Wednesday May 7, 2008 (Reading, PA) - Alvernia softball had three players honored with PAC awards to cap off their record breaking season of 31 wins. Freshman
Rhiannon Sorrentino (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) earned PAC Rookie of the Year honors as announced by the conference on Tuesday. Also earning all-conference honors were freshman shortstop
Michele Kassab (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes) and
Emily Williams (Minersville, PA/Nativity) who were both named to the All-PAC First Team. Senior Colleen Ambrosuis (Philadelphia, PA/St. Basil Academy) was Alvernia's representative on the Sportsmanship Team.
Sorrentino led the team with a .420 batting average, 58 hits, 13 doubles, seven triples and was second on the team with five homeruns and 33 RBIs. Sorrentino started 40 games for the Crusaders this season and struck out only seven times in 138 at bats. She was 8-for-9 with five runs scored and five RBIs in a doubleheader sweep of Wesley College, she had three triples, one shy of the Division III record in a 12-2 win over Wesley College. Sorrentino was named the PAC Player of the Week for the week ended April 6th after batting .611 with seven runs, 11 hits, three doubles and nine RBI. She was named to the All-PAC Second Team.
Freshman shortstop Kassab played in 39 games for Alvernia, posted an impressive .402 batting average and led the team with .467 on base percentage. She had 16 extra base hits and a team leading 35 RBIs. She was 5-for-7 in a double-header at Cabrini with a homerun, four RBIs and four runs scored and had a 14-game hitting streak during the season.
Williams who earned first team honors as a utility player split her time between pitching and being the designated player for Alvernia. On the mound Williams was 11-6 with 103 strikeouts in 110 innings pitched. At the plater Williams batted a consistent .355 with 10 extra base hits and 17 RBIs.
PAC Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: Angela Sebasto, Neumann College
Rookie of the Year: Rhiannon Sorrentino, Alvernia College
Coach of the Year: Bob Fitzsimmons, Marywood University
Champion: Neumann College
Runner-Up: Misericordia University
First Team All-PAC:
Angela Sebasto (Neumann College), Pitcher
Katherine Lucenti (Misericordia University), Pitcher
Carol Mastrosante (Immaculata University), Catcher
Erika Cook (Marywood University), Infielder
Jennifer Goslin (Neumann College), Infielder
Michele Kassab (Alvernia College), Infielder
Kristy Sandefur (Cabrini College), Infielder
Jayme DiLeonardo (Gwynedd-Mercy College), Outfielder
Gina Urbon (Misericordia University), Outfielder
Lauren Gallagher (Neumann College), Outfielder
Megan Dunne (Centenary College), Designated Hitter
Emily Williams (Alvernia College), Utility Player
Second Team All-PAC:
Nikki Belles (Marywood University), Pitcher
Allison Holland (Cedar Crest College), Pitcher
Caitlin Hanrahan (Neumann College), Catcher
Rhiannon Sorrentino (Alvernia College), Infielder
Kimberly Kirkpatrick (Neumann College), Infielder
Alissa Brubaker (Eastern University), Infielder
Hollie Sarnak (Misericordia University), Infielder
Melissa Benedetti (Cabrini College), Outfielder
Courtney Novajosky (Misericordia University), Outfielder
Colleen Regan (Marywood University), Outfielder
Nicole DelGuerico (Gwynedd-Mercy College), Designated Hitter
Heather Rottner (Centenary College), Utility Player
Honorable Mention:
Kristen Norris (Misericordia University), Megan Haikes (Marywood University), Karen Hertzog (Eastern University), Valerie Heffline (Eastern University), Stephanie Weaver (Eastern University), Ashley Lewis (Eastern University)
PAC Sportsmanship Award Recipients:
Colleen Ambrosius, Alvernia College
Kelsie LaBauve, Cabrini College
Allison Holland, Cedar Crest College
Krystal Brugger, Centenary College
Stephanie Weaver, Eastern University
Kate Cassidy, Gwynedd-Mercy College
Maureen Kelly, Immaculata University
Stephanie Ziemski, Marywood University
Ashley Ballard, Misericordia University
Audrie Porter, Neumann College
Kaitlin Rogers, Rosemont College