Endicott named CCC preseason favorites; new look Gulls in 2012
February 17, 2012
2012 CCC Softball Preseason Poll Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Endicott softball has been predicted to finish atop the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) standings in 2012 as it was announced today by league commissioner Gregg M. Kaye.
The CCC's head coaches voted and Endicott received seven of 10 possible first place votes for a total of 95 points. 2011 runner-up Western New England (87) earned two first place votes with University of New England (85) taking the final first place tally.
The Endicott softball team saw its historic run of consecutive CCC Championships continue in 2011 with their ninth straight title and appearance in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament last spring. After a 1-2 showing in the NCAAs, the Blue and Green ended yet another successful season with 36-8 overall standing with a remarkable 23-1 record in CCC games.
Despite the loss of a senior trio of captains in Jenna Bortolotti, Hayley Hovhanessian and Ashley Wright, Endicott’s prospects for the 2012 season remain high behind head coach Mark Veilleux who enters his 18th season at the helm of the Gulls softball program with 484 career victories. Veilleux’s 500th win will put him in the same class as just 30 coaches in NCAA DIII softball history to achieve the coaching milestone.
Veilleux anticipates that instead of relying on big hitters that have consistently been among the CCC’s leaders over the last couple of years, the 2012 Gulls will showcase a different style of softball.
“It’s going to be a team effort,” said Veilleux. “We are going to rely on our pitching staff more than ever this year, but if we play fundamentally sound, display our speed, and put pressure on the defense with some small ball style of play then we’ll continue to be successful.”
The CCC restructured since last spring and with six less conference games on the docket, the Gulls have expanded their non-conference schedule in the hopes of preparing for what should be a battle for league supremacy. Endicott will carry over Wheaton (Mass.) and Babson and add doubleheader dates with Wellesley, Brandeis and Salem State.
“The conference will be stronger this year and I expect that Western New England and University of New England to be major contenders for the championship. Salve Regina, Roger Williams and Curry are always tough games too so we need to be a focused and diligent team.”
Without a single senior on the roster, junior captains Nicole Devlin and Byrne Katz will be the source of leadership for the Gulls in 2012. Devlin, an All-CCC Honorable Mention first baseman in her rookie season, returns after posting a .329 batting average with 26 RBI, 24 runs scored, and six stolen bases while starting in 29 of 34 games played. Katz started 18 games in her sophomore year and will patrol right field for the Gulls. She posted 14 RBI with a .341 average in just 44 at bats last season.
Bortolotti, an experienced big game pitcher with two CCC Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-CCC awards to her name, will be sorely missed but the Gulls pitching staff has depth this spring starting with junior Kayla Carignan who in 46.0 innings pitched went 9-0 with a 1.07 ERA. Carignan was a CCC Pitcher of the Week honoree on April 24th after earning two wins over Eastern Nazarene and University of New England, one as a starter and one in relief. Sophomores Nell O’Connor, 4-1 with three saves in 2011, and Danielle LaRocque, one win as a starter, are expected to provide depth as well as freshmen Meg Donegan and Cam Sprague. Out of Central Catholic, Donegan comes to Endicott off a stellar high school career in which she was named the Merrimack Valley Conference Division One Player of the Year her senior year.
Behind the plate, 2010 CCC Rookie of the Year and 2011 All-CCC Second Teamer Krista Fales will handle a majority of the catching duties for the Gulls. The junior caught a pitching staff in 2011 that led the conference in ERA (1.96), wins (36), shutouts (12), and batting average against (.259) while sporting a .991 fielding percentage and a 36.4% caught stealing rate. Fales did her part with the bat as well with a .348 average, 18 RBI and 17 runs scored. Sophomore Allie Noyes, who was solid in 17 games played last season, and freshman Austin Prep graduate Sam Cila will also see time behind the plate.
Devlin projects to be the starter at first base with junior Colleen Martin, who will also be a regular at the designated player spot. Martin drove in 15 base runners and scored 16 runs in 2011 while swiping nine bags in 10 attempts. LaRocque also figures to contribute at first base in her sophomore season.
At second base, second-year player Jesse Bilafer returns after posting a .386 average with 28 RBI, 30 runs, and nine stolen bases in her rookie campaign. Eleven of her 44 hits went for extra bases while doing her part in moving base runners along with 11 sacrifices. An All-CCC First Team honoree, Bilafer will be backed up by junior Katelyn Soja. Soja, a member of the CCC Academic All-Conference Team as a sophomore, played in 20 games last season and had seven hits in 16 at bats.
Moving over to the left side of the infield, sophomore Kelley Michael and freshman Shelly Phillips are expected to compete for playing time at shortstop. Michael will also see time at third while Phillips, an All-Star and All-Scholastic player out of Taunton, hopes to make an impact in her first season.
Junior third baseman Jocelyn Russo garnered All-CCC First Team honors after posting a team-high 55 hits in 2011 with a .385 batting average, 26 RBI and 47 runs scored. It was a career year for Russo who posted a .235 average with just two RBI and six runs in her freshman year. She was also 6-of-7 in stolen base attempts. Freshman Stoneham native Nicolette Delvecchio is expected to be in the mix for playing time in her first season in a Gulls uniform at the hot corner.
Patrolling the outfield will be sophomore Alexandra Moise (left), freshman Jess Linden (center) and junior captain Byrne Katz (right). Moise started in 31 of 36 games last year and batted .305 with 15 RBI, and 23 runs scored. Linden, a Stratford, Connecticut native who played at Lauralton Hall, takes over in centerfield for former All-CCC and All-Region winner Ashley Wright while Katz shifts over from left to right after the departure of All-CCC Second Teamer Hayley Hovanhessian. Freshman Amanda Campbell, who captained her Billerica High squad, also figures to be vie for playing time in the outfield in 2012.
Endicott kicks off their 2012 season as they do every year at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida from March 11th-15th. The Gulls start conference play when they return on March 25th for their home opener against Nichols. CCC Tournament play begins on April 30th with the championship to be determined on May 5th.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Endicott softball has been predicted to finish atop the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) standings in 2012 as it was announced today by league commissioner Gregg M. Kaye.
The CCC's head coaches voted and Endicott received seven of 10 possible first place votes for a total of 95 points. 2011 runner-up Western New England (87) earned two first place votes with University of New England (85) taking the final first place tally.
The Endicott softball team saw its historic run of consecutive CCC Championships continue in 2011 with their ninth straight title and appearance in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament last spring. After a 1-2 showing in the NCAAs, the Blue and Green ended yet another successful season with 36-8 overall standing with a remarkable 23-1 record in CCC games.
Despite the loss of a senior trio of captains in Jenna Bortolotti, Hayley Hovhanessian and Ashley Wright, Endicott’s prospects for the 2012 season remain high behind head coach Mark Veilleux who enters his 18th season at the helm of the Gulls softball program with 484 career victories. Veilleux’s 500th win will put him in the same class as just 30 coaches in NCAA DIII softball history to achieve the coaching milestone.
Veilleux anticipates that instead of relying on big hitters that have consistently been among the CCC’s leaders over the last couple of years, the 2012 Gulls will showcase a different style of softball.
“It’s going to be a team effort,” said Veilleux. “We are going to rely on our pitching staff more than ever this year, but if we play fundamentally sound, display our speed, and put pressure on the defense with some small ball style of play then we’ll continue to be successful.”
The CCC restructured since last spring and with six less conference games on the docket, the Gulls have expanded their non-conference schedule in the hopes of preparing for what should be a battle for league supremacy. Endicott will carry over Wheaton (Mass.) and Babson and add doubleheader dates with Wellesley, Brandeis and Salem State.
“The conference will be stronger this year and I expect that Western New England and University of New England to be major contenders for the championship. Salve Regina, Roger Williams and Curry are always tough games too so we need to be a focused and diligent team.”
Without a single senior on the roster, junior captains Nicole Devlin and Byrne Katz will be the source of leadership for the Gulls in 2012. Devlin, an All-CCC Honorable Mention first baseman in her rookie season, returns after posting a .329 batting average with 26 RBI, 24 runs scored, and six stolen bases while starting in 29 of 34 games played. Katz started 18 games in her sophomore year and will patrol right field for the Gulls. She posted 14 RBI with a .341 average in just 44 at bats last season.
Bortolotti, an experienced big game pitcher with two CCC Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-CCC awards to her name, will be sorely missed but the Gulls pitching staff has depth this spring starting with junior Kayla Carignan who in 46.0 innings pitched went 9-0 with a 1.07 ERA. Carignan was a CCC Pitcher of the Week honoree on April 24th after earning two wins over Eastern Nazarene and University of New England, one as a starter and one in relief. Sophomores Nell O’Connor, 4-1 with three saves in 2011, and Danielle LaRocque, one win as a starter, are expected to provide depth as well as freshmen Meg Donegan and Cam Sprague. Out of Central Catholic, Donegan comes to Endicott off a stellar high school career in which she was named the Merrimack Valley Conference Division One Player of the Year her senior year.
Behind the plate, 2010 CCC Rookie of the Year and 2011 All-CCC Second Teamer Krista Fales will handle a majority of the catching duties for the Gulls. The junior caught a pitching staff in 2011 that led the conference in ERA (1.96), wins (36), shutouts (12), and batting average against (.259) while sporting a .991 fielding percentage and a 36.4% caught stealing rate. Fales did her part with the bat as well with a .348 average, 18 RBI and 17 runs scored. Sophomore Allie Noyes, who was solid in 17 games played last season, and freshman Austin Prep graduate Sam Cila will also see time behind the plate.
Devlin projects to be the starter at first base with junior Colleen Martin, who will also be a regular at the designated player spot. Martin drove in 15 base runners and scored 16 runs in 2011 while swiping nine bags in 10 attempts. LaRocque also figures to contribute at first base in her sophomore season.
At second base, second-year player Jesse Bilafer returns after posting a .386 average with 28 RBI, 30 runs, and nine stolen bases in her rookie campaign. Eleven of her 44 hits went for extra bases while doing her part in moving base runners along with 11 sacrifices. An All-CCC First Team honoree, Bilafer will be backed up by junior Katelyn Soja. Soja, a member of the CCC Academic All-Conference Team as a sophomore, played in 20 games last season and had seven hits in 16 at bats.
Moving over to the left side of the infield, sophomore Kelley Michael and freshman Shelly Phillips are expected to compete for playing time at shortstop. Michael will also see time at third while Phillips, an All-Star and All-Scholastic player out of Taunton, hopes to make an impact in her first season.
Junior third baseman Jocelyn Russo garnered All-CCC First Team honors after posting a team-high 55 hits in 2011 with a .385 batting average, 26 RBI and 47 runs scored. It was a career year for Russo who posted a .235 average with just two RBI and six runs in her freshman year. She was also 6-of-7 in stolen base attempts. Freshman Stoneham native Nicolette Delvecchio is expected to be in the mix for playing time in her first season in a Gulls uniform at the hot corner.
Patrolling the outfield will be sophomore Alexandra Moise (left), freshman Jess Linden (center) and junior captain Byrne Katz (right). Moise started in 31 of 36 games last year and batted .305 with 15 RBI, and 23 runs scored. Linden, a Stratford, Connecticut native who played at Lauralton Hall, takes over in centerfield for former All-CCC and All-Region winner Ashley Wright while Katz shifts over from left to right after the departure of All-CCC Second Teamer Hayley Hovanhessian. Freshman Amanda Campbell, who captained her Billerica High squad, also figures to be vie for playing time in the outfield in 2012.
Endicott kicks off their 2012 season as they do every year at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida from March 11th-15th. The Gulls start conference play when they return on March 25th for their home opener against Nichols. CCC Tournament play begins on April 30th with the championship to be determined on May 5th.