If you follow us on Twitter you would have seen these already, but here they are:
Butler
Mason Robinson 2013 Ohio lasers black
Dayton
Cynthia Leaton 2013 Indy Dreams
St. Joseph's
Hannah Dionne 2012 RI Thunder
UMass
Lindsey Zenk UT 2012 LI Chargers
If you have any recruiting news or transfer news please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Atlantic 10 Softball's Graduating Class of 2012
Charlotte
Lorena Vela 2B
Dayton
Lauren Nacke DP
Brandy Brown 1B
Sarah Wedel P
Courtney Kutsulis C
Megan Barrett OF
Fordham
Jen Mineau P
Nicole Callahan 2B
Lindsey Kay Bright OF
Jo Krasnisky UT
George Washington
Kara Clauss P
Heidi Penna P
Jamie Yaniga OF
Sandi Moynihan IF
Lauren Wilson OF
Jordyn O'Donnell OF
Jillian Stanley C
Amanda Zakeri OF
La Salle
Heather Brabazon OF
Shannon Skomorucha C
Breanna DiTommaso OF
UMass
Sara Plourde P
Kyllie Magill 2B
Jordan Storro IF
Stephanie Mayne C
Stephanie Mix OF
Rhode Island
Nicole Massoni C
Alison Hartzell P
Jhokania DeLos Santos OF
Brittany Julich OF
St. Bonaventure
Diana Phalon P
Ashley Nowak DP
Brittany Storch 2B
Brooke Frey C
Kristin Sullivan OF
St. Joseph's
Erin Gallagher P
Lauren Pembleton P
Alaina Loguidice 1B
Bernadette Moran 2B
St. Louis
Kelcie Matesa P
Hannah Huebbe P
Rachel Faletto 3B
Kerri Dockins 2B
Kelly Flanagan UT
Liz Jones C
Temple
Capri Catalano P
Rachel Knable 1B
Melissa Robbins OF
Samantha Schoell 3B
Alysse Pujol OF
Christina Sykora OF
Meaghan Marley 2B
Lorena Vela 2B
Dayton
Lauren Nacke DP
Brandy Brown 1B
Sarah Wedel P
Courtney Kutsulis C
Megan Barrett OF
Fordham
Jen Mineau P
Nicole Callahan 2B
Lindsey Kay Bright OF
Jo Krasnisky UT
George Washington
Kara Clauss P
Heidi Penna P
Jamie Yaniga OF
Sandi Moynihan IF
Lauren Wilson OF
Jordyn O'Donnell OF
Jillian Stanley C
Amanda Zakeri OF
La Salle
Heather Brabazon OF
Shannon Skomorucha C
Breanna DiTommaso OF
UMass
Sara Plourde P
Kyllie Magill 2B
Jordan Storro IF
Stephanie Mayne C
Stephanie Mix OF
Rhode Island
Nicole Massoni C
Alison Hartzell P
Jhokania DeLos Santos OF
Brittany Julich OF
St. Bonaventure
Diana Phalon P
Ashley Nowak DP
Brittany Storch 2B
Brooke Frey C
Kristin Sullivan OF
St. Joseph's
Erin Gallagher P
Lauren Pembleton P
Alaina Loguidice 1B
Bernadette Moran 2B
St. Louis
Kelcie Matesa P
Hannah Huebbe P
Rachel Faletto 3B
Kerri Dockins 2B
Kelly Flanagan UT
Liz Jones C
Temple
Capri Catalano P
Rachel Knable 1B
Melissa Robbins OF
Samantha Schoell 3B
Alysse Pujol OF
Christina Sykora OF
Meaghan Marley 2B
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Offseason News and Notes
Butler will be joining the Atlantic 10 in 2013. This will give the conference 12 teams to schedule in conference play, which will likely result in a 22 game schedule with Butler serving as the travel partner of Dayton. Temple and Charlotte will be remaining in the conference for the 2013 season before moving on to the Big East and Conference USA respectively.
Butler softball had an up and down 2012 season, but they were able to knock off eventual champion Valparaiso in the Horizon League Tournament. The Bulldogs could be strong contenders for the conference tournament this season, as the top three pitchers all return. Jenny Esparza could be an early favorite for pitcher of the year next season. The Bulldogs also return a lot of offensive power, so it will be interesting to see how they fair. Butler did not play any games with Atlantic 10 schools last year.
In other news, Temple has signed three players for next season, including Leah Lucas 2B of the SoCal Diamonds who was previously mentioned here, along with Annie Marcopolus OF of the Newtown Rock, and Jessica Tolmie, a pitcher from New South Wales, Australia. These three will join fall signee Kelsey Dominik, as the Owls will look to build off of their 3rd place regular season finish in 2012. They will be counted on to replace one of the most talented classes in recent Temple history: Rachel Knable, Melissa Robbins, Samantha Schoell, Alysse Pujol, Christina Sykora, Meaghan Marley, and recent addition Capri Catalano.
Of note: the Atlantic 10 has had foreign players in the past including 2004 Canadian Olympian Kaila Holtz of UMass who was a 2-time pitcher of the year. The A10 has not had a player from Australia in the past, so Jessica Tolmie will be the first. Tolmie will be a bit of a mystery to everyone going into next season.
Elsewhere Jen Sansano will be transferring from St. Bonaventure. Always a pleasure to watch in the circle and we wish her well as she moves on to her new school.
If you have any offseason news, please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
Butler softball had an up and down 2012 season, but they were able to knock off eventual champion Valparaiso in the Horizon League Tournament. The Bulldogs could be strong contenders for the conference tournament this season, as the top three pitchers all return. Jenny Esparza could be an early favorite for pitcher of the year next season. The Bulldogs also return a lot of offensive power, so it will be interesting to see how they fair. Butler did not play any games with Atlantic 10 schools last year.
In other news, Temple has signed three players for next season, including Leah Lucas 2B of the SoCal Diamonds who was previously mentioned here, along with Annie Marcopolus OF of the Newtown Rock, and Jessica Tolmie, a pitcher from New South Wales, Australia. These three will join fall signee Kelsey Dominik, as the Owls will look to build off of their 3rd place regular season finish in 2012. They will be counted on to replace one of the most talented classes in recent Temple history: Rachel Knable, Melissa Robbins, Samantha Schoell, Alysse Pujol, Christina Sykora, Meaghan Marley, and recent addition Capri Catalano.
Of note: the Atlantic 10 has had foreign players in the past including 2004 Canadian Olympian Kaila Holtz of UMass who was a 2-time pitcher of the year. The A10 has not had a player from Australia in the past, so Jessica Tolmie will be the first. Tolmie will be a bit of a mystery to everyone going into next season.
Elsewhere Jen Sansano will be transferring from St. Bonaventure. Always a pleasure to watch in the circle and we wish her well as she moves on to her new school.
If you have any offseason news, please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Emma Mendoker transfers to UMass
One of the top pitchers in Western Mass history, Emma Mendoker will be transferring back to her hometown of Amherst to pitch for UMass.
Mendoker had an amazing high school career, which included being named Massachusetts Gatorade State Player of the Year last season. She absolutely dominated the competition en route to a runner-up finish in the MIAA Division 1 State Final to King Phillip (which also had future A10 players). Mendoker played high school ball with Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Quianna Diaz-Patterson at Amherst Regional HS.
Mendoker also played travel ball with Diaz-Patterson for the Polar Crush. The Crush have been very nice to the Minutewomen in the past, sending Jess Serio, Bailey Sanders, Carly Morin, Bailey Sanders, Amanda Morin, Jenna Busa, and Michea Holness as well as multiple others.
Mendoker will be coming off a freshman season at East Carolina, which she redshirted due to an injury. Mendoker will team with Caroline Raymond, Lindsey Webster, and Bridget Lemire in the circle next year for the Minutewomen.
If you have any recruiting news please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
Mendoker had an amazing high school career, which included being named Massachusetts Gatorade State Player of the Year last season. She absolutely dominated the competition en route to a runner-up finish in the MIAA Division 1 State Final to King Phillip (which also had future A10 players). Mendoker played high school ball with Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Quianna Diaz-Patterson at Amherst Regional HS.
Mendoker also played travel ball with Diaz-Patterson for the Polar Crush. The Crush have been very nice to the Minutewomen in the past, sending Jess Serio, Bailey Sanders, Carly Morin, Bailey Sanders, Amanda Morin, Jenna Busa, and Michea Holness as well as multiple others.
Mendoker will be coming off a freshman season at East Carolina, which she redshirted due to an injury. Mendoker will team with Caroline Raymond, Lindsey Webster, and Bridget Lemire in the circle next year for the Minutewomen.
If you have any recruiting news please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
Columbia Regional
UMass is the A10's lone representative at Regionals this year at they will head to Columbia, Missouri.
The Minutewomen will open up with DePaul and the other teams at the Regional are Missouri and Illinois State. University Field has one of the more unique set-ups in all of college softball, though it does bear some slight resemblances to the UMass Softball Complex. DePaul and Illinois State are both quite familiar with Missouri's home field as they were also sent to Columbia last season. In fact, this will be the fourth straight year that DePaul plays at the Columbia Regional.
Missouri comes in with a record of 43-12 and they will be the favorites in this Regional. For the Tigers it all starts with US National Team member Chelsea Thomas. Thomas features a great drop and outstanding changeup and also may be the hardest thrower in all of college softball. Thomas' numbers this year have been outstanding, as she is 23-7 with a 1.07 ERA and 262 SO in 189 IP. Thomas is going to see all of the action for the Tigers and she will be a tough egg to crack. The good thing for all of the teams here is that there is plenty of video out on her, the bad thing is that is shows just how dominating she is. On offense, Missouri is strong, but not necessarily scary as they are hitting .269 with 49 HR. Missouri does like to run and they have attempted 91 steals and have been successful on 76 of them. Opposing catchers will have to be on their toes. Ashley Fleming leads the Mizzou offense, hitting .372 with 58 hits, 15 HR, 48 RBI, and 9 steals. Nicole Hudson is the other Tiger to watch, hitting .306 with 44 hits, 7 HR, 36 RBI, and 8 steals. Of note, no other Tigers are hitting above .300.
DePaul comes into the Regional with a 35-20 record and this team is always ready to play. The Blue Demons are led by fiery head coach Eugene Lenti and this is a scrappy team. In the circle, southpaw Kirsten Verdun leads the way, as she is 26-13 with a 1.65 ERA and 247 SO in 250 IP. Verdun will be very tough on lefties which could make a big difference this weekend. Verdun is also a leader for the Blue Demons at the plate, hitting .373 with 11 HR and 40 RBI. Samantha Dodd is another Blue Demon to watch as she is hitting .337 with 55 hits. The Blue Demons don't stand out in any one statistical category sans defense, but they are fundamentally sound and find ways to win. Not to mention the fact that they are always tough come tournament time.
UMass enters the Columbia Regional with a 38-11 record and a 22 game winning streak. The Minutewomen are arguably the hottest team coming into this Regional and in many ways they have the big X factor for this Regional. Sara Plourde is one of the most dominating pitchers in NCAA history and she can completely take over a game. Her rise ball is one of the best pitches in college softball. Her numbers in the circle are just staggering as she is 36-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 520 SO in 295 IP. She leads the nation in wins, total SO, SO per 7 innings, and hits allowed per 7 innings. But her game goes far beyond that, as she is also a big bat in the Minutewomen's lineup. She is hitting .315 with 29 hits, including 11 HR with 29 RBI. She has only hit fulltime for 28 games, which makes these figures that much more astonishing. She is not the only UMass bat worth watching, as Cyndil Matthew gets things going for the Minutewomen out of the leadoff spot, hitting .414 with 65 hits, 1 HR, 19 RBI, and 34 steals. A key for opposing teams will be to keep her off the bases. Quianna Diaz-Patterson is another player to watch, as she has had an outstanding freshman season, hitting .341 with 56 hits, 4 HR, and 41 RBI. The top of the Minutewomen's order is tough to stop and if they can also get production from the bottom, they may win this Regional.
Illinois State is the fourth team at this regional, but they are no slouch. Melinda Fischer's squad is one of the top teams in the Missouri Valley Conference year in and year out and they are always ready to play. The Redbirds are led in the circle by Jordan Birch who can hold her own with the other big names in the circle at this Regional. Birch is 23-12 this season with a 1.55 ERA and 221 SO in 212 IP. Birch will be the key for the Redbirds, if she is on her game she could make some things happen. The Redbird offense is led by Lizzie Andrews who is hitting .340 with 55 hits, 6 HR, and 25 RBI. Jhavon Hamilton is another one to watch as she is hitting .309 with 12 HR and 36 RBI to go along with 10 steals. The Redbirds have a shot to make some noise, but they will need to be on top of their game.
How the teams stack up:
Batting Average
UMass .278
DePaul .274
Missouri .269
Illinois State .266
Home Runs
Missouri 49
UMass 40
Illinois State 36
DePaul 35
Steals
Missouri 76
UMass 66
DePaul 49
Illinois State 39
ERA
Missouri 1.54
UMass 2.19
DePaul 2.28
Illinois State 2.66
Strikeouts
UMass 536
Missouri 410
DePaul 330
Illinois State 322
Opponents BA
UMass .149
Missouri .186
DePaul .221
Illinois State .254
Fielding Percentage
DePaul .976
Missouri .975
UMass .966
Illinois State .963
UMass' recent history against each team:
DePaul
8-0 L in 2012
2-0 W in 2009
Illinois State
1-0 W in 2010 (no-hitter)
Missouri
Have not played since 2002
Prognosis: This is going to be a brutal Regional. This is the second toughest Regional by RPI and it has four teams with a legitimate shot of beating any other. The big key will be the winner's bracket. Last year, Morgan Melloh was ousted at this regional by losing two games in the loser's bracket and she was one of the top pitcher's in the nation. If UMass is to win this regional it must do so by beating DePaul in its first game and then beat presumably Missouri in its second game. If UMass can avoid the scrum of the loser's bracket they will be in a good position to advance. This is going to be a brutally competitive regional and there may be quite a few 1-0 ballgames. It may come down to who can get on the scoreboard first. UMass can do it, but it is going to be tough.
The Minutewomen will open up with DePaul and the other teams at the Regional are Missouri and Illinois State. University Field has one of the more unique set-ups in all of college softball, though it does bear some slight resemblances to the UMass Softball Complex. DePaul and Illinois State are both quite familiar with Missouri's home field as they were also sent to Columbia last season. In fact, this will be the fourth straight year that DePaul plays at the Columbia Regional.
Missouri comes in with a record of 43-12 and they will be the favorites in this Regional. For the Tigers it all starts with US National Team member Chelsea Thomas. Thomas features a great drop and outstanding changeup and also may be the hardest thrower in all of college softball. Thomas' numbers this year have been outstanding, as she is 23-7 with a 1.07 ERA and 262 SO in 189 IP. Thomas is going to see all of the action for the Tigers and she will be a tough egg to crack. The good thing for all of the teams here is that there is plenty of video out on her, the bad thing is that is shows just how dominating she is. On offense, Missouri is strong, but not necessarily scary as they are hitting .269 with 49 HR. Missouri does like to run and they have attempted 91 steals and have been successful on 76 of them. Opposing catchers will have to be on their toes. Ashley Fleming leads the Mizzou offense, hitting .372 with 58 hits, 15 HR, 48 RBI, and 9 steals. Nicole Hudson is the other Tiger to watch, hitting .306 with 44 hits, 7 HR, 36 RBI, and 8 steals. Of note, no other Tigers are hitting above .300.
DePaul comes into the Regional with a 35-20 record and this team is always ready to play. The Blue Demons are led by fiery head coach Eugene Lenti and this is a scrappy team. In the circle, southpaw Kirsten Verdun leads the way, as she is 26-13 with a 1.65 ERA and 247 SO in 250 IP. Verdun will be very tough on lefties which could make a big difference this weekend. Verdun is also a leader for the Blue Demons at the plate, hitting .373 with 11 HR and 40 RBI. Samantha Dodd is another Blue Demon to watch as she is hitting .337 with 55 hits. The Blue Demons don't stand out in any one statistical category sans defense, but they are fundamentally sound and find ways to win. Not to mention the fact that they are always tough come tournament time.
UMass enters the Columbia Regional with a 38-11 record and a 22 game winning streak. The Minutewomen are arguably the hottest team coming into this Regional and in many ways they have the big X factor for this Regional. Sara Plourde is one of the most dominating pitchers in NCAA history and she can completely take over a game. Her rise ball is one of the best pitches in college softball. Her numbers in the circle are just staggering as she is 36-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 520 SO in 295 IP. She leads the nation in wins, total SO, SO per 7 innings, and hits allowed per 7 innings. But her game goes far beyond that, as she is also a big bat in the Minutewomen's lineup. She is hitting .315 with 29 hits, including 11 HR with 29 RBI. She has only hit fulltime for 28 games, which makes these figures that much more astonishing. She is not the only UMass bat worth watching, as Cyndil Matthew gets things going for the Minutewomen out of the leadoff spot, hitting .414 with 65 hits, 1 HR, 19 RBI, and 34 steals. A key for opposing teams will be to keep her off the bases. Quianna Diaz-Patterson is another player to watch, as she has had an outstanding freshman season, hitting .341 with 56 hits, 4 HR, and 41 RBI. The top of the Minutewomen's order is tough to stop and if they can also get production from the bottom, they may win this Regional.
Illinois State is the fourth team at this regional, but they are no slouch. Melinda Fischer's squad is one of the top teams in the Missouri Valley Conference year in and year out and they are always ready to play. The Redbirds are led in the circle by Jordan Birch who can hold her own with the other big names in the circle at this Regional. Birch is 23-12 this season with a 1.55 ERA and 221 SO in 212 IP. Birch will be the key for the Redbirds, if she is on her game she could make some things happen. The Redbird offense is led by Lizzie Andrews who is hitting .340 with 55 hits, 6 HR, and 25 RBI. Jhavon Hamilton is another one to watch as she is hitting .309 with 12 HR and 36 RBI to go along with 10 steals. The Redbirds have a shot to make some noise, but they will need to be on top of their game.
How the teams stack up:
Batting Average
UMass .278
DePaul .274
Missouri .269
Illinois State .266
Home Runs
Missouri 49
UMass 40
Illinois State 36
DePaul 35
Steals
Missouri 76
UMass 66
DePaul 49
Illinois State 39
ERA
Missouri 1.54
UMass 2.19
DePaul 2.28
Illinois State 2.66
Strikeouts
UMass 536
Missouri 410
DePaul 330
Illinois State 322
Opponents BA
UMass .149
Missouri .186
DePaul .221
Illinois State .254
Fielding Percentage
DePaul .976
Missouri .975
UMass .966
Illinois State .963
UMass' recent history against each team:
DePaul
8-0 L in 2012
2-0 W in 2009
Illinois State
1-0 W in 2010 (no-hitter)
Missouri
Have not played since 2002
Prognosis: This is going to be a brutal Regional. This is the second toughest Regional by RPI and it has four teams with a legitimate shot of beating any other. The big key will be the winner's bracket. Last year, Morgan Melloh was ousted at this regional by losing two games in the loser's bracket and she was one of the top pitcher's in the nation. If UMass is to win this regional it must do so by beating DePaul in its first game and then beat presumably Missouri in its second game. If UMass can avoid the scrum of the loser's bracket they will be in a good position to advance. This is going to be a brutally competitive regional and there may be quite a few 1-0 ballgames. It may come down to who can get on the scoreboard first. UMass can do it, but it is going to be tough.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
All-Conference Awards
These are our awards and may differ slightly from those issued by the conference on Tuesday:
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year: Sara Plourde P UMass
Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year: Sara Plourde P UMass
Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year: Quianna Diaz-Patterson P UMass
Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year: Elaine Sortino UMass
All-Atlantic 10 1st Team
P Jen Mineau Fordham
P Sara Plourde UMass
C Steph Pasquale Temple
1B Brandy Brown Dayton
2B Bernadette Moran St. Joseph's
3B Elise Fortier Fordham
SS Quianna Diaz-Patterson UMass
OF Cyndil Matthew UMass
OF Lindsey Kay Bright Fordham
OF Briana Gwaltney Charlotte
DP Paige Ortiz Fordham
All-Atlantic 10 2nd Team
P Erin Gallagher St. Joseph's
P Kara Clauss George Washington
C Lauren Rendon St. Joseph's
1B Jamie LaBovick Fordham
2B Nicole Callahan Fordham
SS Sarah Prezioso Temple
SS Ashley Snider St. Bonaventure
OF Lauren Wilson George Washington
OF Autumn Taylor George Washington
OF Jessica Buschjost St. Louis
OF Dana Parks St. Joseph's
DP Lindsey Webster UMass
All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team
P Kayla English Dayton
P Lexi Betancourt Charlotte
C Lauren Rendon St. Joseph's
C Jackie Kleinsmith Charlotte
SS Quianna Diaz-Patterson UMass
SS Nicole Palase St. Joseph's
SS Tori Valos George Washington
OF Alex Rogers Charlotte
OF Melissa Ruf St. Joseph's
OF Natalie Mariano Dayton
DP Paige Ortiz Fordham
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year: Sara Plourde P UMass
Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year: Sara Plourde P UMass
Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year: Quianna Diaz-Patterson P UMass
Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year: Elaine Sortino UMass
All-Atlantic 10 1st Team
P Jen Mineau Fordham
P Sara Plourde UMass
C Steph Pasquale Temple
1B Brandy Brown Dayton
2B Bernadette Moran St. Joseph's
3B Elise Fortier Fordham
SS Quianna Diaz-Patterson UMass
OF Cyndil Matthew UMass
OF Lindsey Kay Bright Fordham
OF Briana Gwaltney Charlotte
DP Paige Ortiz Fordham
All-Atlantic 10 2nd Team
P Erin Gallagher St. Joseph's
P Kara Clauss George Washington
C Lauren Rendon St. Joseph's
1B Jamie LaBovick Fordham
2B Nicole Callahan Fordham
SS Sarah Prezioso Temple
SS Ashley Snider St. Bonaventure
OF Lauren Wilson George Washington
OF Autumn Taylor George Washington
OF Jessica Buschjost St. Louis
OF Dana Parks St. Joseph's
DP Lindsey Webster UMass
All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team
P Kayla English Dayton
P Lexi Betancourt Charlotte
C Lauren Rendon St. Joseph's
C Jackie Kleinsmith Charlotte
SS Quianna Diaz-Patterson UMass
SS Nicole Palase St. Joseph's
SS Tori Valos George Washington
OF Alex Rogers Charlotte
OF Melissa Ruf St. Joseph's
OF Natalie Mariano Dayton
DP Paige Ortiz Fordham
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
More recruiting news
George Washington
Madi Myers-Cook a 2013 OF/C from The Next Level travel ball program has verballed to the Colonials. Myers-Cook versatility will definitely help her find a spot in the lineup. The Next Level is one of the top programs in the country and they currently have players committed to SDSU, Texas Tech, Florida, NC State, and Utah State.
The Colonials have been doing work on the recruiting trail, picking up verbals from players of some of the top travel teams in the country, including the RI Thunder, Louisville Lady Sluggers/Southern Force, Cal Lite, and the Newtown Rock.
UMass
Caitlyn Hickey of the NJ Breakers a 2013 UT has verballed to the Minutewomen. Hickey has the ability to play a number of positions and Coach Elaine Sortino will look to take advantage of her versatility. The NJ Breakers are one of the top Mid-Atlantic programs and have sent a few players to the Atlantic 10 in the past including: Briana Sasala to St. Joseph's, Erika Szymanski to URI, Capri Catalano to Temple (via USF), Allison Twarowski and Laura Klaiber to Fordham, and Adrienne Repsher and Brandy Mora to Temple.
Hickey joins Ashton Wince, Tara Klee, and Jena Cozza in UMass' 2013 recruiting class.
Madi Myers-Cook a 2013 OF/C from The Next Level travel ball program has verballed to the Colonials. Myers-Cook versatility will definitely help her find a spot in the lineup. The Next Level is one of the top programs in the country and they currently have players committed to SDSU, Texas Tech, Florida, NC State, and Utah State.
The Colonials have been doing work on the recruiting trail, picking up verbals from players of some of the top travel teams in the country, including the RI Thunder, Louisville Lady Sluggers/Southern Force, Cal Lite, and the Newtown Rock.
UMass
Caitlyn Hickey of the NJ Breakers a 2013 UT has verballed to the Minutewomen. Hickey has the ability to play a number of positions and Coach Elaine Sortino will look to take advantage of her versatility. The NJ Breakers are one of the top Mid-Atlantic programs and have sent a few players to the Atlantic 10 in the past including: Briana Sasala to St. Joseph's, Erika Szymanski to URI, Capri Catalano to Temple (via USF), Allison Twarowski and Laura Klaiber to Fordham, and Adrienne Repsher and Brandy Mora to Temple.
Hickey joins Ashton Wince, Tara Klee, and Jena Cozza in UMass' 2013 recruiting class.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Recruiting update
As always if you have knowledge of any commitments please send an email to atlantic10softball@gmail.com
Dayton
Kathryn Hess 2012 C LI Bandits
Fordham
Cailin Winokour 2012 IF NJ Inferno
George Washington
Alana Anderson 2014 OF Arizona Storm
UMass
Jena Cozza 2013 SS Team LI
Emily Neal 2014 OF Pennsbury Gems
St. Louis
Taylor Meeks 2013 IF KC Peppers
Temple
Liz Bauer 2012 OF
Dayton
Kathryn Hess 2012 C LI Bandits
Fordham
Cailin Winokour 2012 IF NJ Inferno
George Washington
Alana Anderson 2014 OF Arizona Storm
UMass
Jena Cozza 2013 SS Team LI
Emily Neal 2014 OF Pennsbury Gems
St. Louis
Taylor Meeks 2013 IF KC Peppers
Temple
Liz Bauer 2012 OF
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
UMass Coach Elaine Sortino is battling cancer
Here is the official press release:
University
Of Massachusetts Statement On Health Of Softball Coach Elaine Sortino
Of Massachusetts Statement On Health Of Softball Coach Elaine Sortino
Longtime head coach receiving treatment for form of cancer.
University Of Massachusetts Statement On Health Of Softball Coach Elaine Sortino
Longtime head coach receiving treatment for form of cancer.
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts head softball coach Elaine Sortino has informed her team and the Department of Athletics that she has been diagnosed and is currently receiving treatment for a form of cancer. Sortino, who also serves as the department’s Associate Athletic Director/Senior Women’s Administrator, will continue to serve as the head coach of the softball team, however, day-to-day operations will be handled by associate head coach Kathryn Gleason and assistant coach Kristi Stefanoni.
“Elaine informed her team tonight following the Boston College game and asked us toinform fans and the general public as to her situation,” said Director of Athletics John McCutcheon. “She is undergoing treatments right now and will continue to be as involved as possible with the team as our head coach. Her coaching staff, the athletic department and all involved with the program support her as she continues to fight this disease.”
Sortino is in her 33rd year as the head coach at UMass and is one of just five active coaches in the NCAA with over 1,100 wins. She is one of just eight coaches in NCAA history to hit the 1,000-win plateau. A member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Sortino has led UMass to 22 Atlantic 10 titles, 20 NCAA regional appearances, and three trips to the NCAA College World Series. She is a 10-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honoree.
“Going forward, we ask that people respect Elaine’s privacy as she deals with this fight,” said McCutcheon. “Questions regarding Elaine can be sent to myself or Jaime Seguin who is our Associate Senior Women’s Administrator. This is a trying time for both Elaine and the student-athletes of her team and we will give them the full support of the department and the University.”
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Atlantic 10 Mid-Season Review
Sorry for the lack of postings over the past few weeks. Work has been extremely busy and time consuming over the past few weeks.
Here is a quick review of how things have gone thus far in conference during non-conference play
The Favorite
UMass: The Minutewomen have played the toughest schedule in the conference and right now they come into conference play as the heavy favorites. The Minutewomen are not invincible, but right now they are the most complete team in the conference and they find themselves in an excellent position for an at-large bid if they are unable to win the conference. Sara Plourde has been a force in the circle thus far, as she has picked up big wins over ranked opponents Michigan and Georgia Tech. Plourde has been tagged up a little more than usual this year, but it is also worth noting that her losses have come to undefeated #1 Alabama and undefeated Louisville, NFCA Leadoff Classic champion DePaul, SEC Power Tennessee, and likely NCAA Participant UAB. In other words, only the best teams and players in the country have been able to hit her. A10 teams will have to be on top of their game to beat her. The Minutewomen offense is much improved in 2012 and the scary thing is that they have not reached their peak yet. Cyndil Matthew and Quianna Diaz-Patterson at the top of the UMass order is a scary combination and both appear poised for all-conference season. Lindsey Webster and Kyllie Magill have yet to get going in 2012, but when they do watch out. UMass' schedule is not quite as tough this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how the bats respond. The achilles' heel of this team is depth in the circle. Sara Plourde is the fittest pitcher in the league and can pitch an extraordinary amount of innings, but she needs help. Caroline Raymond and Lindsey Webster have been unable to pitch thus far in 2012 and if they cannot pitch at all this year, Plourde could be fatigued both mentally and physically at the end of the year.
The A10 Championship is UMass' for the taking. There is still a long season ahead of us, but right now UMass is the clear favorite.
The Contenders
Charlotte: admittedly we were somewhat skeptical of Charlotte at the beginning of the season, but you never doubt an Aimee DeVos led squad. Charlotte's impressive freshmen class has gotten the 49ers off to a strong start and they will need to keep producing for this squad to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Lexi Betancourt has been impressive in the circle for the 49ers and she will need to maintain her high level in the circle for the 49ers to make it to St. Louis. Jackie Kleinsmith has led the 49er offense and right now she is the leading contender for Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, as she is hitting .463 with 2 HR and 19 RBI. Perhaps more importantly, she has provided protection in Charlotte's order for Bri Gwaltney who has continued her hot hitting at the plate, as she is currently hitting .355 with 6 HR and 18 RBI. Charlotte has the offensive firepower to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but its pitching will need to step up if they want to get through UMass, Fordham, and St. Joseph's.
Dayton: the Flyers have gotten off to a so-so start in 2012, as they have picked up a couple of big wins, but also some puzzling losses. Dayton has been impressive on offense, but they have not been as consistent in the circle. Alysha Isaacson and Kathleen Maloof have been outstanding at the plate, hitting .483 and .396 respectively. Both players are serious contenders for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year right now. Brandy Brown, Carlyn Harlow, and Tiffany Ricks have also been impressive for a Dayton squad that is hitting .267 with 19 HR and 17 SB. The Flyers will need to put up even better offensive numbers as they move into conference play, especially with the staff only having an ERA of 4.67. Freshman Kayla English has given the Flyers their first serious strikeout pitcher in a long time, but she has also struggled with walks. The Flyers will need her to step up if they want to make a run in St. Louis. Alysha Isaacson also figures to play a big role in the circle for the Flyers. Isaacson is not a big strikeout pitcher, but she is lefthanded and features and excellent changeup which is an excellent combo. Coach LaPlaca will also need Sarah Wedel and Sydney Cicchetti to provide quality innings as well. Dayton will be in the mix with a number of other teams to claim one of those final two spots.
George Washington: the Colonials have the most work to do right now, but they seem to be rounding into form. The Colonials got off to a very rough start to the season and they are doing their best to work out of it. Kara Clauss is having a solid year in the circle and George Washington is going to be relying on her heavily in Atlantic 10 play. On offense, Autumn Taylor is having a career year, hitting .361 with 22 hits, 5 HR, and 14 RBI. Lauren Wilson is also having an excellent 2012 season, hitting .315 with 4 HR. The Colonials definitely have a bit more power this year as they have already hit out 11 HR. The key for this team moving into conference play will be how the offense performs against good pitching.
Fordham: the Rams have had a rough non-conference slate when compared with the success they have experienced the past two seasons. Right now the Rams have one quality win (Virginia) and only one other win (Longwood) against a team with a winning record. Unless the Rams run the table from here on out, an at-large is just not a realistic possibility. Jen Mineau is heating up, but she has not looked as invincible as she has in the past few years. Part of that has to be due to the fact that she has picked Fordham's only wins of the year and on multiple occasions she has thrown back to back games. The Rams need either Taylor Pirone or Michele Daubman to step up in the circle, otherwise the Rams could have a very long season. Paige Ortiz and Nicole Callahan have been consistent all year at the plate and Lindsey Kay Bright has come on strong as of late, but Fordham needs production from the rest of the lineup. The Rams have the best shot of challenging UMass, but they have a long ways to go.
St. Bonaventure: this team has been perhaps the most pleasant surprise in 2012. The Bonnies have gotten off to a 8-8 start in 2012, which is definitely one of the best starts for the program in recent memory against one of the toughest schedules they have seen. The Bonnies have gotten very good pitching in the circle from Diana Phalon and Jen Sansano. Sansano and Phalon have been a dynamic duo and Coach Mike Threehouse will count on them during A10 play to give both opposing squads different looks in the circle. The Bonnies have been led at the plate by Ashley Snider and Kelli Rohan who have been on fire at the plate. Snider is swinging a very powerful bat right now, along with Brooke Frey and Jessenia Andujar. Rohan has been doing an excellent job of setting the table for these powerful sluggers. Rohan has excellent speed and she is definitely right in the mix for A10 Rookie of the Year at this point in the season.
St. Joseph's: The Hawks have gotten the worst of the injury bug, as Monica Aguilar is out for the year. Aguilar is one of the most if not the most feared hitters in the conference and her absence leaves a significant void in St. Joseph's lineup. Nicole Palase is leading the way for the Hawks at the plate, as she is hitting .318 right now, behind her Maria Ficca, Bernadette Moran, and Rochelle Christman are also having solid seasons, but they are hitting just .226 as a team right now. The good thing for the Hawks is that they have the best pitching staff in the conference right now and many of the other coaches in the conference would kill for the depth that Coach Terri Adams has in the circle. Lauren Pembleton, Erin Gallagher, and Taryn Ashway have been an excellent trio in the circle and right now the Hawks have the best ERA in the A10. If the Hawks can get the bats going, St. Joe's will do very well in conference play.
St. Louis: The Billikens are hovering around .500, but they have not faced the toughest schedule until this past weekend. It is hard to say whether they will advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but they will be in the mix. The Billikens have three solid pitchers in Kelcie Matesa, Julian Austin, and Hannah Huebbe who will be counted on for critical innings down the stretch. St. Louis' big problem right now is the offense. Jessica Buschjost and Erin Harcar are having outstanding seasons, but the rest of the lineup has been a bit stagnant at times. Buschjost is really creating havoc for opposing defenses, as she is hitting .341 with 29 hits and 19 steals. Erin Harcar is also getting the job done as she is hitting .282 with 20 hits, 3 HR, 10 RBI, and 14 steals. The Billikens however are going to need more players to step up if they are to make the Atlantic 10 Tournament. It would be quite an embarrassment if they could not advance to the tournament they are hosting.
Temple: The Owls got off to a slow start, but they have won their last four and this team appears to be rounding into shape. In the circle, the Owls have made great strides as Jessica Mahoney and Brooklin White have gotten off to strong starts and Capri Catalano has been rounding into form. The pitching staff has been Temple's biggest strength this season, as the offense is only hitting .218. A number of Owls have gotten off to slow starts at plate, but the offense has started to slowly pick up. Meaghan Marley, Brooklin White, and Ali Robinson have been leading the way. The real key for the Owls is if they can get the powerful bats of Sarah Prezioso, Steph Pasquale, and Rachel Knable going. This trio hit 19 HR last year, but so far this year they and the team have hit just one. The Owls will be at the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but the offense will determine just how far they go.
The Others
La Salle and Rhode Island have both improved from 2011, but they do not appear to be in a position to challenge for an A10 Tournament bid in 2012.
This may be the last post in a while unless anyone would like to help out, if you can please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
In the meantime follow us on Twitter, as that will be updated frequently
Here is a quick review of how things have gone thus far in conference during non-conference play
The Favorite
UMass: The Minutewomen have played the toughest schedule in the conference and right now they come into conference play as the heavy favorites. The Minutewomen are not invincible, but right now they are the most complete team in the conference and they find themselves in an excellent position for an at-large bid if they are unable to win the conference. Sara Plourde has been a force in the circle thus far, as she has picked up big wins over ranked opponents Michigan and Georgia Tech. Plourde has been tagged up a little more than usual this year, but it is also worth noting that her losses have come to undefeated #1 Alabama and undefeated Louisville, NFCA Leadoff Classic champion DePaul, SEC Power Tennessee, and likely NCAA Participant UAB. In other words, only the best teams and players in the country have been able to hit her. A10 teams will have to be on top of their game to beat her. The Minutewomen offense is much improved in 2012 and the scary thing is that they have not reached their peak yet. Cyndil Matthew and Quianna Diaz-Patterson at the top of the UMass order is a scary combination and both appear poised for all-conference season. Lindsey Webster and Kyllie Magill have yet to get going in 2012, but when they do watch out. UMass' schedule is not quite as tough this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how the bats respond. The achilles' heel of this team is depth in the circle. Sara Plourde is the fittest pitcher in the league and can pitch an extraordinary amount of innings, but she needs help. Caroline Raymond and Lindsey Webster have been unable to pitch thus far in 2012 and if they cannot pitch at all this year, Plourde could be fatigued both mentally and physically at the end of the year.
The A10 Championship is UMass' for the taking. There is still a long season ahead of us, but right now UMass is the clear favorite.
The Contenders
Charlotte: admittedly we were somewhat skeptical of Charlotte at the beginning of the season, but you never doubt an Aimee DeVos led squad. Charlotte's impressive freshmen class has gotten the 49ers off to a strong start and they will need to keep producing for this squad to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Lexi Betancourt has been impressive in the circle for the 49ers and she will need to maintain her high level in the circle for the 49ers to make it to St. Louis. Jackie Kleinsmith has led the 49er offense and right now she is the leading contender for Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, as she is hitting .463 with 2 HR and 19 RBI. Perhaps more importantly, she has provided protection in Charlotte's order for Bri Gwaltney who has continued her hot hitting at the plate, as she is currently hitting .355 with 6 HR and 18 RBI. Charlotte has the offensive firepower to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but its pitching will need to step up if they want to get through UMass, Fordham, and St. Joseph's.
Dayton: the Flyers have gotten off to a so-so start in 2012, as they have picked up a couple of big wins, but also some puzzling losses. Dayton has been impressive on offense, but they have not been as consistent in the circle. Alysha Isaacson and Kathleen Maloof have been outstanding at the plate, hitting .483 and .396 respectively. Both players are serious contenders for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year right now. Brandy Brown, Carlyn Harlow, and Tiffany Ricks have also been impressive for a Dayton squad that is hitting .267 with 19 HR and 17 SB. The Flyers will need to put up even better offensive numbers as they move into conference play, especially with the staff only having an ERA of 4.67. Freshman Kayla English has given the Flyers their first serious strikeout pitcher in a long time, but she has also struggled with walks. The Flyers will need her to step up if they want to make a run in St. Louis. Alysha Isaacson also figures to play a big role in the circle for the Flyers. Isaacson is not a big strikeout pitcher, but she is lefthanded and features and excellent changeup which is an excellent combo. Coach LaPlaca will also need Sarah Wedel and Sydney Cicchetti to provide quality innings as well. Dayton will be in the mix with a number of other teams to claim one of those final two spots.
George Washington: the Colonials have the most work to do right now, but they seem to be rounding into form. The Colonials got off to a very rough start to the season and they are doing their best to work out of it. Kara Clauss is having a solid year in the circle and George Washington is going to be relying on her heavily in Atlantic 10 play. On offense, Autumn Taylor is having a career year, hitting .361 with 22 hits, 5 HR, and 14 RBI. Lauren Wilson is also having an excellent 2012 season, hitting .315 with 4 HR. The Colonials definitely have a bit more power this year as they have already hit out 11 HR. The key for this team moving into conference play will be how the offense performs against good pitching.
Fordham: the Rams have had a rough non-conference slate when compared with the success they have experienced the past two seasons. Right now the Rams have one quality win (Virginia) and only one other win (Longwood) against a team with a winning record. Unless the Rams run the table from here on out, an at-large is just not a realistic possibility. Jen Mineau is heating up, but she has not looked as invincible as she has in the past few years. Part of that has to be due to the fact that she has picked Fordham's only wins of the year and on multiple occasions she has thrown back to back games. The Rams need either Taylor Pirone or Michele Daubman to step up in the circle, otherwise the Rams could have a very long season. Paige Ortiz and Nicole Callahan have been consistent all year at the plate and Lindsey Kay Bright has come on strong as of late, but Fordham needs production from the rest of the lineup. The Rams have the best shot of challenging UMass, but they have a long ways to go.
St. Bonaventure: this team has been perhaps the most pleasant surprise in 2012. The Bonnies have gotten off to a 8-8 start in 2012, which is definitely one of the best starts for the program in recent memory against one of the toughest schedules they have seen. The Bonnies have gotten very good pitching in the circle from Diana Phalon and Jen Sansano. Sansano and Phalon have been a dynamic duo and Coach Mike Threehouse will count on them during A10 play to give both opposing squads different looks in the circle. The Bonnies have been led at the plate by Ashley Snider and Kelli Rohan who have been on fire at the plate. Snider is swinging a very powerful bat right now, along with Brooke Frey and Jessenia Andujar. Rohan has been doing an excellent job of setting the table for these powerful sluggers. Rohan has excellent speed and she is definitely right in the mix for A10 Rookie of the Year at this point in the season.
St. Joseph's: The Hawks have gotten the worst of the injury bug, as Monica Aguilar is out for the year. Aguilar is one of the most if not the most feared hitters in the conference and her absence leaves a significant void in St. Joseph's lineup. Nicole Palase is leading the way for the Hawks at the plate, as she is hitting .318 right now, behind her Maria Ficca, Bernadette Moran, and Rochelle Christman are also having solid seasons, but they are hitting just .226 as a team right now. The good thing for the Hawks is that they have the best pitching staff in the conference right now and many of the other coaches in the conference would kill for the depth that Coach Terri Adams has in the circle. Lauren Pembleton, Erin Gallagher, and Taryn Ashway have been an excellent trio in the circle and right now the Hawks have the best ERA in the A10. If the Hawks can get the bats going, St. Joe's will do very well in conference play.
St. Louis: The Billikens are hovering around .500, but they have not faced the toughest schedule until this past weekend. It is hard to say whether they will advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but they will be in the mix. The Billikens have three solid pitchers in Kelcie Matesa, Julian Austin, and Hannah Huebbe who will be counted on for critical innings down the stretch. St. Louis' big problem right now is the offense. Jessica Buschjost and Erin Harcar are having outstanding seasons, but the rest of the lineup has been a bit stagnant at times. Buschjost is really creating havoc for opposing defenses, as she is hitting .341 with 29 hits and 19 steals. Erin Harcar is also getting the job done as she is hitting .282 with 20 hits, 3 HR, 10 RBI, and 14 steals. The Billikens however are going to need more players to step up if they are to make the Atlantic 10 Tournament. It would be quite an embarrassment if they could not advance to the tournament they are hosting.
Temple: The Owls got off to a slow start, but they have won their last four and this team appears to be rounding into shape. In the circle, the Owls have made great strides as Jessica Mahoney and Brooklin White have gotten off to strong starts and Capri Catalano has been rounding into form. The pitching staff has been Temple's biggest strength this season, as the offense is only hitting .218. A number of Owls have gotten off to slow starts at plate, but the offense has started to slowly pick up. Meaghan Marley, Brooklin White, and Ali Robinson have been leading the way. The real key for the Owls is if they can get the powerful bats of Sarah Prezioso, Steph Pasquale, and Rachel Knable going. This trio hit 19 HR last year, but so far this year they and the team have hit just one. The Owls will be at the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but the offense will determine just how far they go.
The Others
La Salle and Rhode Island have both improved from 2011, but they do not appear to be in a position to challenge for an A10 Tournament bid in 2012.
This may be the last post in a while unless anyone would like to help out, if you can please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com
In the meantime follow us on Twitter, as that will be updated frequently
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