NEW HAVEN, Conn. (April 24, 2012) – Georgian Court senior Rachel Ruch (Edison, N.J.) was honored as the 2012 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Softball Player of the Year following a vote by the league's 14 head coaches.

Dominican junior Delaney Childers (Johnstown, Ohio) was recognized as the 2012 CACC Softball Pitcher of the Year, while Caldwell's Briana Gaspich (Brick, N.J.) was selected as the 2012 CACC Softball Rookie of the Year.

Caldwell head coach Dean Johnson and Wilmington skipper Erin Harvey were chosen as the 2012 CACC Co-Coaches of the Year by their peers, while Nyack College was the recipient of the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Ruch was honored with the league's top honor for the second consecutive season after a regular season that saw her post a .423 batting average, which ranked fourth among CACC leaders, along with 55 RBI (2nd in CACC), 45 runs ( 4th in CACC) and seven home runs (4th in CACC).  Ruch was honored as the NFCA/Louisville Slugger Division II National Player of the Week for April 2-8.

Childers enjoyed a solid season on the mound as she led the CACC in the regular season with a league-low 0.94 earned run average.  She held her opponents to a league-low .205 batting average against and posted 161 strikeouts, which ranked second among conference leaders.  Childers finished the regular season with a 19-7 record on the mound with a total of 24 complete games and 10 shutouts.  She was recognized as the CACC Pitcher of the Week three times this season and also garnered a CACC Player of the Week honor.

Gaspich had a breakthrough rookie campaign as she posted the league's third-best batting average at .429 while leading the CACC in home runs (9), doubles (17) and RBI (58).  Her .714 slugging percentage ranked second-best on the conference leaderboard as did her 69 total hits.  Gaspich was honored as the CACC Player of the Week once this season and earned a pair of CACC Rookie of the Week honors.

Co-Coaches of the Year, Johnson and Harvey, each guided their squads to a berth in the 2012 CACC Softball Tournament, which begins play on Thursday, April 26 at Georgian Court University.  Johnson, in his 18th season, helped pace Caldwell to a 37-12 overall mark and a 21-5 conference record, good for a second-place regular season finish.  The Cougars enter the postseason ranked No. 5 in the latest NCAA East Regional Poll.

Harvey led Wilmington to a 26-23 overall, 18-8 conference mark and a No. 4 seed in the 2012 CACC Softball Championship.  The Wildcats closed out the season by winning nine of their final 14 games after opening the conference slate a perfect 9-0.

Joining Ruch, Childers and Gaspich on the All-CACC first team are Kelsey Cutler (Georgian Court), Ashley Corrao (Dominican), Krystina Poloni (Bloomfield), Kristen Knorr (Caldwell), Dara Schroeder (Georgian Court), Lianna May (Post), Katie Warrington (Wilmington), Julie Plante (Dominican), Alexandria Smith (Bloomfield), Shelby Thompson (Wilmington) and Angie Yoshizu (Bloomfield).

The All-CACC Softball Second Team includes Paige Berzak (Dominican), Dia Cascone (Caldwell), Kathryn Coles (Dominican), Alyssa Calderon (Caldwell), Brooke Hull (Georgian Court), Katie Margiotta (Caldwell), Deidre Jeppson (Dominican), Erica Summers (USciences), Kourtney Wilson (Caldwell), Kristen Tenwolde (Felician), Angela D'Amico (Concordia), Victoria Pisciotta (Concordia), Kristina Patrocinio (Concordia) and Cailin Cavanaugh (Goldey-Beacom).

Honorable mention choices included Nicole Velardi (Caldwell), Jillian Stafford (Wilmington), Chelsea Macaluso (Nyack), Courtney Spina (USciences) and Rachael Alligood (Holy Family).

The 2012 CACC Softball Championship will take place on April 26-28 at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, N.J. 



2012 CACC Softball Player of the Year – Rachel Ruch, Georgian Court University
2012 CACC Softball Pitcher of the Year – Delaney Childers, Dominican
2012 CACC Softball Rookie of the Year – Briana Gaspich, Caldwell College
2012 CACC Softball Coach of the Year – Dean Johnson, Caldwell College*
2012 CACC Softball Coach of the Year – Erin Harvey, Wilmington University
2012 CACC Softball Team Sportsmanship Award – Nyack College
2012 CACC Softball Regular Season Champions – Dominican College

2012 All-CACC Softball First Team
1B - Briana Gaspich, Caldwell College
2B - Rachel Ruch, Georgian Court University
3B - Kelsey Cutler, Georgian Court University
SS - Julie Plante, Dominican College

C - Ashley Corrao, Dominican College
OF - Kristen Knorr, Caldwell College
OF - Dara Schroeder, Georgian Court University
OF - Lianna May, Post University
P - Katie Warrington, Wilmington University
P - Delaney Childers, Dominican College
U - Alexandria Smith, Bloomfield College
DP - Krystina Poloni, Bloomfield College

AL - Shelby Thompson, Wilmington University
AL - Angie Yoshizu, Bloomfield College

2012 All-CACC Softball Second Team
1B - Paige Berzak, Dominican College
2B - Dia Cascone, Caldwell College
3B - Kathryn Coles, Dominican College
SS - Angela D'Amico, Concordia College

C - Alyssa Calderon, Caldwell College
OF - Katie Margiotta, Caldwell College
OF - Deidre Jeppson, Dominican College
OF - Erin Summers, University of the Sciences
P - Kourtney Wilson, Caldwell College
P - Kristen Tenwolde, Felcian College
U - Victoria Pisciotta, Concordia College
DP - Brooke Hull, Georgian Court University

AL - Kristina Patrocinio, Concordia College
AL - Cailin Cavanaugh, Goldey-Beacom College

Honorable Mention: Nicole Velardi, Caldwell College; Jillian Stafford, Wilmington University; Chelsea Macaluso, Nyack College; Courtney Spina, University of the Sciences; Rachael Alligood, Holy Family University.