May 12, 2006
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Four Fairfield University softball players secured All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) honors, while seven student-athletes captured MAAC All-Academic accolades. The awards were announced at the MAAC Tournament banquet held at the Trumbull Marriott.
Sophomore infielder Erin Frank (Scottsdale, Ariz.), sophomore outfielder Julia Jacoby (San Diego, Calif.), and senior utility Tara Hansen (Chandler, Ariz) collected a spot on the first team, while junior pitcher Cagney Ringnalda (Dayton, Ore.) captured a berth to the second team. Frank, Hansen, and Ringnalda picked up the All-MAAC honor for the second straight season, while Jacoby garnered the award for the first time in her career.
Frank surpassed her own school record for home runs in a season with 10 homers this season, one more than her total from a year ago. She ranks among the top five hitters in the MAAC with a .397 batting average. The third baseman/catcher leads the team with 43 RBI and a .712 slugging percentage. Jacoby is one of four players to play in all 56 games this season. She places second among her teammates with a .346 batting average, aided by her team-high 66 hits. She is tied for the team lead with four triples, while her seven defensive assists leads the squad.
Hansen is also enjoying a solid season as a hitter with a .313 batting average, which includes 55 hits. She is among the team leaders with 22 extra-base hits, stroking a personal-best eight home runs this season. Her 13 doubles pushed her into first place all-time at Fairfield with 32 career two-base hits. Hansen also contributed to the cause as a pitcher, winning seven games with a 3.60 ERA and 72 strike outs in 116.2 innings.
Ringnalda leads the team with 13 victories from the pitching circle, completing 10 of her 21 starts this season. She also ranks first on the squad with 131.2 innings pitched and 94 strikeouts. The junior has one shut out and two combined shut outs this year. Ringnalda is hitting .285 on the year with six doubles, two home runs, and 19 RBI.
Sophomore outfielder Kristen D'Alessandro (Millington, N.J.), senior catcher Lindsey Bakum (Brant Beach, N.J.), senior infielder Molly Harris (Placentia, Calif.), senior catcher Shannon Logan (Baldwin, N.Y.), junior pitcher Tracy Sylvestre (Levittown, Pa.), Frank, and Hansen were named to the MAAC All-Academic team. The student-athletes must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA, and be a sophomore in eligibility.
The Fairfield University softball team, under head coach Julie Brzezinski, hosts the 2006 MAAC tournament on May 12-14 at DeLuca Field in Stratford. The Stags will participate in the tournament for the 10th straight season, and ninth time under Brzezinski.
