Four Mariners Earn NECC Softball Honors
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Four members of the Mitchell College softball team were honored by the New England Collegiate Conference on Monday morning as the league announced its annual awards and all-conference teams.
Sophomore Jenny Groman was named to the all-conference first team while classmate Shannon O'Neil and freshman Brittany Fiederlein were selected to the all-conference second team. Third-year head coach Jillian Ortega was also named NECC Coach of the Year. All awards were determined by a vote of the conference's head coaches.
Groman started all 18 league games in center field and batted a team-high .434 in NECC action. She hit safely in 16 of 18 contests and knocked in a total of 14 runs. She also crossed the plate 22 times—second most in the conference—and scored a run in 15 league games.
O'Neil batted cleanup and played first base in all 18 NECC contests. She hit .429 and tied for second in the league with a team-high 20 RBI. She also homered twice and produced seven doubles to slug .661 in conference action.
Fiederlein wrapped up her first collegiate season as one of the NECC's top pitchers. She posted a record of 8-2 in nine league starts and finished the season with a 1.62 ERA. The two-time NECC Pitcher of the Week selection struck out a total of 36 batters over 56.0 innings and recorded three shutouts.
The trio helped Mitchell (19-19 overall, 12-6 NECC) to a third place finish in the NECC regular season standings. The Mariners then advanced to the finals of the 2014 NECC Championship before falling to Lesley University, 4-2, in the title round.
2014 NECC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Beth Grimes, Elms (Jr, P - Terryville, Conn.)
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Beth Grimes, Elms (Jr, P - Terryville, Conn.)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Mekenzi Golden, Lesley (Fr, UTIL - Laguna Niguel, Calif.)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jillian Ortega, Mitchell
TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Wheelock College
FIRST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
Lindsey Clark, Newbury (Fr, 3B/SS - Venice, Fla.)
Jodee Doka, Lesley (Jr, OF - Sacramento, Calif.)
Alyssa Donovan, Newbury (So, SS/UTL - West Haven, Conn.)
Allison Fountain, Lesley (Sr, C - Cheshire, Conn.)
Mekenzi Golden, Lesley (Fr, UTIL - Laguna Niguel, Calif.)
Beth Grimes, Elms (Jr, P - Terryville, Conn.)
Jenny Groman, Mitchell (So, OF - New Britain, Conn.)
Lauren Lavalle, Becker (Jr, 2B - Millbury, Mass.)
Sheri Liggiero, Newbury (So, OF - Tewksbury, Mass.)
Nicole Mercurio, Lesley (Sr, 1B/P - Wakefield, Mass.)
Kelsey Norberg, Becker (So, P - Uxbridge, Mass.)
Jessica Wheelahan, Becker (So, OF - Watertown, Conn.)
SECOND TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
Jenna Casello, Regis (Mass.) (Fr, OF - Westborough, Mass.)
Mallory Celeste, Southern Vt. (Fr, 3B/OF - Gansevoort, N.Y.)
Brittany Fiederlein, Mitchell (Fr, P - Hampton, Conn.)
Erika Garay, Southern Vt. (Sr, OF - Walnut, Calif.)
Olivia Kenyon, Newbury (Jr, P/UTL - Canton, Mass.)
Alyssa McKinnon, Regis (Mass.) (So, 1B - Raynham, Mass.)
Maria Nazzaro, Lesley (Sr, OF - North Reading, Mass.)
Shannon O'Neil, Mitchell (So, 1B - Chicopee, Mass.)
Marina Rhodes, Bay Path (Jr., 2B/P - Providence, R.I.)
Kierstan Skinner, Elms (So, C/SS - South Windsor, Conn.)
Lauryn Zovistoski, Southern Vt. (Fr, SS/P - Granville, N.Y.)
HONORABLE MENTION
Jessica Brochu, Becker (Jr, 3B - Hardwick, Vt.)
Keelin Dougherty, Bay Path (Sr., P/IN - Northfield, N.H.)
Emily Fleming, Southern Vt. (Jr, P/1B - Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
Katie Haney, Newbury (Sr, MIF/OF - Winchendon, Mass.)
Emily Humphries, Newbury (Fr, C/1B - Westborough, Mass.)
