1984, when Iona College captured the first MAAC Championship. Since, Canisius College leads the conference with 12 MAAC titles overall, followed by Iona with six championships and La Salle College, a former MAAC member, with four. The MAAC Softball Championships are set to return May 14
th and 15
th in 2021, with games hosted by the league’s top overall seed.
To stay up to date with all MAAC 40
th Anniversary Teams and information follow @MAACSports on
Twitter,
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Facebook. Join the conversation by using
#MAAC40.
| Canisius College |
| Katie (Miranto) Burd |
2005-08 |
| Michelle Corrigan |
1990-93 |
| Lauren Hope |
2008-11 |
| Jody Tassone |
1993-96 |
Andrea Bunten - 2001-05
One of six players in MAAC softball history to be named the MAAC Softball Championship MVP twice (2004 and 2005), Andrea Bunten appeared in 104 career games as a Griff where she posted 42 wins and 10 saves in 506.0 innings of work… The school's career strikeout leader with 663, she fanned a school-record 238 batters in 2004... The 2005 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, Bunten is one of three pitchers in school history with multiple no-hitters to her credit. |
Coach Mike Rappl
When Mike Rappl retired after the 2014 season, he was the winningest softball coach in MAAC history with 831 wins to his credit – 330 of those coming in MAAC play. The first MAAC softball coach to reach the 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 career win milestones, Rappl led the Golden Griffins to 13 MAAC regular-season championships, 12 MAAC Tournament titles and 11 trips to the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament. The Buffalo, N.Y., native guided the Blue and Gold to 14-straight seasons with 20 wins from 1989-2002, along with eight 30-win seasons and 22-straight winning campaigns, stretching from 1981-2002. Rappl, who also coached the Canisius women’s basketball team during his tenure at the College, has five NCAA Division I Softball Tournament victories to his credit – which is three more than all the other teams in the MAAC combined. A member of the Canisius Sports Hall Fame, he has also been inducted into the Western New York Softball Hall of Fame and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. |
| Fairfield University |
| Lauren Liseth |
2011-14 |
| Destinee Pallotto |
2015-18 |
| Ellen Sarosy |
2000-03 |
| Kim Zagajewski |
1988-91 |
Mellissa Santos – 2000-03
Mellissa Santos finished her career at Fairfield as the program's all-time leader in wins (83), career earned run average (1.12), career complete games (106), innings pitched (890.2) and career strikeouts (1,156). She was named the 2003 and 2002 MAAC Pitcher of the Year and the 2001 MAAC Co-Pitcher of the Year. She earned four All-MAAC first team honors, and three All-Region awards. |
Coach Julie Brzezinski
Julie Brzezinski began her 23rd season as the Stags’ head softball coach and has captured two MAAC tournament championships and seven MAAC regular-season titles. She was named the MAAC Coach of the Year twice (2012 and 2004) and was a co-recipient once (2002). Brzezinski has posted 851 wins in her 31 seasons as a head coach and 606 victories as the Stags' head coach. She entered the 2020 season ranked 25th in career wins among active coaches in Division I. |
| Iona College |
| Alison Higgs |
2002-05 |
| Eileen McCann |
2010-14 |
| Maureen Shea |
1989-92 |
| Kristen Turner |
2014-17 |
Sarah Jackson– 2009-12
Sarah Jackson is a two-time MAAC Pitcher of the Year and a three-time All-MAAC First Teamer. Jackson was an integral part of Iona’s three-peat (2010-12), twice earning MVP honors and earning a spot on the MAAC All-Tournament Team, en route to three NCAA Regional appearances. She was the league’s rookie of the year in 2009 and owns program records in wins (62), strikeouts (802), complete games (81), shutouts (26), strikeout ratio (1.18/IP), games started (106) and innings pitched (677). |
| Manhattan College |
| Kate Bowen |
2011-14 |
| Stacy Cowen |
1989-92 |
| Jennifer Drum |
1992-95 |
| Danielle Yearick |
1991-94 |
Elena Bowman – 2013-16
The 2015 unanimous MAAC Player of the Year, Elena Bowman had one of the most prolific careers in Manhattan softball history. She holds the program record for career slugging percentage at .723, as well as home runs (52), while ranking second in career RBI (154) and third all-time in both hits (130) and runs scored (201). A catcher, Bowman was a 2016 Senior CLASS Award Second Team All-American and a 2015 Capital One Academic All-America First Team selection. She earned All-MAAC First Team honors three times, and was named an ECAC All-Start First Team pick in 2013 and 2015. In 2016, Bowman earned a nomination for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. |
| Marist College |
| Maureen Duddy |
2013-16 |
| Amanda Koldjeski |
1998-01 |
| Megan Rigos |
2005-08 |
| Kyrsten Van Natta |
2013-16 |
Melissa Giordano - 2006-09
Giordano is Marist's all-time leading hitter (.371) and is tied for the most hits in program history (236). In 2009, she set the program's single-season records for batting average (.429) and doubles (19) en route to being named MAAC Player of the Year. Giordano also ranks in the top 10 in program history in doubles (second), triples (tied for fourth), runs (fifth), and home runs (tied for 10th). Giordano won a MAAC Title with the Red Foxes in 2006 as a player and as an assistant coach in 2013. |
Coach Joe Ausanio
Ausanio, who has served as Marist's head coach for the last 12 years, is the Red Foxes' winningest (326 victories) and longest-tenured leader in program history. He has led Marist to two trips to the NCAA Tournament (2013, 2016), and three MAAC regular-season titles (2014, 2016, 2019). The 2016 team won a program-record 45 games. Ausanio is a three-time MAAC Coach of the Year (2011, 2016, 2019) who has amassed a .625 winning percentage in conference games (125-75). Five Red Foxes have won MAAC Rookie of the Year in his tenure. He has also coached 11 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, and two Academic All-Americans (Melissa Giordano, 2009; Gabrielle Kelliher, 2017). |
| Monmouth University |
| Chloe Howerth |
2015-18 |
| Alyssa Irons |
2019- Present |
| Justene Reyes |
2014-17 |
| Kayla Rosado |
2017-20 |
Amanda Riley – 2015-18
Amanda Riley's career accolades include 2018 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, 2018 Second Team All-Region, two-time First Team All-MAAC, 2016 Second Team All-MAAC, 2015 MAAC All-Rookie Team, and two-time Second Team All-ECAC. She ranks top-3 in Monmouth history for wins, saves, appearances, starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. |
| Niagara University |
| Tory Healy |
2005-08 |
| Joni (Sontrop) Hoover |
1995-98 |
| Felicia (Coffey) Kinney |
2006-09 |
| Jennifer Sansano |
2013-14 |
Teresa Healy– 2008-11
A two-time MAAC Player of the Year, four-time All-MAAC First Teamer, and three-time MAAC All-Academic, Healy left indelible marks on the Niagara softball program during her four seasons in Purple and White. When she graduated in 2011, she ranked first overall in program history in several offensive categories, including career at-bats (557), runs scored (147), RBI (153), doubles (49), and home runs (1st – 41), and still holds each of those records to this day. |
| Quinnipiac University |
| Nikki Barba |
2013-15 |
| Erin Larsen |
2016-19 |
| Miranda Magana |
2015-18 |
| Jordan Paolucci |
2013-15 |
Casey Herzog – 2015-18
Herzog holds the program’s best pitching numbers since Quinnipiac moved to the MAAC. She was named to the 2018 All-MAAC First Team and 2015 All-MAAC Rookie Team. Herzog finished her career with 488 strikeouts, which is Quinnipiac’s MAAC record. |
| Rider University |
| Heather Beintema |
2003-06 |
| Tiffany Day-Neutill |
2005-08 |
| Colleen Fox |
1998-99 |
| Michelle Peel |
1998-2001 |
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Deanna Dovak 1999-2002
| Dovak earned All-America honors as a junior when she led the nation with 21 home runs. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the 2000-01 Rider female Athlete of the Year, Dovak graduated with five Rider career softball records, including a .386 batting average, and six single season Rider records. Her 57 career home runs was sixth highest in the NCAA at the time and is still among the top 15 in the history of Division I softball. |
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| Saint Peter’s University |
| Darleen Anderson |
1995-98 |
| Sandy Attanasio |
1992-02 |
| Christina Porter |
1997-00 |
| Sheila Ulrich |
1988-91 |
Liz Stivers – 1986-90
Liz Stivers was a two-sport athlete for four seasons at Saint Peter's. A 1999 graduate of the University, she ranks in the Top-10 in six offensive categories, including games played at-bats, hits, triples, total bases and stolen bases. Stivers was inducted into the Saint Peter's Hall of Fame in 2015. |
| Siena College |
| Tara Campbell |
2003-06 |
| Madysen Cossack |
2016-19 |
| Carrie Getz |
2001-05 |
| Shannon Jones |
2010-13 |
Jessika-Jo Sandrini– 2011-14
A two-way star, Sandrini is the career & single-season program record holder in pitching wins, career strikeouts & shutouts leader and is top-3 in career batting average, hits and runs. She earned First Team All-MAAC honors once (2014) as a pitcher and twice (2012 & 2013) as a utility, and also took home a pair of Second Team nods (2012 & 2013) as a pitcher. A 2012 ECAC Second Team All-Star selection, she remains tied for fifth in MAAC history in shutouts (11) and split for ninth in wins (56). |
| Former MAAC Members |
| Patty Morrison (Fordham) |
1988-91 |
| Janet Setcavage (Fordham) |
1988-91 |
| Kelli McGahey (La Salle) |
1990-93 |
| Kerri McGahey (La Salle) |
1990-93 |
| Mary McGrath (La Salle) |
1989-91 |
Andrea Huck (La Salle) – 1989-92
Andrea Huck is a three-time MAAC Champion and a two-time MAAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP. She holds La Salle records for wins (71), ERA (1.31), innings pitched (699.0), games started (101), complete games (90), strikeouts (528), shutouts (27), and batting average against (.195); She also ranks first all-time in the MAAC in shutouts (27), fourth in wins, fifth in ERA, sixth in appearances (121), and 10th in strikeouts. |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.