Springfield Trio, Husson's Brochu Headline DIII New England Major Awards and All-Stars
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced its 2017 Division III New England Softball major award recipients and All-ECAC selections.
Springfield College collected three of four major awards for the 2017 campaign. Junior Kirsten Drobiak earned ECAC Player of the Year, classmate Talia Loda garnered Pitcher of the Year and head coach Kate Bowen was named ECAC New England Coach of the Year. Bri Brochu from Husson University rounded out the awards collecting the Rookie of the Year honor.
Drobiak’s award comes after being named to the All-New England Region First Team as well as NEWMAC Player of the Year honor. The junior posted career numbers in batting average (.439), slugging percentage (.734) and on-base percentage (.497). Through 41 games, Drobiak sat atop the conference in RBIs (49), doubles (20) and total bases (102), as her 49 RBIs broke the Springfield program record for RBIs in a single season. To round out her junior campaign, she was also a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
Loda joins her classmate on the All-New England Region First Team as well as collecting a major conference award as NEWMAC Pitcher of the Year. She was also one of 25 student-athletes named a finalist for the 2017 Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Year honor. Loda has been impressive in the circle for the Pride. Through 23 games, she posted an overall record of 19-4. Her 19 wins rank as the most wins from a Springfield pitcher since 1999. She led the NEWMAC in ERA (1.34) and wins (19) and was ranked fourth in strikeouts with 97.
Brochu caps off an impressive freshman campaign named to the All-New England Region Third Team. She finished the conference regular season as the NAC leader in hits (22), while also tallying a league-best in doubles (5), total bases (27) and a .579 batting average. Brochu tied for first with a .600 on-base percentage, tied for second with 13 runs scored and claimed a .711 slugging percentage to finish third in the NAC. She recorded a hit in 10 of her team’s 12 conference games, posting eight multi-hit games. The rookie ranked in the top-20 in all of Division III in batting average (.509, 10th), and on-base percentage (.556, 17th). Brochu broke several Husson records this season after posting the highest batting average of any player in a single-season since 1986 and tallying the most runs scored and total bases by a rookie in 20 years.
In her first year at the helm of the Springfield College softball program, Bowen has led Springfield to an overall record of 32-9, as the maroon and white was the top-ranked team in New England at the end of the regular season. Bowen has also led the Pride back to the NCAA Championship Tournament for the first time in four years. Bowen coached the Pride to three conference major awards, four NEWMAC All-Conference team selections and three First Team All-New England Region selections.
Player of the Year
Kirsten Drobiak – Springfield College, Jr.
Pitcher of the Year
Talia Loda – Springfield College, Jr.
Rookie of the Year
Bri Brochu – Husson University, Fr.
Coach of the Year
Kate Bowen – Springfield College
All-ECAC
Tamara Aunchman – Husson University, Fr.
Francesca Galeazzi – Salve Regina University, Jr.
Sara Baker – Castleton University, Fr.
Timi Carone – Castleton University, Jr.
Bri Bochu – Husson University, Fr.
Mycala Moody – Framingham State University, Fr.
Lexi Soucie – Salve Regina University, Sr.
Carianna Gasdia – Springfield College, Jr.
Dayna Marchant – Framingham State University, Jr.
Marissa DeLaurentis – Brandeis University, Fr.
Talia Loda – Springfield College, Jr.
Kirsten Drobiak – Springfield College, Jr.
Amanda Riley – Salve Regina University, So.
Kelsey Boarman – Salve Regina University, Sr.
Kayla Wood – Castleton University, Sr.
Kelsi Gunarathne – Framingham State University, So.
Scottie Todd – Brandeis University, Fr.
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