Softball Places Record Number on All-Conference Teams; Bryant Named Coach of the Year
Six Seawolves named to All-Conference Teams
Six Seawolves named to All-Conference Teams
Cambridge, Mass. - Stony Brook University's softball team placed a record six student-athletes on the 2009 America East All-Conference teams while head coach Megan Bryant took home the Coach of the Year award. Seniors Kelsi Fanelli (Audubon, N.J.) and Marissa Fleury (Mahopac, N.Y.) and juniors Vicki Kavitsky (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and Alyssa Struzenberg (Cooper City, Fla.) were all named to the first team while senior Kelly Oberto (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) and junior Kendall Blumenthal (Frederick, Md.) earned second team honors.
Fanelli, a four-time America East All-Conference selection, earned first team honors for the first time in her career. A two-time second team member and all-rookie team selection her freshman year, she leads the conference in runs scored during America East games. She is posting career best numbers in: batting average (.362), runs scored (42), doubles (12), RBI (31), slugging percentage (.570) and steals (18-18).
Fleury is a two-time first team selection, earning the honor last season at first base as well. The senior is second in the America East in home runs (13) and slugging percentage (.729) and leads the conference in RBI per game (0.85). She recently recorded her 200th career hit and leads the Seawolves with a .988 fielding percentage this season.
Earning her third career all-conference honor, Kavitsky is a first team selection for the first time in her career. Kavitsky has paced the Seawolves powerful offense all season, leading the team in batting average (.379), on base percentage (.463), runs scored (45), hits (58) and triples (3). The shortstop has hit for average and power out of the leadoff spot this season, ranking second on the team in home runs with eight.
Struzenberg earns her second-straight first team selection after winning 21 regular season games for the Seawolves. She ranks second in the conference in strikeouts per game (9.49) while holding opposing batters to a .192 batting average. The junior tossed 18 complete games including six shutouts.
Oberto and Blumenthal are both first-time all conference selections. Oberto is fourth on the team with a .341 batting average while driving in a career-best 31 RBI. An All-Championship team selection last season, she ranks third in the conference in RBI during America East games with 20. Her seven home runs this season are three more than she had hit previously in her entire career. Blumenthal is also having a career season, posting personal bests in every offensive category. Filling the designated player slot for most of the season, she has been key to the Seawolves success, ranking fifth on the team in RBI with 26.
After leading the Seawolves to a school best 35 overall wins and 15 conference victories, Bryant becomes the first coach in school history to earn Coach of the Year honors. SBU has already broken school records in single-season RBI (227), runs scored (246), doubles (77) and steals (74) and could break a few more during the America East Championships later this week.
Top seeded Stony Brook will face No. 4 UMBC on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the first round of the Championship which is being held at University Field.
Fanelli, a four-time America East All-Conference selection, earned first team honors for the first time in her career. A two-time second team member and all-rookie team selection her freshman year, she leads the conference in runs scored during America East games. She is posting career best numbers in: batting average (.362), runs scored (42), doubles (12), RBI (31), slugging percentage (.570) and steals (18-18).
Fleury is a two-time first team selection, earning the honor last season at first base as well. The senior is second in the America East in home runs (13) and slugging percentage (.729) and leads the conference in RBI per game (0.85). She recently recorded her 200th career hit and leads the Seawolves with a .988 fielding percentage this season.
Earning her third career all-conference honor, Kavitsky is a first team selection for the first time in her career. Kavitsky has paced the Seawolves powerful offense all season, leading the team in batting average (.379), on base percentage (.463), runs scored (45), hits (58) and triples (3). The shortstop has hit for average and power out of the leadoff spot this season, ranking second on the team in home runs with eight.
Struzenberg earns her second-straight first team selection after winning 21 regular season games for the Seawolves. She ranks second in the conference in strikeouts per game (9.49) while holding opposing batters to a .192 batting average. The junior tossed 18 complete games including six shutouts.
Oberto and Blumenthal are both first-time all conference selections. Oberto is fourth on the team with a .341 batting average while driving in a career-best 31 RBI. An All-Championship team selection last season, she ranks third in the conference in RBI during America East games with 20. Her seven home runs this season are three more than she had hit previously in her entire career. Blumenthal is also having a career season, posting personal bests in every offensive category. Filling the designated player slot for most of the season, she has been key to the Seawolves success, ranking fifth on the team in RBI with 26.
After leading the Seawolves to a school best 35 overall wins and 15 conference victories, Bryant becomes the first coach in school history to earn Coach of the Year honors. SBU has already broken school records in single-season RBI (227), runs scored (246), doubles (77) and steals (74) and could break a few more during the America East Championships later this week.
Top seeded Stony Brook will face No. 4 UMBC on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the first round of the Championship which is being held at University Field.
