Danielle Basciano named Little East Conference Softball Player of the Year for second straight year... Heather Stone named Coach of the Year
Eight players honored on First and Second Team
official release from Jack Holleran - LEC Director of Communications
DANBURY, CT (Mar. 25) -
Eastern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut State University each earned two of the five major awards when the conference office announced the 2011 All-Little East Softball Teams this afternoon. Junior Molly Rathbun (Hebron, Conn.) and freshman shortstop Megan Godwin (Manchester, Conn.) represented the Warriors as the Pitcher and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Junior shortstop Danielle Basciano (Holmes, N.Y.) repeated as the Player of the Year for the Colonials, while Heather Stone was tabbed as the Coach of the Year by her peers. Plymouth State University completed the awards program as the recipient of the Team Sportsmanship Award for the second straight season.
In addition to the major award winners, the conference office sponsored a 12-member first and second team. Each of the eight head coaches submitted a ballot into the league office. Western Connecticut received a conference-high eight selections, while Keene State College and Rhode Island College each earned five citations.
Basciano is just the third student-athlete in the history of the conference to repeat as the top player, joining fellow Colonial Cherie Bailey (2002-03) and Rhode Island College’s Christie Lotti (2006-08). The junior from Holmes, N.Y. is also making her second straight appearance on the All-Little East, first-team as the shortstop selection. Basciano ranks among the conference leaders in hits (4th, 47), home runs (4th, 6), slugging percentage (5th, .569), total bases (5th, 74), doubles (8th, 9), and runs batted in (10th, 25). She also wreaked havoc on the bases for opposing teams, ranking second in the Little East in stolen bases (20) and sixth in runs scored (32). A starter in 38 of her 39 contests this season, Basciano registered multiple hits in 16 different games. She feasted on conference pitching in 2011, boasting a batting average of .489 (23-for-47) with 10 extra base hits—six doubles and four home runs—and 10 RBI in Little East play. The 2010 All-New England, second-team honoree recorded a season-high 12-game hit streak that spanned between April 15 and April 30, in which she batted .478 (22-for-46). Basciano drove in a season-high three runs three times on the campaign, most recently at Manhattanville on April 15. She is the fifth Western Connecticut softball player to earn the coveted Player of the Year award.
Rathbun is making her third consecutive appearance as a major award winner and second straight as the top pitcher in the conference circuit. As of the release of the latest NCAA softball statistical report, the junior from Hebron, Conn. currently ranked among the Division III leaders in earned run average (2nd, 0.56), hits allowed per seven innings (3rd, 2.81), saves (3rd, 5), shutouts (9th, 8), and strikeouts (20th, 170). Presently, the three-time All-Little East, first-team selection sports a 19-0 record with 208 strikeouts. A starter in 18 of her 27 contests, Rathbun has allowed just 22 runs, 14 of which were earned, in 140 innings to boast a miniscule 0.70 earned run average. She limited her opponents to just 71 hits, including 53 singles, while yielding 19 walks. Rathbun established a new Eastern Connecticut single-game standard for strikeouts with 18 punch outs at UMass Dartmouth on April 19. The 2009 Little East Rookie of the Year matched her season-high three days later against Rhode Island College in 10 innings of work. She has hurled two no-hitters on the present campaign, most recently against the Corsairs. Rathbun did not surrender an earned run in 51 and two-thirds consecutive innings, a streak that spanned from April 6 to April 22. She reached double figures in strikeouts eight times, including four of her past seven outings. Rathbun is the fifth softball player to repeat as the top pitcher in the conference.
Godwin is just the third student-athlete in Warrior softball history to earn the top rookie award, joining Julia Nelson (1999) and Rathbun (2009). The Manchester, Conn. product flourished from the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Connecticut order as she ranked among the Little East leaders in batting average (6th, .376), sacrifice bunts (8th, 6), and on-base percentage (10th, .431). A starter in all 32 games, Godwin registered 35 hits, including seven doubles, and drove in 21 runs. She hit safely in 20 of her 32 contests, including recording multiple base knocks 11 times. Godwin excelled in clutch situations, as she accounted for more than half of her RBI (12) with two-outs. She is currently riding a season-high six-game hit streak into the 2011 NCAA Division III Tournament. Godwin also proven to be sure-handed in the field, posting an .852 fielding percentage. She was honored as the conference’s Rookie of the Week twice on the campaign.
Stone is making her debut as the top mentor in the Little East, and became just the second Western Connecticut boss to receive the honor. Under her watchful eye, the Colonials earned the program’s 10th appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament after posting an overall record of 27-12. Stone has led Western Connecticut to at least 23 victories in each of her five seasons at the helm. The Colonials won four of their final five conference games to boast a 9-5 mark and capture the No. 2 seed and the right to host the Little East Championship at Westside Field. Western Connecticut showcased a prolific offensive attack in 2011, sitting atop the conference team standings in home runs (36), runs batted in (203), runs scored (226), slugging percentage (.489), and total bases (528). The Colonials’ 36 home runs set a program record, putting an additional 12 between the previous high-water mark (24, 1994). Western Connecticut will be making its third postseason appearance, and second NCAA berth, under Stone when the Colonials square off against St. John Fisher in the Ithaca, N.Y. Region on May 12.
The Little East Conference is celebrating its 25th anniversary during the 2010-11 academic year. The conference began sponsoring men's and women's basketball in 1986 as a six-member conference. The Little East has grown to its current eight-institution membership and sponsorship of 19 intercollegiate athletics sports.
2011 Little East Softball All-Conference Teams
First Team
Catcher........... Kayla Jandreau.... Senior... Rhode Island College
First Base........ Lisa Polsonetti... Junior... University of Massachusetts Boston
Second Base....... Heather Blase..... Junior... Plymouth State University
Third Base........ Amy Hartman....... Senior... Western Connecticut State University
Shortstop......... Danielle Basciano. Junior... Western Connecticut State University
Outfield.......... Priscilla Alicea.. Junior... Eastern Connecticut State University
Outfield.......... Laura Chandler.... Junior... Keene State College
Outfield.......... Kayla Joyce....... Sophomore Keene State College
Designated Player. Emily Johnson..... Sophomore Rhode Island College
Pitcher........... Amanda Berard..... Senior... Rhode Island College
Pitcher........... Molly Rathbun..... Junior... Eastern Connecticut State University
Utility........... Sarah Deroche..... Senior... University of Southern Maine
Second Team
Catcher........... Meghan Mammone.... Senior... Western Connecticut State University
First Base........ Chelsi Panarelli.. Senior... Rhode Island College
Second Base....... Jessica Caturano.. Freshman. Western Connecticut State University
Third Base........ Maria Nasta....... Senior... University of Massachusetts Boston
Shortstop......... Haley Chandler.... Junior... Keene State College
Outfield.......... Kristina Gingell.. Sophomore Rhode Island College
Outfield.......... Luigina Facchini.. Senior... Western Connecticut State University
Outfield.......... Jackie Zilnicki... Junior... Western Connecticut State University
Designated Player. Anna Levesque..... Senior... Western Connecticut State University
Pitcher........... Emily Albin....... Junior... Keene State College
Pitcher........... Magen Dargon...... Junior... Western Connecticut State University
Utility........... Nicole Dupuis..... Sophomore Keene State College
Player of the Year
Danielle Basciano, Western Connecticut State University
Pitcher of the Year
Molly Rathbun, Eastern Connecticut State University
Rookie of the Year
Megan Godwin, Eastern Connecticut State University
Coach of the Year
Heather Stone, Western Connecticut State University
Team Sportsmanship Award
Plymouth State University
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