Six Softball Players Earns All-NECC Honors
SOFTBALL GARNERS ALL-NEW ENGLAND COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE AWARDS
Click here for complete 2009 All-NECC teams
CHICOPEE, MA, May 2, 2009 - The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) recently announced its 2009 All-Conference Softball Team and Elms College had six players and head coach Cheryl Condon honored.
Freshman pitcher/first baseman Courtney Hampton (Westfield,
MA) was named the NECC's inaugural Rookie of the Year
while Coach Condon earned the NECC's first-ever Coach of the Year.
Hampton finished with a 7-0 record and was second in the NECC with a 1.14 ERA. In 43.0 innings, she allowed just seven earned runs and struck out 57 in eight appearances.
Coach Condon, who recorded her 300th career victory
earlier this season, led the Blazers to a postseason conference
tournament berth for the 10th consecutive year after the
team won 13 of its final 14 NECC games to finish second behind
Lesley University.
Hampton was also named First Team All-NECC and was joined by junior second baseman Ally Graffum (Ipswich, MA) and sophomore designated player Destinee Meeker (Bantam, CT).
In conference play, Graffum batted .339 with three triples and 13 RBI while committing just four errors in 16 games.
Meeker, meanwhile, batted .381 with a team-leading two home runs and 22 RBI that included a team-best .619 slugging perentage in 16 starts.
Senior shortstop Kerrie Bowden (Chicopee, MA), junior catcher Kim Lastowski (Turners Falls, MA) and freshman third baseman Kelly Callahan (Monson, MA) were each named Honorable Mention All-NECC.
Bowden, who graduates as the program's all-time leader in doubles, belted .375 with three doubles and 20 RBI, Lastowski hit .365 and recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in her 16 starts, and Callahan batted a team-leading .473 with five doubles and 17 RBI, while committing just two errors and a .939 fielding percentage in 16 starts at third base.