ECAC Announces DI Softball Major Awards & All-ECAC Selections

5/24/2018 9:24:37 AM

DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2018 Division I Softball Awards and All-ECAC selections.

Krystal Puga of St. John’s University was voted ECAC Player of the Year, and Julia DiMartino of Liberty University was named Pitcher of the Year. Boston University freshman Ali DuBois collected the ECAC Rookie of the Year honor, with her Head Coach Ashley Waters rounding out the major accolades with the Coach of the Year award.

Krystal Puga boasted a .435 batting average and a .839 slugging mark, to lead the Big East Conference in 2018. The senior tops the conference in several other statistical categories as well including hits (73), runs (52), homers (19), and RBIs (44). In addition to ranking fifth in the nation for home runs, Puga also sits fourth on the national level in total bases with 141.

DiMartino finished her junior campaign 29-8 with a 1.72 ERA, 10 shutouts, six saves, 230 strikeouts at a .198 opponents' batting average. The junior set single-season program records for wins, shutouts and saves this season, and she is now Liberty's career record holder in victories (66), shutouts (24) and strikeouts (574). DiMartino pitched the Lady Flames to their first Big South tournament title since 2011, going 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA and 11 strikeouts at the 2018 Big South Softball Championship.

The freshman hurler owns a 2.02 ERA in 49 appearances in the circle for the Terriers. Dubois has earned a 28-8 win-loss record to go with 192 strikeouts in 225.2 innings pitched, while holding her opponents to a .209 batting average.

Waters collects the Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Terriers to a 39-20 overall record and a 15-3 record in league play this season. Boston University won the Patriot League Championship and had a key win over defending champion University of Oklahoma. The Terriers also had wins over Power 5 conference teams Duke University and Michigan State University.

ECAC Division I Softball Major Awards and All-ECAC Selections

Player of the Year
Krystal Puga, St. John’s, Sr.

Pitcher of the Year
Julia DiMartino, Liberty University, Jr.

Rookie of the Year
Ali DuBois, Boston University, Fr.

Coach of the Year
Ashley Waters, Boston University

All-ECAC First Team
Krystal Puga, St. John’s, Sr.
Taylor Troutt, Columbia University, Sr.
Morgan Tolle, James Madison University, Sr.
Katie Baron, Monmouth University, Sr.
Brook Miko, Towson University, Sr.
Kate Gordon, James Madison University, So.
Ali Milam, Marist College, So.
Kendyl Scott, Towson University, Sr.
Alex Heinen, Boston University, Jr.
Odicci Alexander, James Madison University, So.
Julia DiMartino, Liberty University, Jr.

All-ECAC Second Team*
Paige Rauch, Fordham University, Sr.
Holly Geranen, Colgate university, Sr.
Brittany Husk, Villanova University, Sr.
Molly Kapala, Saint Joseph’s University, So.
Hayley Norton, Saint Francis University, Jr.
Nicole Yozzo, Lehigh University, Sr.
Emma Wong, Boston University, Sr.
Bryce Holmgren, Syracuse University, Jr.
Jessica Rutherford, Binghamton University, Sr.
Victoria Zamora, LIU Brooklyn, Sr.
Anna Steinmetz, University of Delaware, Jr.
Courtney Hankins, Fairfield University, Jr.
Amanda Riley, Monmouth University, Sr.
Alexa Romero, Syracuse University, So.

*additional players added due to ties in voting

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Established in 1938, the ECAC is the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. The ECAC hosts numerous championships in men's and women's sports across Divisions I, II and III, offering opportunities for thousands of student-athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.

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