Robert DranoffCommissioner

rdranoff@eccsports.org631.348.3451

Casey RaffertyAssistant Commissioner crafferty@eccsports.org

631.348.3452

East Coast Conference Staff

SoftballAll games will be played at the NYIT Softball Complex - Old Westbury, N.Y.

Thursday, April 28Game 1 - No. 3 Molloy vs. No. 2 LIU Post - 1:00 p.m.Game 2 - No. 4 Bridgeport vs. No. 1 NYIT - 3:30 p.m.

Friday, April 29Game 3 - Winners from Games 1 & 2 - 10:00 a.m.

Game 4 - Loser from Games 1 & 2 - 12:30 p.m.Game 5 - Loser of Game 3 vs.Winner of Game 4 - 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 30 - ChampionshipGame 6 - Winners from Game 4 & 5 - 12:00 p.m.

Game 7 - If necessary - 2:30 p.m.

Championship Schedule

The 2016 East Coast Conference Softball Championship Program was written, laid out and designed by Casey Rafferty, Asisstant Commissioner for Strategic Communications, in Adobe InDesign CS5. Cover art work was designed by Casey Rafferty. Special thanks to the editorial assistance provided by: Bob Dranoff, Melissa Reilly and the Sports Information Directors of the East Coast Conference.

Melissa ReillyAssociate Commissioner

mreilly@eccsports.org631.348.3453

2015 Softball Championship RecapApril 30

No. 2 LIU Post d. No. 3 Molloy, 5-2 No. 1 Queens d. No. 4 NYIT, 1-0

at Flushing, N.Y.

May 1No. 1 Queens d. No. 2 LIU Post, 5-1

No. 3 Molloy d. No. 4 NYIT, 3-2 No. 2 LIU Post d. No. 3 Molloy, 10-7 (11 inn.)

at Flushing, N.Y.

May 2 - FinalNo. 1 Queens d. No. 2 LIU Post, 2-0

at Flushing, N.Y.

1991 Southampton1992 Southampton1997 Adelphi1998 C.W. Post1999 Queens2000 C.W. Post2001 Queens2002 C.W. Post2003 C.W. Post2004 C.W. Post2005 Dowling

2006 C.W. Post2007 Dowling2008 C.W. Post2009 C.W. Post2010 Dowling2011 Molloy2012 Molloy2013 Molloy2014 LIU Post2015 Queens

Past Champions

UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT

Coach Dawn Stearns

Alyssa Bua

Kaila Crandall

Meghan O’Leary

No. Name Yr Pos B/T Ht Hometown/Previous School1 Paige Owens Sr. OF R-R 5-3 Berlin, Conn./Berlin2 Imane Alou Issa Sr. C/IF R-R 5-8 Berchem, Belgium/U of Antwerp3 Amanda Stahelli So. P R-R 5-11 Pecatonic, Ill./Loyola-Chicago4 Jennine Walsh Sr. P R-R 5-10 Langely, B.C., Canada/Walnut Grove6 Susanna Hall Sr. U R-R 5-6 London, England/Frank Phillips College10 Ashley Hessler Jr. IF R-R 5-8 Pawtucket, R.I./Tolman11 Alyssa Bua Jr. P R-R 5-4 Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall13 Kerri Agrela Jr. C/OF R-R 5-5 Smithfield, R.I./Smithfield15 Jenna DiLorenzo Fr. OF R-R 5-7 Woodbridge, Conn./Amity17 Cherlynn Townsend Fr. U R-R 5-1 Hurst, Texas/Birdville18 Kamryn Beach Fr. IF R-R 5-9 Tampa, Fla./Tampa Prep19 Stephanie Dean Fr. U R-R 5-8 Old Lyme Conn./Mercy 23 Meghan O’Leary Jr. IF R-R 5-9 Lafayette, N.J./High Point27 Kaila Crandall Sr. P/OF R-R 5-4 Little Rock, Calif./Eastern Arizona College33 Tara Faford Jr. U R-R 5-0 Grafton, Mass. /Grafton42 Janaya Young Fr. C R-R 5-6 Orange, Conn./Amity77 Brittney Maio Sr. C/OF R-R 5-5 Guilford, Conn./Guilford88 Kaitlyn Lajoie Jr. P R-R 5-8 Vernon, Conn./Rockville

Head Coach: Dawn Stearns (7th Season)Assistant Coach: Natalie Traina, Tiffany Irrera, and Denise Donelin

Quick FactsLocation: Bridgeport, Conn. Colors: Purple and WhiteFounded: 1927 President: Neil Albert SalonenEnrollment: 4,800 Director of Athletics: Anthony VittiNickname: Purple Knights

Did You Know?• The University of Bridgeport women’s gymnastics team has won six of the last seven USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Team Championships.• UB men’s swimmer Ruben Gimenez has been selected the last two years as the NCAA Division II National At-Large Academic All-America of the Year.• The Bridgeport women’s volleyball team has hosted the NCAA Division II East Re-gional in 2013 and 2014. • The Bridgeport men’s basketball program has made three consecutive NCAA Division II Championship appearances and 21 total in the program’s history.• Bridgeport women’s soccer team made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship Semifinals this past December

About BridgeportAn international, doctoral intensive comprehensive university, with award-winning academic programs, at the University of Bridgeport, the New England’s fastest growing university, students can earn degrees in a variety of innovative undergraduate and graduate degree programs. UB is among America’s strong international universities with 25 percent of our students coming from overseas. The Univer-sity’s commitment to educate students from throughout the world is recognized in the US News and World Report issue on colleges. With students from more than 80 countries who are active in student government, publications and clubs, the University of Bridgeport prides itself in being a real world experience in globalization. Through its International Programs, the University provides academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities which support the University’s commitment to promote global citizenship and a commitment to public service. There are 200 full- and part-time faculty, including Fulbright Scholars, National Science Foundation Fellows, Ford Fel-lows, National Endowment for the Humanities Fellows, American Council for Learned Societies Scholars and Phi Beta Kappa Scholars. Known for its competent, committed, caring faculty, the University prides itself on its student-faculty ratio of 11:1. It also takes pride in its commitment to diversity. Some 32 percent of its students are members of minorities. Committed to creating new learning venues, the University of Bridgeport’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies and its Office of Distance Learning pioneered the first online graduate degree program in the State of Connecticut. A variety of online courses and certificate programs are also available.

LIU POST

Coach Jamie Apicella

Maria Palmeri

Julia Seader

Paige Swantek

No. Name Yr Pos B/T Ht Hometown/Previous School2 Mackenzie Buckley Jr. OF R/R 5-2 St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East3 Jaclyn Hahn So. OF R/R 5-7 Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point4 Samantha Marrone So. OF L/L 5-1 Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East5 Maria Palmeri Sr. IF R/R 5-5 Middle Village, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy6 Alex Hutchins Fr. IF R/R 5-6 Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River8 Claire Travis So. IF/OF R/R 5-7 East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow9 Melissa Peet Jr. OF R/R 5-11 Monroe, Conn./Masuk11 Isabella Corrao Sr. P R/R 5-7 Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale12 Kayla McCoy Jr. IF R/R 5-8 Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West13 Emily DeVito So. C L/L 5-8 Preston, Conn./Norwich Free Academy16 Ashley Martin Jr. P R/R 5-6 Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach17 Ashley Melendez Fr. 1B R/R 5-6 Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees21 Paige Swantek Sr. 1B/DP R/R 5-8 Smithtown, N.Y./Commack22 Julia Seader Fr. C L/R 5-7 Piscataway, N.J. / Piscataway23 Hannah Olshevski Fr. P R/R 5-7 Robbinsville, N.J. / Robbinsville24 Marisa San Antonio So. OF L/R 5-3 East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow25 Leah Mele Fr. IF R/R 4-11 Coram, N.Y. / Longwood

Head Coach: Jamie Apicella (18th Season)Assistant Coaches: Carla Campagna, Aly Dzierzynski, and Megan Butterworth

Quick FactsLocation: Brookville, N.Y. Colors: Green and GoldFounded: 1954 President: Dr. Kimberly R. ClineEnrollment: 8,472 Director of Athletics: Byran CollinsNickname: Pioneers

Did You Know?• The LIU Post softball team currently leads the ECC in earned-run average, and ranks third in the league in batting average, RBIs, hits, runs scored and doubles.• Freshman pitcher Hannah Olshevski has twice been named the ECC Pitcher and Rookie of the Week. She is the first 20-game winner at LIU Post since Liz Weber in 2014.• The Pioneers have been ranked as high as No. 22 in the NFCA Division II Top-25 Poll.• LIU Post was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2016 ECC Coaches’ Poll.

About LIU PostThe LIU Post Campus of Long Island University is a private, residential campus in Brookville, New York, offering more than 250 under-graduate and graduate degrees in accountancy, business, computer science, education, liberal arts and sciences, library and information science, health professions and nursing, public service, and visual and performing arts. Founded in 1954, LIU Post offers small classes, state-of-the art facilities and a safe, beautiful campus just 25 miles from Manhattan. Situated on 307 acres on the North Shore of Long Island, the campus features stately historic mansions, redbrick academic buildings, rolling green lawns, and formal gardens. Special campus highlights include wireless classrooms, a writing center, a museum, a recreation center, and one of the largest research libraries in the New York Metropolitan Region. LIU Post’s’ 8,500 undergraduate and graduate students enjoy exceptional health and fitness facilities, more than 80 clubs and 1,000 activities each year, competitive NCAA sports programs and the celebrated Tilles Center for the Performing Arts. More than 85 percent of the LIU Post students receive some form of financial assistance or scholarship. LIU Post’s award-winning Cooperative Education program places students at companies from MTV to American Express as well as government, health care and community service agencies. Our professional experience and Career Planning Office sponsors career fairs with top employers and keeps students in touch with the latest job openings. LIU Post graduates have gone on to become entrepreneurs, executives at major firms, teachers, doctors, artists, scientists and journalists. Many of our more than 100,000 alumni have achieved prominence in society’s most dynamic fields. For more information, visit the LIU Post Web Site at www.liu.edu/post.

No. Name Yr Pos B/T Ht Hometown/Previous School1 Chrissy Heyer So. IF/OF L/R 5-0 Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooklyn College3 Erin Clinton Jr. OF R/R 5-2 Long Beach, N.Y./Cerritos4 Chelsea Hawks Jr. P R/R 5-6 Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River5 Milan Botte Jr. C L/R 5-6 Reston, Va./Cathedral Catholic6 Bernadette Mullane So. IF/OF R/R 5-10 Bellmore, N.Y./Holy Trinity7 Alexandra Russo So. C R/R 5-4 Coram, N.Y./Longwood8 Brianna Dalton So. IF R/R 5-6 Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area9 Tracey Balinskas Sr. 3B/P R/R 5-7 Edison, N.J./Edison10 Ashley Fedor Jr. 3B R/R 5-5 Monroe, Conn./Monroe11 Makayla Harris So. P R/R 5-7 Berlin, Conn./Berlin15 Jenna Turato Fr. P R/R 5-2 Garden City South, N.Y./H. Frank Carey20 Olivia Banulski So. OF L/R 5-6 Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central 24 Samantha Sauer Sr. P R/R 5-6 Plainview, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy27 Ellyn Byrnes Fr. P/OF L/R 5-7 Huntington, N.Y./Huntington30 Tara Byrnes Fr. C/1B L/L 5-8 Huntington, N.Y./Huntington32 Sarah Rambo So. IF R/R 5-9 Eagleville, Pa./Methacton33 Katie Polselli Fr. C R/R 5-1 Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional77 Kaitlyn Snyder Fr. INF R/R 5-6 Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge

Head Coach: Susan Cassidy-Lyke (11th Season)Assistant Coaches: Dayna White, Kelley Jansen, and Victoria Gunnels

About MolloyMolloy College is an institution of the Dominican tradition which offers students a rich, multi-dimen-sional educational experience in an academically challenging environment. We foster critical thinking and creative exploration while preparing students to live and work in the global world of today.

Quick FactsLocation: Rockville Centre, N.Y. Colors: Maroon and WhiteFounded: 1955 President: Drew Bogner, Ph.DEnrollment: 3,300 Director of Athletics: Susan Cassidy-LykeNickname: Lions

Did You Know?• 177 Student-Athletes were named to the Molloy Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for achieving a grade-point average of 3.25 or higher in their respective studies in the fall semester. Of these student-athletes, 13 were inducted as the newest members of the Molloy 4.0 Club for attaining a perfect GPA in the fall. • The newest varsity program for Molloy College, the Lions’ women’s bowling team, celebrated two Academic All-Americans on February 1. Freshmen Afsha Malik and Sydney Kelly received the honors from the United States Bowling Congress after attaining a grade-point average of 3.5 or better during the fall semester.

MOLLOY COLLEGE

Coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke

Tracey Balinskas

Brianna Dalton

Chelsea Hawks

NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Coach Steve Christianson

Laura McLaughlin

Christina Pantages

Kat Zabielski

No. Name Yr Pos B/T Ht Hometown/Previous School2 Ruth Rodriguez Fr. OF/IF R/R 5-3 Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey 4 Amber Butenhoff Sr. OF L/R 5-4 Port Jervis, N.Y./Orange County5 Carly Wade Sr. P L/L 5-8 Placentia, Calif./Santiago Canyon7 Laura McLaughlin Jr. P R/R 5-11 Gilbert, Ariz./Central Arizona8 Katie Moreno Sr. OF L/L 5-7 Miami, Ariz./South Mountain9 Tori Duquette Sr. IF L/R 5-3 Irvine, Calif./Santiago Canyon10 Madison Smith Jr. C R/R 5-11 Tustin, Calif./Santiago Canyon13 Sofia Evangelista So. P R/R 5-4 Massapequa, N.Y./St. John’s 17 Christine Rizzacasa So. OF R/R 5-7 Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham 19 Christina Pantages Sr. IF/OF R/L 5-4 Whittier, Calif./Saddleback21 Kat Zabielski Sr. IF R/R 5-10 Farmingdale, N.Y./Stony Brook28 Samantha Basile Jr. C R/R 5-7 Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees 42 Josephine Santagata Jr. C/IF R/R 5-6 Brentwood, N.Y./St. John’s 44 Tiffany McCracken Jr. IF R/R 5-9 Murrieta, Calif./Saddleback

Head Coach: Steve Christianson (10th Season)Assistant Coach: Herb Melendez

About NYITNew York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institu-tion of higher education, NYIT has more than 12,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, nearly 100,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

Quick FactsLocation: Old Westbury, N.Y. Colors: Blue and GoldFounded: 1955 President: Edward Guiliano, Ph. D.Enrollment: 15,000 Director of Athletics: Duane BaileyNickname: Bears

Did You Know?• Head Coach Stephen Christianson picked up his 200th career win at NYIT on Saturday, March 19 with the game two 8-5victory over Merrimack College.• Senior captain Kat Zabielski not only topped the single season record for home runs this season (Game One, vs. Dowling, April 13) but set a new career record for home runs with her 20th of the season in game two against Bridgeport (Saturday, April 23). Zabielski was also Named Top 25 Finalist for Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year, one of two players from the East Region to earn this status. • This will be the Bears second consecutive trip to the ECC tournament and sixth in the 10 years that Coach Christianson has been at the helm.

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