Sparkill, N.Y. - St. Thomas Aquinas College’s Abbie Landrum was named Player of the Year and Carissa Della Vecchia was picked as Pitcher of the Year on the East Coast Conference all-star softball teams announced today.
The Spartans, who were regular season ECC co-champs, were well represented on the all-star team. Landrum’s all-around play earned her Player of the Year honors and Della Vecchia’s exceptional work in the circle won her Pitcher of the Year recognition. Head Coach Kristen Sullivan was named the Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
On the first team, Landrum (utility-pitcher), Della Vecchia (pitcher) were joined by freshmen teammates Elysa Marcano (second base) and Adriana Coira (shortstop). Fellow freshman Eliana Raposo (outfield) and senior Emilie Olivier (catcher) was picked to the second team.
“I am very pleased that six of our players are being recognized with all-conference honors for their excellent play this season,” said Sullivan. “Abbie and Carissa performed at a very high level all season while the three freshmen – Elysa, Adriana and Eliana – found immediate success on the collegiate level. Emilie was the backbone of our team at catcher.”
Landrum returns to the first-team at utility-pitcher for the second straight season while Della Vecchia is a first-teamer for the third consecutive year.
Landrum delivered for the Spartans as a hitter and pitcher. At the plate, she leads the team in batting average (.320), on-base percentage (.371) and doubles (10) while hitting in the middle of the batting order. She has compiled an impressive 1.97 earned run average in the circle on the way to a 10-9 record. In 135 innings, she has walked only 25 batters.
Della Vecchia’s pitching brilliance has placed among the leaders nationally among approximately 600 pitchers in the NCAA Div. II circuit. Currently, she is fifth in the nation in strikeouts-per-inning (10.4) and 17th nationally with seven shutouts. She’s compiled a record of 18-3 with an earned run average of 1.38.
The Marcano-Coira combination has been a major factor in STAC’s outstanding 2023 campaign. Marcano, at second base, and Coira, at shortstop, have provided consistent defensive play up the middle but it was at the plate where they have really thrived. Marcano is batting .318 and is among the team leaders in hits, runs and stolen bases. Coira leads the team in hits and runs with a .288 average.
Batting in the cleanup spot for most of the season, fellow freshman Raposo leads the team in home runs and RBI. She’s also been one of the team’s best defensive players in center field. Olivier is one of the team’s leading run producers and has excelled defensively behind the plate.
Sullivan directed the team to a program-record 30 wins (as of May 5) and its fourth straight post-season appearance. Fielding one of her youngest units in her STAC tenure, Sullivan’s team has improved substantially through the season. The Spartans have thrived using Sullivan’s formula of pitching, speed and defense. It is her third Coach of the Year award in her accomplished collegiate coaching career.
2023 ECC Softball All-Conference
First Team
C - Hannah Bardeen, D'Youville
1B - Samantha Franck, Mercy
2B - Elyse Marcano, St. Thomas Aquinas
SS - Adriana Coira, St. Thomas Aquinas
SS - Victoria Seppala, Mercy
3B - Sydney Johnston, Mercy
OF - Alyssa Acosta, Staten Island
OF - Steph Conrade, Molloy
OF - Shannon Sisco, Mercy
DP - Chrissie Huhn, Molloy
UTL - Cayla Crawford, Mercy
UTL-P - Abbie Landrum, St. Thomas Aquinas
P - Carissa Della Vecchia, St. Thomas Aquinas
P - Allyson Dilday, Queens
Second Team
C - Cheralyn Dusharme, Molloy
C - Emilie Olivier, St. Thomas Aquinas
1B - Anissa Acosta, Staten Island
2B - Gianna Adamo, D'Youville
2B - Karsyn Eaton, Molloy
SS - Emily McGurk, Molloy
3B - Emma Zumpol, Queens
OF - Laura Beck, D'Youville
OF - Alex Burns, Molloy
OF - Eliana Raposo, St. Thomas Aquinas
UTL - Ann Grimshaw, Queens
UTL-P - Lauren Booth, D'Youville
UTL-P - Amanda King, Molloy
P - Brianna Macias, Molloy
P - Sarah Parzych, D'Youville
Player of the Year: Abbie Landrum, St. Thomas Aquinas
Pitcher of the Year: Carissa Della Vecchia, St. Thomas Aquinas
Rookie of the Year: Cayla Crawford, Mercy
Coach of the Year: Kristen Sullivan, St. Thomas Aquinas