Liberty League announces 2017 Softball Awards
The Liberty League has announced its 2017 All-League awards for softball as voted by league coaches. The major award winners and all-league teams are listed below.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Stephanie Caudle, Sr., Utility, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
For the second straight year, RPI senior Stephanie Caudle was selected as the Liberty League Player of the Year. She helped the Engineers to their first NCAA tournament since 2006 as RPI posted an overall record of 25-12 and a 9-3 mark in league play this season. Caudle was once again a dual threat for the Engineers with one of the best batting averages (.390) and earned run averages (1.80) in the league. From the plate, she smashed a league-high seven homeruns and recorded 39 runs batted in. She also had nine doubles and 17 runs scored. As a pitcher, Caudle made 25 appearances for RPI and in 18 starts went 14-4. In 112.2 innings, she allowed 72 hits and struck out a league-best 122.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Jamie Bridge, Sr., Clarkson University
Clarkson University senior Jamie Bridge was recognized as the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year as the Golden Knights advanced to its first-ever Liberty League championship. Bridge was the team’s top pitcher, making 23 appearances and 20 starts for the Golden Knights where she compiled a 12-9 record. Bridge logged 126.2 innings, allowing 124 hits and striking out 113, good for second among league leaders. She posted an earned run average of 2.32, but she was even better in league play with an ERA of 1.27.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Erin Guinan, Shortstop, Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT freshman Erin Guinan was selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. Guinan was one of the league’s top hitters with a batting average of .423 and a league-best 55 hits. She led the Tigers in nearly every offensive category, including total bases (80), runs batted in (25), runs (32) and doubles (11). The four-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection had a hit in 30 of 35 games this season and had 17 multi-hit games.
CO-COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Clarkson University – Head Coach Kristen McGaughey; Assistant Coach Jessica Kusnierz
CO-COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Head Coach Amber Maisonet; Assistant Coach Mandy Ferro
Clarkson’s coaching staff and RPI’s coaching staff were both selected as the Liberty League coaching staff of the year in a vote by the league’s head coaches.
Clarkson head coach Kristen McGaughey and assistant Jessica Kusnierz guided the Golden Knights to a 22-17 overall record and the team went 7-5 in league play. In just its fourth season as a varsity program, Clarkson posted back-to-back 20 win seasons and the team made its first-ever appearance in the Liberty League championship.
RPI head coach Amber Maisonet and assistant coach Mandy Ferro directed the Engineers to its first Liberty League title since 2013 and their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2006. RPI finished the season with a 25-12 overall record (9-3 Liberty League). As a team, the Engineers boasted a .313 batting average, ranking them second in the league and an earned run average of 2.71. RPI led the league in fielding percentage at .968 and the pitching staff struck out a league-best 200 batters.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
P-Jamie Bridge, Sr., Clarkson
P-Sierra Valentine, Sr., RIT
P-Eleni Wechsler, Sr., Rochester
C-Harleigh Kaczegowicz, So., Rochester
IF-Raeanna Dunn, Jr., Clarkson
IF-Erin Guinan, Fr., RIT
IF-Elle Gray, So., St. Lawrence
IF-Danielle Hotz, So., RIT
IF-Lizette Roman-Johnston, Jr., Skidmore
OF-Lauren Fortunato, Sr., Skidmore
OF-Summer Lancette, Jr., Clarkson
OF-Devon Puhl, Jr., RPI
OF-Caitlin Syphurs, Fr., St. Lawrence
DP-Ali Schwenzfeier, Sr., Clarkson
UT-Stephanie Caudle, Sr., RPI
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
P-Lauren Mahar, Jr., RIT
P-Madison Mitchell, Fr., St. Lawrence
C-Emma Reakes, Jr., St. Lawrence
C-Michele Winn, Fr., Clarkson
IF-Cam Caswell, Fr., RPI
IF-Victoria Greco, Jr., RPI
IF-Lydia Petricca, Fr., Rochester
IF-Rachael Pletz, So., Rochester
OF-Taylor Armijo, Fr., St. Lawrence
OF-Jocelyn Blackshear, Jr., Rochester
OF-Shelby Corning, Sr., Rochester
DP-Angelina Carney, Fr., St. Lawrence
UT-Courtney Casey, Jr., Union
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION
IF-Kyrstin Messier, Fr., Clarkson
IF-Deanna Sullivan, Fr., St. Lawrence
OF-Tori Blaker, Sr., RIT
OF-Kara Brown, So., Union
OF-Rebecca Kienz, Jr., RPI
UT-Mylea Mann, So., St. Lawrence