The Eastern College Athletic Conference has announced its spring lineup of softball all-stars and a pair of College of Staten Island major award winners took home similar awards in the Metro NY/NJ region. Freshman Patricia Riches took the Metro’s Rookie of the Year honor, while Head Coach Stella Porto did the same for Coach of the Year. On top of the year-end major award winners, CSI’s Jacqueline Cautela and Kristy Colangelo were named to the All-ECAC first-team while Nicolette Trapani was given honorable mention laurels.
Riches, a candidate for NFCA All-America honors later this month was a clear choice for Rookie of the Year honors, leading the way with a robust .522 at the plate, leading the Dolphins in a host of categories. Her 70 hits set a new CSI single season record, placing second all-time in RBI (50), and on-base percentage (.588). The freshman also set new CSI single game records with seven RBI in two separate contests this year, tying school records for doubles (3) and home runs (2) in a single game. Riches made all 44 starts at the shortstop position, flashing a .977 glove there as one of the region’s premier players at the position.
Winning has come standard, meanwhile, for Coach Porto and her teams and she collected top coaching honors thanks to a terrific undefeated CUNYAC run towards a fifth-straight Championship and a 35-9 record that marked the finest in the programs rich history. CSI celebrated its fifth-straight winning season, and has now posted 20+ win season in 12 of the last 13 years. In her 15 years at the helm, Porto has amassed a 358-225-2 overall record, tying a program-best .612 winning percentage.
Senior Jacqueline Cautela wrapped up her finest season as an all-star, winning four straight CUNYAC Tournament MVP honors while wrapping up CUNYAC Pitcher of the Year. Cautela finished 15-3 with a 0.98 ERA, right behind teammate Trapani as the lowest in CSI single season history. Cautela led the Dolphins with 121.0 innings logged, fanning 82 batters, lifting her career strikeout mark to 402, the most in CSI history. She holds the same record for wins with 60 all-time.
Outfielder Kristy Colangelo was next in line, sporting a solid .353 at the dish with 42 hits, 10 of them for extra-bases. Colangelo was one of CSI’s best clutch hitters, boasting 34 RBI, hitting safely in eight of CSI’s 9 final games. Colangelo was also second on the squad with eight stolen bases, perfect in all eight attempts.
Nicolette Trapani gained honorable mention status thanks to her tremendous junior season. Trapani finished 11-4 with a CSI single season record 0.96 ERA, allowing just 52 hits over 80 innings of work, fanning 54 while opponents batted just .182 against her.
A full list of ECAC Metro NY/NJ honorees is below:
Player of the Year
Janae Matos – Moravian College, Jr.
Pitcher of the Year
Josie Novak – Moravian College, Jr.
Rookie of the Year
Patricia Riches – College of Staten Island, Fr.
Coach of the Year
Stella Porto – College of Staten Island
All-ECAC First Team
Abby Jeffries – Moravian College, Sr.
Emily Sabo – Kean University, Sr.
Christine Griffith – William Paterson University, So.
Janae Matos – Moravian College, Jr.
Morgan Smith – Rowan University, Jr.
Corinne Loncar – Stevens Institute of Technology, Jr.
Kristy Colangelo – College of Staten Island, Sr.
Brittany Deieso – Manhattanville College, Sr.
Gianna Genello – Rowan University, So.
Kelly Yusko – Rutgers University-Newark, Jr.
Josie Novak – Moravian College, Jr.
Jacqueline Cautela – College of Staten Island, Sr.
Cindy Connoly – Mount St. Mary College (NY), Jr.
All-ECAC Honorable Mention
Rachel Wasilak – William Paterson University, Sr.
Julie Siragusa – Moravian College, Sr.
Diana King – New York University, So.
Victoria Holmes – College of New Rochelle, Fr.
Aarin Hartenstein – Manhattanville College, So.
Lauren Shannon – Rowan University, Fr.
Allison Podmajersky – William Paterson University, Sr.
Erin Fitzsimmons – Ramapo College, So.
Nicolette Trapani – College of Staten Island, Jr.
