PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Little East Conference (LEC) announced its annual softball all-conference award recipients Tuesday, following a vote of the league’s head coaches. Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore shortstop Emma Marelli was named the 2024 LEC Player of the Year.
 
Through 40 games played this season, Marelli is batting .382 with 52 hits, 16 doubles, 41 runs scored and 26 RBI, while swiping 14 bases in 15 attempts. She leads the LEC in doubles while ranking second in runs scored, third in hits, and is seventh in batting average and RBI. Marelli has posted a .970 fielding percentage, being charged with just five errors in 165 total chances. Her 91 assists are third-most in the LEC.
 
LEC regular season champion University of Massachusetts Boston had a pair of major award recipients in 2024 LEC Pitcher of the Year Bri Melchionda and 2024 LEC Coach of the Year Natalia Ardagna.
 
Melchionda posted a record of 13-4 with six shutouts, a 1.05 ERA and 117 strikeouts over her 113.1 innings pitched this season for the Beacons. The senior led the LEC in ERA and opponent batting average (.167), ranks second in strikeouts and fifth in wins.
 
Ardagna was elected the LEC Coach of the Year for the first time in her 17 seasons leading the Beacons’ program. She guided UMass Boston to an overall record of 28-12 in 2024 while capturing the LEC regular season title for the second time in program history with a league record of 11-5.
 
LEC Rookie of the Year is presented to Vermont State University Castleton freshman pitcher/infielder Madison Gould. She posted a 13-8 record with a 3.05 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 110.1 innings in the circle, while batting .283 with 30 hits, four doubles, 18 RBI and 14 runs scored.
 
The complete listing of this year’s all-LEC honors is as follows.
 

Player of the Year	Emma Marelli	Eastern Connecticut
Pitcher of the Year	Bri Melchionda	UMass Boston
Rookie of the Year	Madison Gould	VTSU Castleton
Coach of the Year	Natalia Ardagna	UMass Boston
First Team All-LEC
Maddy Bowen	Catcher	Eastern Connecticut
Hayley Krockta	First Base	UMass Boston
Noelle Simmons	Second Base	Rhode Island College
Emma Marelli	Shortstop	Eastern Connecticut
Julia SanGiovanni	Third Base	Eastern Connecticut
Kinu Takasugi	Outfield	UMass Dartmouth
Kenzie Bessette	Outfield	Plymouth State
Avery Katz	Outfield	Rhode Island College
Samera Rideout	Designated Player	VTSU Castleton
Belle Snyder	Utility	Southern Maine
Alyssa Vilchez	Pitcher	Eastern Connecticut
Bri Melchionda	Pitcher	UMass Boston
Abby Kidd	Pitcher	Rhode Island College
Second Team All-LEC
Dyonna Rodas	Catcher	UMass Dartmouth
Hailey Lyons	First Base	UMass Dartmouth
Kendall Allen	Second Base	Western Connecticut
Madi Day	Shortstop	Southern Maine
Lauren Miner	Third Base	UMass Boston
Sophie Richland	Outfield	UMass Boston
Avery Couch	Outfield	Plymouth State
Sophia Crudale	Outfield	Rhode Island College
Makena Mulcahy	Outfield	Southern Maine
Hannah Shields	Outfield	Southern Maine
Abby Miner	Designated Player	Southern Maine
Alexis Rogers	Utility	VTSU Castleton
Jacqueline Cherry	Pitcher	UMass Boston
Lexus McIntosh	Pitcher	Southern Maine
All-Rookie
Kaley Laird	Utility	Eastern Connecticut
Elyse Picard	Catcher	Keene State
Grace Wallace	Infield/Outfield	Keene State
Avery Couch	Outfield	Plymouth State
Reilly Austin	Outfield	Rhode Island College
Melanie Earley	Infield	Rhode Island College
Ashleigh von der Linden	Infield	Rhode Island College
Ella Delisle	Catcher/Outfield	UMass Boston
Hayley Krockta	Infield	UMass Boston
Madison Gould	Pitcher/Infield	VTSU Castleton
Abby Hacker	Utility	VTSU Castleton
Kendall Allen	Infield	Western Connecticut
Lindsay Farinaccio	Pitcher	Western Connecticut