Six Landmark Softball Players Honored For Academics
MADISON, N.J. - The Landmark Conference softball teams were well represented on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-District II College Division Softball First Team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. The Landmark placed six players on the team, including one first-team honoree.
The Landmark had six representatives on the 37-player All-District II Team, with one player earning first team honors, and five others being selected to the third team. Moravian College senior Elizabeth Python was the first-team honoree, and her teammates Amanda Paulus and Shannen Mohr were third-team selections. Joining them on the third team was Juniata College infielder Caley McCool, The Catholic University of America junior Megan Rizzi, and outfielder Mia Collarini from The University of Scranton. As a first-team choice, Python's name will now go on the ballot for the Capitol One Academic All-America Team.
To be eligible for Capital One Academic All-America® accolades, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.30 grade-point average, be a sophomore, junior or senior and be a starter or significant reserve. The College Division is made up of all the NCAA Division II and III schools in the nation as well as all NAIA schools. Student-athletes from NCAA Division I schools are named to the University Division Teams. District II is made up of schools from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Python, who was voted the Landmark Co-Pitcher of the Year and a first-team All-Conference selection, has a 12-0 record this season with a 0.71 ERA, five shutouts, 17 walks and 78 strikeouts in 69.1 innings of work. At the plate, she has four hits, three runs, a double, a triple and five RBIs. Python, pictured at left, was the 2008 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year and has been on the Landmark Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll the last two seasons. Python is majoring in psychology.
Collarini, who holds a 3.37 grade point average in counseling and human services, has started 127 of 128 games in her four-year career and holds a career batting average of .311, with 125 hits, including 28 doubles, 10 triples, five home runs, and 56 RBI. She also holds a career slugging percentage of .468 and an on-base percentage of .412. So far this season, Collarini is batting .298, with 28 hits, including six doubles, a triple and a home run.
McCool finished the season with a .326 batting average, and led Juniata in total hits (31) and runs batted in (12). She tied the team high with eight walks and had just two strikeouts this season, fewest of any regular starter. McCool was ranked 21st among Division III leaders in toughest-to-strikeout, averaging a strikeout once in every 47.5 at bats. Defensively, the two-time All-Landmark Conference second baseman posted a .982 fielding percentage, committing just two errors in 114 chances. After her four-year career on College Hill, McCool ranks fourth among Juniata career hits leaders (138), fourth in career runs scored (60), and tied for ninth in career doubles (18).
Paulus, who is in her fourth season as an outfielder for the Greyhounds. She has contributed a .373 average, 28 hits, 25 runs, six doubles, a triple, six homers and 23 RBIs. Paulus who made the Landmark Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll the last two seasons, is majoring in biology. She was named to the All-Conference team following her senior year and has helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament in three of her four seasons.
Mohr is in her second season as Moravian's starting third baseman. She has a .463 average, 37 hits, 26 runs, eight doubles, two homers, 21 walks and 25 RBIs to lead the Greyhounds at the plate. She was named the Landmark co-Player of the Year following her sophomore season and was a first-team All-Conference pick in her sophomore year. Mohr is majoring in biology.
Rizzi leads the Cardinals in hitting this season, with a .412 average. A native of New Hampshire Rizzi carries a 3.36 grade point average as a psychology major. She is a member of the Dean's List and the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll. On the field Rizzi has totaled 42 hits in 35 games for CUA in 2011. She has 12 doubles, one triple, three home runs and 32 runs batted in. She has also scored 30 runs, walked 27 times and carries a .647 slugging percentage and a .527 on base percentage. She is a three-time All-Landmark pick, including earning first-team honors as a sophomore and junior.
The Landmark raised its Academic All-District total by four after the conference had a pair of players chosen for the honor last season. Conference play concluded last weekend with Moravian capturing its fourth Landmark Championship and the Greyhounds will begin NCAA Tournament play on Friday.
Story provided by Catholic, Juniata, Moravian and Scranton Sports Information
