Five Softball Players Named All-NECC

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Elms College placed five players on the 2011 All-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball teams as announced by the league office on Monday.

Senior pitcher Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.), junior shortstop Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.), and sophomore third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) were each named First Team All-NECC, while junior outfielder Marlene DiRaimo (Cranston, R.I.) and sophomore catcher Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) were named to the second team.

Meeker finished the 2011 conference slate with an impressive 0.67 earned run average in 10 league games. She notched an 8-1 record during the span and added a save in 52.1 innings pitched against league competition. She also issued 38 strikeouts and held the opposition to a meager .209 batting average. Meeker was named NECC Pitcher of the Week three times during the season.

Lipscomb hit .354 in 16 games against NECC foes, totaling 17 hits, two doubles, and 12 RBI in addition to going 9 for 11 in stolen base attempts.

Butt rounded out the Blazers' first team selections after hitting a sensational .431 which included a team-best 22 hits, a team-high five doubles and she was a perfect 12 for 12 in stolen base attempts. Butt earned NECC Hitter of the Week once during the regular season.

DiRaimo hit .425 in 16 league games, collecting 17 hits, two doubles, two triples and 11 RBI, while Buckley, a one-time NECC Hitter of the Week honoree, secured a .388 batting average with 19 hits, two doubles, two triples and tied the team-high in RBI with 12. Both Butt and Buckley finished with a 1.000 fielding percentage during Elms' conference schedule.

2011 NECC Softball All Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Jennifer Dorval, Lesley, FR (Franklin, N.H.)
Pitcher of the Year: Cassandra Knox, Lesley, JR (Sea Cliff, N.Y.)
Rookie of the Year: Jennifer Dorval, Lesley, FR (Franklin, N.H.)
Coach of the Year: Jen Benway, Lesley
Team Sportsmanship Award: Southern Vermont College

First Team
FIRST BASE: Joanna Robie, Newbury, FR (Andover, Mass.)
SECOND BASE: Amy Waller, Daniel Webster, SR (Berlin, Mass.)
THIRD BASE: Rachel Butt, Elms, SO (Agawam, Mass.)
SHORTSTOP: Jenna Lipscomb, Elms, JR (Cambridge, Mass.)
OUTFIELD: Alyson Durben, Lesley, SR (Stow, Mass.)
OUTFIELD: Jen Bordonaro, Mitchell, SR (Winsted, Conn.)
OUTFIELD: Gabrielle Brixey, Lesley, JR (Coalinga, Calif.)
PITCHER: Cassandra Knox, Lesley, JR (Sea Cliff, N.Y.)
PITCHER: Destinee Meeker, Elms, SR (Bantam, Conn.)
PITCHER: Jennifer Dorval, Lesley, FR (Franklin, N.H.)
CATCHER: Alyssa Davis, Southern Vermont, JR (Lyndonville, Vt.)
DESIGNATED PLAYER: Emily Mangiaratti, Lesley, SO (Amherst, Mass.)

Second Team
FIRST BASE: Tiffany Person, Mitchell, SO (Waterbury, Conn.)
SECOND BASE: Nicole Hoxie, Mitchell, JR (Winsted, Conn.)
THIRD BASE: Jenna Fralick, Lesley, JR (Woburn, Mass.)
SHORTSTOP: Felicia Laufer, Becker, SR (Salem, Conn.)
OUTFIELD: Marlene DiRaimo, Elms, JR (Cranston, R.I.)
OUTFIELD: Sam Rios, Newbury, FR (Bronx, N.Y.)
OUTFIELD: Brittany Stracher, Newbury, SO (Dudley, Mass.)
PITCHER: Marissa Thomas, Mitchell, JR (New London, Conn.)
CATCHER: Sarah Buckley, Elms, SO (Wilbraham, Mass.)

Honorable Mention
Mercedes Griffith, Bay Path, FR, C (Malden, Mass.)
Teressa Fariolo, Newbury, JR, 2B (East Longmeadow, Mass.)
Keelin Dougherty, Bay Path, FR, 3B (Northfield, N.H.)
Talan Barron, Becker, SO, 3B (Methuen, Mass.)
Emily Serrano, Bay Path, FR, SS (North Adams, Mass.)
Theresa Hylinski, Newbury, JR, SS (Stratford, Conn.)