Softball Places Seven On All-NECC Teams

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ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Elms College freshman first baseman Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) was named New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Rookie of the Year and head coach Cheryl R. Condon was named NECC Coach of the Year to highlight seven members of the softball team to be tabbed all conference in 2010.

Buckley batted .391 during the regular season with 36 hits, and a team-best 28 RBI she also drew 13 walks, was 4 for 6 in stolen base attempts and led the squad in slugging percentage, hitting at a .500 clip. For her efforts, Buckley was also named Second Team All-NECC.

For the second straight season, Coach Condon garnered NECC Coach of the Year honors. Coach Condon, who guided the Blazers to a 17-15 overall regular season record, was a five-time recipient of the North Atlantic Conference's (NAC) Coach of the Year accolade prior to last season.

Sophomore shortstop Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.) was the only Elms player named to the NECC first team. The first-year transfer player for the Blazers tallied a team-high .416 batting average, notched a team-best 42 hits, drove in 19 runs, and was 13 for 15 in stolen base attempts to lead the squad.

Senior second baseman Ally Graffum (Ipswich, Mass.), senior catcher Tiffany Williams (Berlin, Conn.), sophomore pitcher Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.) and sophomore outfielder Marlene DiRaimo (Cranston, R.I.) were named Second Team All-NECC.

Graffum batted .343 with 35 hits, 18 RBI and was 5 for 5 in stolen bases, Williams led the squad in walks with 19 and batted .407, and Hampton tossed 83 strikeouts in 99.2 innings of work in the circle en route to 11 wins during the regular season. DiRaimo notched 32 hits and a .364 batting average to round out the Blazers' award winners.