Empire 8 Places 11 on NFCA All-Region Teams
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced its all-region selections and eleven student-athletes from the Empire 8 were honored. Of the 11 E8 players selected, five were chosen for first team recognition.
The All-Region teams are nominated and selected by NFCA member coaches in each of the eight Division III regions. First team All-Region choices are eligible for selection to the NFCA All-America team, which will be revealed on May 21 at the NCAA Division III Softball Championship banquet in Tyler, Texas.
Kayla Berardi (Stevens): Berardi led the team with a 1.12 ERA, 163 strikeouts, and 19 wins. The south-paw pitched 188.1 innings while setting school records in wins and ERA. Berardi made more history earlier this season when she became the first Stevens pitcher to record 400 career strikeouts.
Meghan Matan (Utica): She set a new school single-season record with 17 doubles and her .50 doubles per game rank eighth nationally. Her slugging percentage of .792 was also the best in the conference. She owns the Empire 8 Conference single-season record for hits per game (1.74), as well as four school single-season records: hits per game (1.74), hits (68), doubles (17), and stolen bases (18). Matan, who has started all 119 games since her sophomore year, wraps up her career with a .397 average, which ranks second all-time in program history.
Samjo Scheer (Alfred): Scheer was the Saxons' starting centerfielder and cleanup hitter before suffering a season-ending injury April 25. She finished the year playing in 28 games (all starts) and batted .404 with 21 runs scored and 31 driven in. She had 11 doubles (second on the team) and shared the team lead in homeruns, with four. Her .663 slugging percentage ranks second on the team.
Alison Wickwire (Alfred): She played in all 40 games this year, making 37 starts as a pitcher and first baseman. She hit .375 with 27 RBIs and 13 runs scored. Wickwire lead the Saxons in extra-base hits with 20 (14 doubles, two triples, team-leading four HRs) and had a team-leading .688 slugging percentage. She made 24 pitching appearances (21 starts) and finished 13-7 with a 2.43 ERA and 114 strikeouts.
Syndey Folk (Ithaca): led the Bombers in almost every offensive category this season. In just 29 starts, she ranked first on the team in batting average (.393), slugging percentage (.685), on-base percentage (.465), doubles (11), RBI (32) total bases (61) and home runs (5). Earlier this week, Folk was named Empire 8 Player of the Year for the second time in her career. This season marks her third-straight NFCA All-Region selection, and the second time she has been earned first-team honors (2012).
Complete
NFCA Northeast All-Region Teams
First Team
P - Kayla Beradi, Stevens
3B - Meghan Matan, Utica
OF - Samjo Scheer, Alfred
UT - Alison Wickwire, Alfred
AL - Sydney Folk, Ithaca
Second Team
P - Sam Bender, Ithaca
C - Jamie DeGennaro, Stevens
OF - Gavriella Risman-Jones, Stevens
AL - Emily Carlin, Elmira
Third Team
AL - Casey Gavin, Ithaca
AL - Alysa Russel, Utica