PAPPAS, KEECH, FORTINO EARN TOP CACC SOFTBALL HONORS

Johnson Named Coach of Year; Nyack Earns Team Sportsmanship Award

May 4, 2005

NEWARK, N.J. – Megan Pappas of Post University was named Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Player of the Year and Georgian Court University’s Sherry Keech earned Pitcher of the Year honors in balloting released today. GCU’S Nicole Fortino is the inaugural Newcomer of the Year, and Dean Johnson of Caldwell College was voted Coach of the Year by his peers. The balloting was done by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Pappas, a sophomore first-baseman/pitcher from Chester, N.Y., set a school single-season record with nine homeruns. She entered the week hitting .402 with 34 RBIs (both second in the league), and had a league-best .752 slugging percentage. Pappas is also 7-7 as the Eagles’ No. 2 pitcher.

Keech, a senior right-hander, is 18-7 with a 1.41 earned-run average and 189 strikeouts in 158 2/3 innings. She leads the CACC in wins, innings and strikeouts. A native of Glencoe, Ontario, Keech has also tossed a league-high seven shutouts.

Fortino is tied with Pappas for the league lead in homeruns. The third-baseman from Brick, N.J., entered the week hitting .343 with nine homers, 34 RBI and a .672 slugging percentage.

 Johnson is the Coach of the Year for the fourth time, including the last two seasons. Caldwell, 35-8, is ranked No. 12 nationally and second in the Northeast Region. The Cougars captured their second consecutive CACC regular-season title. Johnson has a 293-138 career record in 11 seasons.

The CACC’s annual Team Sportsmanship Award went to Nyack College, coached by Ernie Armoogam, for the fourth consecutive season.

The league also announced the all-CACC teams, which are listed below:

2005 All-CACC Softball Teams
            
FIRST TEAM
1B - Megan Pappas Post, SO, Chester, N.Y.
2B - Amy Coker, Caldwell, JR, Pennsville, N.J.
SS - Amanda Rusticus, Bloomfield, SR,  Hawthorne, N.J.
3B- Nicole Fortino, Georgian Court, FR, Brick, N.J.
OF- Lauren Armstrong, Holy Family, FR, Williamstown, N.J.
OF - Katie Jackson, Caldwell, JR, Pennsville, N.J.
OF - Amanda Mucaria, Wilmington, SO, Newark, Del.
C - Amanda Byrnes, Bloomfield, SO, Ringwood, N.J.
DP - Anna Dahl, Caldwell, SO, Lindenwood, N.J.
P - Sherry Keech, Georgian Court, SR, Glencoe, Ontario
P - Jessica Saunders, Caldwell, JR, Glen Burnie, Md.
AL - Amanda Misa, Post, FR, New York, N.Y.
AL - Julie Sito, Georgian Court, FR, Elyria, Ohio

SECOND TEAM 
1B - Ashley Wierema, Georgian Court, SO, Mondelein, Ill.
2B  - Megan Trimble, USP, SO, Coatesville, Pa.
SS - Brittany Cawley, Nyack , JR, Peckville, Pa.
3B - Jackie Terpstra, Dominican, FR, Middletown, N.Y.
OF - Tara Debes, Holy Family, JR, Brial, N.J.
OF - Carrie Flasphaler, Caldwell, FR, Horseheads, N.Y.
OF - Crystal Helmke, Dominican, SR, Pearl River, N.Y.
C - Jackie Velardi, Caldwell, SO, Belleville, N.J.
DP - Jackie Scarpari, Felician, SR, Monroe, N.J.
P - Crista Holtom, Post, JR, Waterloo, Ontario       
P - Kim Joyce, Holy Family, JR, Wilmington, Del.
AL - Stacy Falkowski, Caldwell, SO, Horseheads, N.Y.
AL- Kendra Russell, Goldey-Beacom, FR, New Castle, Del.
AL = at-large

Player of The Year: Megan Pappas, Post
Pitcher of the Year: Sherry Keech, Georgian Court
Newcomer of the Year: Nicole Fortino, Georgian Court
Coach of the Year: Dean Johnson, Caldwell
Team Sportsmanship Award: Nyack