BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn softball team had two major Northeast Conference award winners this year, led by senior catcher Victoria Zamora, who was named the NEC's Golden Glove winner, while freshman Ryleigh Bermea was named the NEC Rookie of the Year. Both also earned first team All-NEC honors.
Senior Angie Vazquez also earned first team All-NEC honors at third base, while redshirt sophomore Patricia Griffin was named second team All-NEC in the outfield.
Catcher Victoria Zamora picked up the league's Golden Glove award for the second time in her career. After winning NEC Rookie of the Year in her freshman campaign, she was named the Gold Glove Award winner in her sophomore season. She is one of just two Blackbirds ever to win the award. The California-born backstop cut down more than half of attempting base stealers (.529). She finished the regular season with a .979 fielding percentage, recording 204 putouts and 32 assists in 241 chances. She turned three double plays. The Gold Glove winner also impressed in the batter's box. The senior finished second in the NEC in overall batting average (.373) and on base percentage (.476). This year, she led the team with 32 runs scored and 10 doubles, while finishing the regular season ranked second on the team in both hits (50) and RBI (28).
Freshman Ryleigh Bermea made a name for herself in downtown Brooklyn, en route to being named the NEC Rookie of the Year. A two-time NEC Rookie of the Week honoree and NEC Player of the Week once, she led the Blackbirds and ranked third in the league in RBI, with 35. She finished the regular season ranked 8th in the NEC in batting average (.362) and on base percentage (.396). She shined during LIU's conference schedule, hitting at a .340 clip and posting a .404 on-base percentage.
Meanwhile, both senior Angie Vazquez and sophomore Patricia Griffin earned the first postseason honors of their careers, being named to the first and second team All-NEC respectively. Vazquez hit a hot streak late in the season, and ending up leading the Blackbirds at the plate, with a .391 batting average. She also had 23 RBI, and was named NEC Player of the Week in late April. Griffin quietly put together a strong and consistent season for LIU in the outfield. The redshirt sophomore hit .342, leading LIU with 54 hits, including eight doubles and 24 RBI. She was also error free in the outfield in the regular season, with 53 putouts and a 1.000 fielding percentage.
LIU Brooklyn (20-27, 8-8 NEC) begins NEC Tournament action on Thursday, May 10 in Loretto, Pa., taking on top seed and host Saint Francis U. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m., with the second game of the day, featuring No. 2 seed CCSU and No. 3 seed Sacred Heart, beginning at 3 p.m.
2018 NEC Softball Award Winners
NEC Player of the Year
Cheyenne McKee Saint Francis U Jr 2B R/R DuBois, PA/DuBois
NEC Co-Pitchers of the Year
Emily Orosco Sacred Heart Jr P R/R Camarillo, CA/Aldolfo Camarillo
Abby Trahan Saint Francis U So P R/R Kaplan, LA/Kaplan
NEC Golden Glove Award
Victoria Zamora LIU Brooklyn Sr C R/R Orange, CA/El Modena
NEC Rookie of the Year
Ryleigh Bermea LIU Brooklyn Fr OF R/R Saugus, CA/Saugus
NEC Most Improved Player
Emily Orosco Sacred Heart Jr P R/R Camarillo, CA/Aldolfo Camarillo
NEC Coaching Staff of the Year
Elizabeth Luckie, Pam London and Jen Russell Sacred Heart
2018 NEC Women's Softball First Team All-Conference
Pos. Name School Yr. B/T Hometown/High School
P Emily Orosco Sacred Heart Jr R/R Camarillo, CA/Aldolfo Camarillo
P Abby Trahan Saint Francis U So R/R Kaplan, LA/Kaplan
C Victoria Zamora LIU Brooklyn Sr R/R Orange, CA/El Modena
1B Madison Cabell Saint Francis U Sr R/R Ivor, VA/Southampton
2B Cheyenne McKee Saint Francis U Jr R/R DuBois, PA/DuBois
3B Angie Vasquez LIU Brooklyn Sr R/R Santa Ana, CA/El Modena
SS Hailey Desrosiers Sacred Heart Jr R/R Cypress, CA/Edison
OF Ryleigh Bermea LIU Brooklyn Fr R/R Saugus, CA/Saugus
OF Brittany Camara CCSU Sr L/R Merrimack, NH / Merrimack
OF Hayley Norton Saint Francis U Jr L/L Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove
DH Sydney Bolan CCSU Fr R/R Fairport, NY/Fairport
UT Kaitlyn Clark Robert Morris Fr R/R Canal Fulton, OH/Archbishop Hoban
2018 NEC Women's Softball Second Team All-Conference
Pos. Name School Yr. B/T Hometown/High School
P Peyton Silverman CCSU So L/L South Windsor, CT/South Windsor
P Kristen McCann Sacred Heart Jr R/R Phoenix, AZ/Mountain Pointe
C Reanna Cervantes Fairleigh Dickinson Jr R/R Upland, CA/Upland
1B Tori Constantin CCSU Sr R/R Norfolk, MA/King Philip Regional
2B Karen Prihoda Wagner Jr L/R Hamilton Square, NJ/The Lawrenceville School
3B Kassidy Troxell Saint Francis U Jr R/R Navarre, OH/Perry
SS Alexis Debrosse CCSU Sr R/R New Bedford, MA/New Bedford
OF Sierra McKee Saint Francis U Jr R/R DuBois, PA/DuBpis
OF Hannah Lewis Wagner So L/L Perry Hall, MD/Perry Hall
OF Patricia Griffin LIU Brooklyn R-So L/R Marlton, NJ/Cherokee
DH Gianna Ceccarelli Bryant Fr L/L Claremont, CA/St. Lucy's Priory
UT Jordan Seneca Saint Franics U Sr R/R Plum, PA/Plum