Softball | 5/26/2021 2:22:22 PM
Pitcher Jessica Wilcox, shortstop Ashley Lugo and second baseman Allison O’Toole from Alfred University and St. John Fisher pitcher/designated player Emily Trotman were named to the 2021 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Teams on May 24. All-four student-athletes were second team selections and are first-time All-Americans.
This year’s three All-America squads are comprised of student-athletes from 41 different programs representing the NCAA’s eight regions. Alfred was one of three Division III institutions to have three players on the All-America teams.
Wilcox, the 2021 Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year, 2021 Empire 8 Championship Most Valuable Player and All-NFCA Northeast Region first team selection, helped lead Alfred to a 32-11 record, its second E8 Championship in program history and trip to the Wisconsin-Eau Claire NCAA Regional. She went 18-5 in 27 appearances with a 1.48 earned run average, 0.81 WHIP, 18 complete games, eight shutouts and an AU-record 257 strikeouts to go with just 17 walks in 156.1 innings pitched, while opponents hit just .186 against her. Wilcox struck out double-digit batters in 17 occasions this year. She is among the NCAA Division III leaders in strikeouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio and strikeouts per seven innings.
Wilcox finished her collegiate career with a 54-29 record with a program-best 653 strikeouts in 528.1 innings. She made 100 appearances, fired 57 complete games and recorded 20 shutouts, while finishing with a 1.87 earned run average and 1.00 WHIP.
Lugo, a junior shortstop, batted .416 to go along with a .483 on base percentage and a team-leading 1.080 OPS in 2021. Lugo broke an Alfred University and Empire 8 single-season record with 52 stolen bases in 55 attempts, which is second nationally. She led all Empire 8 players with 62 hits and 52 runs scored in 2021, while adding 13 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 29 RBI. Lugo was a 2021 All-Empire 8 and All-NFCA first team selection and was named to the Wisconsin-Eau Claire NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.
In three seasons, Lugo is a career .375 hitter (113-for-301) with 82 runs scored, 19 doubles, seven triples, five home runs and 50 runs batted in. She is the Empire 8's all-time leader in career stolen bases with 89.
O'Toole joined the team early in the 2021 season and hit the ground running, sporting an impressive .427 batting average, .512 slugging percentage, and a .954 OPS in 29 games played. O'Toole, a junior second baseman, finished with seven doubles, 19 RBI and 14 runs scored. In addition, she was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases. O’Toole was a 2021 All-Empire 8 and All-NFCA first team selection.
Trotman, the 2021 Empire 8 Player of the Year and an All-NFCA Northeast Region first team selection, helped lead St. John Fisher to a 31-7 record, while advancing to the championship game of the Penn State Behrend NCAA Regional. The senior pitcher/designated player finished with a .445 batting average and 1.236 OPS with 15 doubles, eight home runs and 33 RBI at the plate. She had 57 hits, 37 runs scored and 96 total bases, recording a .750 slugging percentage. Trotman also excelled in the pitcher’s circle, finishing 15-3 with a 1.55 earned run average, 13 complete games and six shutouts over 108.2 innings.
Trotman finished her St. John Fisher career with a .380 batting average (150-for-395), 100 runs scored, 30 doubles, 23 home runs and 80 runs batted in. Trotman was 43-18 in the pitching circle with 39 complete games and 13 shutouts in 381.1 innings.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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