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EASTERN WELL-REPRESENTED WITH LITTLE EAST AWARDS
Warriors lead all LEC programs with 30 year-end awards in four spring sports
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – A total of 25 Eastern Connecticut State University athletes in the sports of baseball, softball and lacrosse have received a conference-leading 30 year-ending Little East Conference awards, it has been announced.
Eastern, which led all conference teams a year ago with six conference championships, topped all conference teams this spring in the sports of baseball, softball and lacrosse in all-conference selections (25), first-team selections (14) and major award-winners (5). In the spring, the baseball and women’s lacrosse teams both went unbeaten en route to regular-season conference titles and followed up by winning their respective conference tournament championships. Men’s lacrosse was second in the regular season with one loss and reached the conference playoff title game for the seventh straight year.
After becoming the first baseball program in conference history to win all of its regular-season games (14-0), Eastern was recognized with two major award-winners and a total of eight all-conference selections; men’s lacrosse had one major award-winner and a total of seven all-conference picks; women’s lacrosse two major award-winners and six all-conference honorees, and softball four all-conference picks.
In baseball, sophomore left-handed pitcher/DH Shawn Gilblair (Windham, CT) became the program’s fifth Pitcher-of-the-Year in seven years and freshman shortstop Melvin Castillo (Danbury, CT) the program’s fourth Rookie-of-the-Year in seven years; in men’s lacrosse, senior attack Dave Carpenter (Redding, CT) repeated as LEC co-Offensive Player-of-the-Year, and in women’s lacrosse, freshman midfielder Taylor MacDonald (Oak Blufffs, MA) corralled the program’s second Rookie-of-the-Year honor in three years and first-year head coach Christine Jeffrey became the program’s second Coach-of-the-Year in three years.
For Eastern in baseball, only 2006 first-team All-America Gilblair repeated all-conference honors, and became the first all-conference starting pitcher in LEC baseball history to also earn a spot on the all-conference team at an additional position. He was joined on the first team by shortstop Castillo, senior outfielder Randy Re (Danbury, CT) and junior right-handed relief pitcher Jason LaVorgna (North Haven, CT). Gilblair, a second-team pitching selection as a
freshman, was a second-team all-conference choice at designated hitter this year and was joined on the second team by senior catcher Matt Cooney (Arlington, MA), and sophomore right-hander Jimmy Jagodzinski (Greenwich, CT).
Behind Eastern, regular-season and tournament runner-up Keene State had five all-conference picks plus one major award-winner and the University of Southern Maine and Rhode Island College each had four. Senior outfielder Ryan Bourque of Southern Maine was named Player-of-the-Year.
After breaking his conference and Eastern season records for assists and points, Carpenter shared Offensive Player-of-the-Year honors for the second straight season with Keene State senior attack Sean Panora. Junior midfielder Pete Hamilton (Rutland, VT) earned first-team all-conference honors for the third straight year. That duo was joined on the first team by two sophomore first-time selections: midfielder DJ Simmons (Mystic, CT) and defenseman Steve Lane (Groton, CT). Like Hamilton, junior defenseman Jon Snedeker (Southington, CT) was named to the all-conference team for the third straight year and he was joined on the second team by sophomore goalie Kyle Savage (Southington, CT) and senior defenseman Brian Marderosian (Wellesley, MA). Named at long-stick midfielder this year, Snedeker was a first-team defenseman on the 2006 conference title team and was a second-team pick on defense as a freshman in 2005. Last year’s LEC Rookie-of-the-Year, Savage repeated at second team, while Marderosian was honored for the first time as a second-year Eastern player.
Carpenter is ranked first nationally in Division III in both points and assists.
With eight all-conference selections, only regular-season and playoff titlist Keene State exceeded Eastern’s total of seven in men’s lacrosse.
In women’s lacrosse, Eastern’s three first-team all-conference picks all repeated previous all-conference recognition, while its three second-teamers were first-time selections. Senior midfielder Kara Bradley (North Haven, CT) and senior goalie Erin Calkins (Stony Brook, NY) were named to the first team for the third straight season for the unbeaten 2007 regular-season and conference playoff champions, while junior attack Lily Anderson (Portland, ME) moved up to the first team after gaining second-team accolades a year ago. MacDonald, senior attack Meghan Feraco (Norwich, CT) and sophomore defenseman Jackie Bivona (Middlebury, CT) received spots on the second team. A former two-time all-conference pick on defense, Bradley was the 2005 Defensive Player-of-the-Year and Calkins the 2005 Rookie-of-the-Year. MacDonald was a second-team all-conference pick in soccer last fall.
In women’s lacrosse, regular-season and playoff runner-up Plymouth State followed Eastern’s six all-conference picks by collecting five. Southern Maine athletes were recognized four times.
In softball, three of the team’s four all-conference picks appeared on the list for the first time. Senior third baseman Karen Taber (Deep River, CT) and senior outfielder Leigha Abair (East Hartford, CT) represented the Warriors as first-team selections, with sophomore right-handed pitcher Lisa Cody (Webster, MA) and sophomore first-baseman Rachel Denny (East Haddam, CT) taking second-team honors. Taber, who became the program’s all-time leader in assists this year, was a second-team selection as a junior last year.
All five all-conference softball selections for regular-season and tournament champion Rhode Island College – competing this week at the NCAA Division III national tournament – were named to the first team. Keene State and Western Connecticut State University matched the Anchorwomen with five overall picks
