MASCAC Softball All-Conference Release
WESTFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore Sydney Despres of Worcester State has been named the 2016 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Player of the Year and heads the all-conference squad which is voted on by the coaches from around the conference.
The Sterling, Mass. native led the Lancers to their second straight MASCAC regular season title and the top seed in the MASCAC Tournament. She finished the regular season first in batting average (.527), on base percentage (.569), slugging percentage (.992), doubles (20), home runs (13), RBI (49) and total bases (130) while helping the squad to a 12-2 record in the conference.
Bridgewater State's Kelly McCarthy was named the 2016 MASCAC Pitcher of the Year after helping Bridgewater State to the second seed in the MASCAC Tournament. The junior from Burlington, Mass. ended the regular season atop the conference in ERA (1.32), total wins (19) and shutouts (6), complete games (22) opponent batting average (.218) and second in strikeouts (101).
Fitchburg State freshman Kaylee Sylvestre has been tabbed the 2016 MASCAC Rookie of the Year. She finished with a 3.07 ERA, eight wins, third most strikeouts per game with 5.64 and fifth in strikeouts with 90. Colleen Bannister of Westfield State was named the 2016 Champion's Choice Coach of the Year honors after leading the Owls to a 10-4 record and the third seed in the conference tournament.
Earning MASCAC first team honors with Despres and McCarthy are Framingham State's Dayna Marchant and Tiffanie Marsh, MCLA's Rachel Quackenbush, Salem State's Jess Raymond, Westfield State's Erika Gouin, Liz Kelly and Julia Sullivan and Worcester State's Taylor Daniels, Courtney Salisbury and Dakota Smith-Porter.
Grabbing a spot on the MASCAC second team all-conference are Bridgewater State's Samantha LoPilato, Fitchburg State's Katie Gildea and Galen Kerr, Framingham State's Anna Dziok and Marissa Flynn, MCLA's Angelica Perfido and Jennifer Sicinski, Massachusetts Maritime's Carli Thomas, Salem State's Jen Crovo, Chloe Manousos and Marisa Sanchez and Westfield State's Maddy Atkocaitis and Worcester State's Meghan Rich.
2016 MASCAC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Player/Institution Class Position Hometown
Sydney Despres, Worcester State Sophomore First Base Sterling, Mass.
Dakota Smith-Porter, Worcester State Sophomore Second Base Montague, Mass.
Liz Kelly, Westfield State Junior Shortstop Quincy, Mass.
Tiffanie Marsh, Framingham State Junior Third Base Tewksbury, Mass.
Courtney Salisbury, Worcester State Junior Catcher Cranston, R.I.
Taylor Daniels, Worcester State Senior Des. Player Norco, Calif.
Erika Gouin, Westfield State Junior Outfield Hampden, Mass.
Dayna Marchant, Framingham State Sophomore Outfield E. Bridgewater, Mass.
Jess Raymond, Salem State Junior Outfield Peabody, Mass.
Julia Sullivan, Westfield State Junior Utility W. Barnstable, Mass.
Kelly McCarthy, Bridgewater State Junior Pitcher Burlington, Mass.
Rachel Quackenbush, MCLA Senior Pitcher Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
SECOND TEAM
Player/Institution Class Position Hometown
Jen Crovo, Salem State Sophomore First Base Melrose, Mass.
Angelica Perfido, MCLA Senior Second Base Whately, Mass.
Marisa Sanchez, Salem State Sophomore Shortstop Framingham, Mass.
Maddy Atkocaitis, Westfield State Sophomore Third Base Westfield, Mass.
Marissa Flynn, Framingham State Junior Catcher Marlborough, Mass.
Jennifer Sicinski, MCLA Senior Catcher Shelton, Conn.
Katie Gildea, Fitchburg State Junior Des. Player Bedford, Mass.
Samantha LoPilato, Bridgewater State Junior Outfield Medford, Mass.
Anna Dziok, Framingham State Sophomore Outfield Southampton, Mass.
Chloe Manousos, Salem State Freshman Outfield Lowell, Mass.
Carli Thomas, Massachusetts Maritime Sophomore Utility Brewster, Mass.
Galen Kerr, Fitchburg State Junior Pitcher Concord, Mass.
Meghan Rich, Worcester State Senior Pitcher Chelmsford, Mass
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sydney Despres, Worcester State Sophomore First Base Sterling, Mass.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Kelly McCarthy, Bridgewater State Junior Pitcher Burlington, Mass.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Kaylee Sylvestre, Fitchburg State Freshman Pitcher Central Falls, R.I.
CHAMPION'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR
Colleen Bannister, Westfield State
Release Courtesy of Emily Diekelmann | MASCAC Director of Media Relations