Mazierski Named Empire 8 Woman of the Year
ROCHESTER, NY - Senior Katie Mazierski of the St. John Fisher College softball and women’s volleyball teams has been named the 2017-18 Empire 8 Athletic Conference Woman of the Year. This award honors a senior female student-athlete who has distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Mazierski is the first student-athlete from Fisher chosen as the Conference’s Woman of the Year.
“We are honored that Katie was selected as the Empire 8 Woman of the Year,” said Fisher Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Jill McCabe. “The conference always has a strong pool of nominees. We are extremely proud of Katie and all that she accomplished during her time at Fisher. Although Katie was honored with Fisher’s Dual Threat award for her impact as a member of both the softball and volleyball team, she is really a quadruple threat when you factor in her academic success and significant community service. Katie represents the ideal Fisher student-athlete and will be missed on campus!”
The North Tonawanda native closed out her illustrious softball career as one of the most decorated players in Fisher program history and E8 history. She played in 171 games, made 164 starts and totaled 226 hits which set a new program and conference record. Mazierski hit .417 over her career with 53 RBI and 133 runs scored. Her .417 batting average set a new program record, while her 37 stolen bases rank second.
Mazierski helped lead the Cardinals to a 148-44 record over the past four years that included four postseason appearances, two Empire 8 Championship titles, three NCAA appearances and two NCAA World Series trips.
She was a-four time first team All-Conference honoree, the 2017 Empire 8 Player of the Year, four-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region selection and a 2017 NFCA second team All-American.
Over her four-year volleyball career, Mazierski became a member of the Empire 8 1500 dig club as she ranks sixth all-time at Fisher with 1554. She also totaled 124 aces and 708 kills.
She led the Cardinals to the E8 postseason the past two years and a 22-9 record this past fall, marking the most wins for a Fisher team since 2008.
“Being a student-athlete, I have developed the mindset that each day I need to prove myself,” said Mazierski. “Sports encouraged me to be the first in my family to go to college. My First-Generation Scholarship afforded me the opportunity to help others realize those dreams for themselves.”
Academically, Mazierski graduated with a 3.64 grade-point average as a double major in Inclusive Adolescence Education and Spanish. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Omicron Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education and a member of Alpha Mu Gamma (foreign language honor society).
Mazierski was named to the Empire 8 President’s List two times, is a two-time softball CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, and a four-time NFCA Scholar Athlete. She and the Cardinals garnered the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Award four times for a team gpa above a 3.3.
“Being a First-Generation Scholar has greatly impacted my life. Through this scholarship I was able to embark on a journey that lead me to my true calling, teaching.”
When not attending class or competing on the field or court, Mazieriski committed countless hours to projects and organizations both on the Fisher campus and within the Rochester area.
She volunteered at the Teddi Dance, Relay for Life and the Day of Celebration Multicultural Diversity Event. She mentored young inner-city students with reading, writing and science, helped with the Annual Joe Benet Memorial Kazoo Fest through Camp Good Days and Special Times and assisted at the Seneca Park Zoo during its Breakfast with Santa event.
In addition, she served as a Spanish tutor to fellow Fisher students and was an active member of the Fisher Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
“Katie has proven to be an exemplary student, athlete, and member of the community,” said Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano. “She encompasses everything that we value in the Empire 8 and is most deserving of the Woman of the Year honor.”
Mazierski will now be forwarded to the national NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The Empire 8 will also nominate Stevens Institute of Technology lacrosse player Victoria Alvarez.
Conferences may recognize two nominees if at least one is an ethnic minority or an international student. Mazierski and Alvarez join an elite group of student-athletes from across NCAA Division I, II and III nominated for the award.
The committee will choose the top ten nominees in each division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. From those nine, the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year will be chosen.
Mazierski and Alvarez were two of six outstanding nominees considered by the Empire 8 Woman of the Year Committee:
Samantha Jo Shanahan, Alfred University
Alexis Lamb, Houghton College
Alexa Silk, The Sage Colleges
Katie Mazierski, St. John Fisher
Victoria Alvarez, Stevens
Sydni Horner, Stevens
For more information on the NCAA Woman of the Year,
CLICK HERE.
Past E8 Woman of the Year