LEC Announces 2023 All-Conference Softball Honors

5/16/2023 11:00:00 AM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Little East Conference (LEC) announced its 2023 softball major award recipients Tuesday, following a vote of the conference’s head coaches. Three of the LEC’s four major awards went to 2023 LEC regular season champion Eastern Connecticut State University.
 
Eastern Connecticut senior Alyssa Vilchez was named the 2023 LEC Player of the Year for her all around efforts this season as she split time between second base and the pitcher’s circle. She is batting .345 with 40 hits, 10 doubles, 21 RBI and 17 runs scored while posting a 12-3 record with a 2.06 ERA and .223 opponent batting average over 109 innings this season. Vilchez has a near-perfect .980 fielding percentage, being charged with just two errors in 100 total chances.
 
Fellow Warriors senior Carley Stoker was named the LEC Pitcher of the Year for the second time in her career, the first being in 2021. She has an overall record of 15-2  with five saves this season, sporting a 1.60 ERA, .213 opponent batting average and 116 strikeouts over her 113.2 innings of work in the circle.
 
Western Connecticut State University freshman Benni Tucci was named the 2023 LEC Rookie of the Year after batting .422 with 57 hits, 32 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts. She led the LEC in batting average and hits, and was second in runs scored. Tucci is the fifth WestConn player to be named the LEC Rookie of the Year, the most recent being Charline Plasczynski in 2017.
 
Diana Pepin was named the LEC Coach of the Year for the second time in as many seasons, and the seventh time in her career guiding the Warriors. Eastern Connecticut enters the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament with an overall record of 28-10, and captured the LEC regular season title for the third consecutive years after going a perfect 16-0 in conference play.
 
The complete list of this year’s award recipients is as follows.
 
Player of the Year Alyssa Vilchez Eastern Connecticut
Pitcher of the Year Carley Stoker Eastern Connecticut
Rookie of the Year Benni Tucci Western Connecticut
Coach of the Year Diana Pepin Eastern Connecticut
First Team All-LEC
Catcher Hannah Mosher Castleton
First Base Katelyn Ashe Rhode Island College
Second Base Benni Tucci Western Connecticut
Shortstop Sydney Sanden UMass Boston
Third Base Julia SanGiovanni Eastern Connecticut
Outfield Sarah Remillard Eastern Connecticut
Outfield Avery Katz Rhode Island College
Outfield Hannah Shields Southern Maine
Pitcher Olivia Joy Castleton
Pitcher Carley Stoker Eastern Connecticut
Pitcher Kaitlyn Shirshac UMass Dartmouth
Utility/Non-Pitcher Samera Rideout Castleton
Utility/Pitcher Alyssa Vilchez Eastern Connecticut
Second Team All-LEC
Catcher Alexis Boyce Rhode Island College
First Base Rona Scott Southern Maine
Second Base Molly Murray Keene State
Shortstop Emma Marelli Eastern Connecticut
Third Base Victoria Young Rhode Island College
Outfield Maggie Baker Eastern Connecticut
Outfield Taylor Darby Eastern Connecticut
Outfield Sophie Richland UMass Boston
Pitcher Abby Kidd Rhode Island College
Pitcher Belle Snyder Southern Maine
Utility/Non-Pitcher Victoria Heaphy Eastern Connecticut
Utility/Pitcher Jill Richards UMass Dartmouth
All-Rookie Team
Utility Alexandra Brouillette Castleton
Third Base Samera Rideout Castleton
Pitcher/Infield Alexis Rogers Castleton
Utility Maddy Bowen Eastern Connecticut
Shortstop Emma Marelli Eastern Connecticut
Shortstop/Third Base Lauren Miner UMass Boston
Outfield Sophie Richland UMass Boston
Pitcher/First Base Emily Antrim Plymouth State
Infield Sophia Crudale Rhode Isand College
Second Base Noelle Simmons Rhode Isand College
Infield Kendall Migliorini Southern Maine
Third Base Alexis Resto Western Connecticut
Second Base Benni Tucci Western Connecticut