Monroe, Stefanon, Russell and Mineo Take Top Honors in Softball; 2013 All-Conference Teams Announced
The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced 2013 Softball All-Conference teams as voted on by the conference coaches. In addition, the Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year have been selected.
The Player of the Year was awarded to a Utica College Pioneer for the first time in conference history, with the honor going to outfielder/designated player Chelsea Monroe. Monore is hitting .372 (35-of-94) with six doubles, 10 homeruns, 31 runs scores and 35 RBI in 43 games playes. In conference only games she led the league in hitting (.500) and slugging (1.269) and finished second with 16 RBI.
St. John Fisher senior Sarah Stefanon is 21-5 in 31 appearances in the circle with a 0.91 ERA and one save. In 176 innings pitched she has struck out 242 batters while allowing 28 walks, limiting the opponents’ batting average to .180. Stefanon has thrown 20 complete games including eight solo shutouts. Prior to the E8 Tournament she ranked fourth in the nation in ERA and seventh in total strikeouts. She finished conference play with a 6-1 record and totaled 66 strikeouts against league opponents. Stefanon is the third Cardinal to earn Pitcher of the Year accolades joining Amanda Shevchuk (2009) and Danielle Leone (2012).
Utica freshman Alysa Russell has been named the Rookie of the Year. Russell has started all 45 games for the Pioneers totaling 89 putouts and 100 assists from the shortstop position. She has registered 58 hits in 137 at bats for a .423 batting average, knocking in 33 RBI and scoring 34 runs. Against conference opponents in the regular season she finished with a .389 batting average and .909 fielding percentage. Russell is the second Pioneer to earn Rookie of the Year accolades joining 2009 recipient Kristie Jones.
Utica head coach Pat Mineo has been named the Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, previously earning the honor in 2006. The Pioneers have set a new record for wins in a season with its current 33-12 overall record. Utica won the Empire 8 regular season with a 9-3 record and earned the right to host the 2013 E8 Conference Tournament for the first time in program-history. Despite falling to St. John Fisher College in the conference tournament finals, the Pioneers still managed an at-large bid into the tournament based on their body of work throughout the entire season. The Pioneers are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program-history and will serve as the No. 2 seed in the Ithaca Regional bracket.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2013 Softball Sportswoman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2013 Softball All-Conference Teams