The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced
2015 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.
Alfred University sophomore
Liz Thompson was voted the Player of the Year. In 31 regular season games, she batted .527 with a slugging percentage of 1.045 and on-base percentage of .540. She totaled 42 RBI as she belted 12 homeruns, three triples and five doubles. The third baseman was equally as impressive in the field as she had 33 putouts and 47 assists.
In conference only games, Thompson started all 14 games and hit .462. She led the league in hits (24), homeruns (10), triples (5) and RBI (24). The third baseman was perfect in the field, making 12 putouts to go along with 18 assists.
Thompson is the third Alfred player to earn the yearly honor. Previous honorees were Nicole Hedrick (2010) and Karen Foltz (2009).
Freshman
Lindsey Thayer was named the Pitcher and Rookie of the Year. This marks the second time an athlete has won two major softball awards; the first happening in 2004 when Zahida Sherman of Ithaca garnered Player and Rookie honors.
Thayer appeared in 26 regular season games, making 25 starts and posting an 18-7 record with 24 complete games. She tossed 175 innings with 13 shutouts and a 0.96 ERA. She struck out 252 batters while allowing 45 walks and limited the opponent’s batting average to .171.
In conference-only games Thayer tossed 91.2 innings and recorded 123 strikeouts.
Thayer and the Cardinals were the fourth seed in the E8 tournament and advanced to the championship game. Thayer threw four complete games in the tournament where she recorded a 1.30 ERA while allowing 19 hits, eight runs (five earned) and six walks. Her 42 strikeouts over the week helped her reach 294 strikeouts in the season, breaking Fisher's previous single-season record of 290. She beat that record with fewer innings pitched, as well.
Overall, Thayer finished the season with a 202 innings pitched, a 20-9 record and a 1.00 ERA.
Alfred head coach
Gino Olivieri has been named the Coach of the Year for the third time in his career as he was previously honored in the 2008 and 2010 seasons. Olivieri guided the Saxons to a 13-1 league record, earning the top-seed in the E8 tournament for the second time. Alfred battled back after losing its first tournament, to win four straight and claim the program’s first-ever Empire 8 softball championship. During the tournament, Olivieri reached his 250th career win at Alfred.
The Saxons are currently 35-4, with the 35 win being the second-most in a single year in program history. Alfred, ranked 15th in the latest NFCA Division III poll and first in the NCAA Northeast Regional rankings, will be making its second straight NCAA appearance and third overall beginning May 8.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2015 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.