Softball | 5/20/2024 1:00:40 PM
Ten players from three Empire 8 institutions were named to the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region III Team. Abigail Gatza and Mya Wells of Alfred University, along with Jennifer Rodriguez of Utica were first team selections, while Emily Joss of Utica was a second team pick. Empire 8 Champion St. John Fisher University had a six student-athletes honored, tied for second most in Division III, including second team selections Amalia DeMartino and Maddie Donlin, along with third team picks, Emily McManus, Cassidy Ormond, Taylor Shackleton and Mari Spitz.
This year's 10 squads are comprised of a total of 376 student-athletes from 167 programs. The awards salute student-athletes from the Association's 10 NCAA regions with first, second and third-team honors. NFCA member coaches voted on the teams in their respective regions, and all honorees are eligible for selection to the 2024 NFCA Division III All-America squads, which will be announced on May 29 online and on-site at the NCAA Division III Finals banquet in Marshall, Texas.
Wells all earned NFCA All-Region accolades for the second straight season, while nine student-athletes were named All-Region for the first time.
Gatza, a graduate student outfielder, led all Empire 8 student-athletes with a .467 batting average, .526 on-base percentage, .796 slugging percentage and 1.322 OPS in 2023. She also led the league with 64 hits, 28 extra base hits, 17 doubles, five triples, was tied for third with six homers and third with 36 RBI. She also stole 12 bases on the season and had at least one hit in 37 of 41 games. Papas, who ended the year with a 22-game hitting streak, became the third student-athlete in E8 history to earn two Empire 8 Player of the Year accolades. She hit .488 over three seasons with 160 hits, 40 doubles, 12 triples, 14 home runs and 83 RBI.
Wells, a senior, recorded a .995 fielding percentage in 209 total chances at first base in 2024, with just one error committed on the season, while being named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year. She was perfect in league play, spanning 74 total chances. Wells also excelled at the plate, batting .432 with 45 runs scored, 30 extra base hits (19 doubles, three triples and eight home runs) and a league-best 46 RBI. She also stole 17 bases in 2024 and has 51 doubles, 22 home runs and 158 RBI, while hitting .386 in 164 career games. She holds the Empire 8 career record with 158 RBI.
Rodriguez enjoyed excellent debut season for Utica, batting .519 with a 1.299 OPS to go along with 16 extra base hits, including 11 doubles, four home runs and 33 runs batted in. Rodriguez, who saw time at shortstop, second base, first base and designated player during the season, had at least one hit in 27 games this season, including a 16-game hitting streak from March 10-April 17. In addition, she hit two grand slams and drove in nine runs against SUNY Morrisville on March 29. Rodriguez is the third Utica student-athlete to earn E8 Rookie of the Year honors, joining Kristie Jones (2011) and Alyssa Russell (2013).
DeMartino helped lead the Cardinals to their second straight Empire 8 Championship in 2024, batting .388 with a .496 on-base percentage and .524 slugging percentage. A native of Durham, CT, she had 12 doubles and 21 RBI, while drawing 16 walks. In addition, DeMartino served as St. John Fisher's shortstop, recording a .956 fielding percentage, while handling 137 chances during the season.
Donlin has enjoyed a tremendous season for the Cardinals, who won their second straight Empire 8 Tournament and enter the NCAA Tournament with a 34-5 record in 2024. She is batting .419 on the season with a .985 OPS, 34 runs scored and 26 RBI in 38 games played. She has at least one hit in 31 of 38 games played and hit .478 with a 1.156 OPS and 19 RBI in 14 E8 contests. Donlin is the seventh St. John Fisher student-athlete to earn E8 Softball Player of the Year honors.
Joss, a graduate student outfielder from South Glens Falls, NY, wrapped up a tremendous career in 2024, finishing second in the E8 with a .455 batting average to go along with a league-leading .576 on-base percentage. She finished the season with 43 runs scored, 11 doubles, a triple, home run and 25 RBI to go along with 12 stolen bases and a 1.174 OPS. Joss finished her career as the Empire 8's all-time leader with 56 doubles, while recording a career .398 average, 196 hits, 157 runs scored, eight home runs and 107 RBI.
Ormond, the 2024 Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year, finished the season with an 18-2 overall record, 1.81 earned run average and 0.99 WHIP. Ormond was a perfect 7-0 in league play with a 0.62 earned run average, five complete games and 40 strikeouts in 34 innings. Ormond allowed one run or less in 16 starts this season, hadseven shutouts and recorded a pair of no-hitters against RIT on March 27 and Houghton on April 26.
McManus enjoyed a tremendous debut season as an outfielder for the Cardinals, earning E8 Championship All-Tournament Team honors, while leading the league with an .845 slugging percentage and 1.369 OPS in addition to 13 home runs, while driving in 40. A native of Rochester, NY, McManus was also second in the league with 28 walks, 98 total bases and 24 extra-base hits and third with 42 runs scored.
Shackleton, a first-year first baseman from Placentia, CA, batted .355 with 10 extra-base hits, including a home run and 26 RBI in 40 games played. She had a .990 fielding percentage spanning 196 total chances.
Spitz, a junior catcher from Honeoye Falls, NY, was named the 2024 Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player. She batted .383 and recorded a .992 OPS, while playing in and starting all 42 games for the Cardinals in 2024. Spitz recorded 16 extra-base hits, including 12 doubles and three home runs, while driving in 36 runs. She was second on the Cardinals with 72 total bases. Defensively, Spitz recorded a .993 fielding percentage in 273 total chances, while helping the St. John Fisher pitching staff record a 2.26 team earned-run average.
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.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube –
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram