SUNY CANTON ATHLETICS

(Canton, N.Y.)- The SUNY Canton softball team announced their team awards at a luncheon on May 15 at the Best Western University Inn in Canton.

Head coach Diane Para honored six of her players.  The Roos won the Sunrise Conference regular season and tournament championships this past spring.

Freshman pitcher Tina DeLuca (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.) was named the Most Valuable Player.  DeLuca pitched in all but one game this spring and recorded a 4.66 earned-run average in 112 innings.  She had 48 strikeouts, allowed just 12 walks and held opponents to a .341 batting average.  DeLuca also batted .250 with 15 RBIs, 15 runs and a double.

Freshman second baseman Heather Lottie (Canton, N.Y.) was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player.  Lottie led the team in RBIs (30), runs (33), hits (38), and home runs (4).  She was fourth in batting (.458) and also had seven doubles and a .687 slugging percentage.  

The co-Most Valuable Defensive Players were junior centerfielder Jenifer Shaw (Helendale, Calif.) and freshman third baseman Vickie Lynch (Howard Beach, N.Y.).  Shaw posted a .966 fielding percentage committing just one error in 28 chances. She threw out five base runners from centerfield.  Lynch recorded a .944 fielding percentage with only four errors in 67 chances and she led the team with 33 assists.

The Most Improved Player was freshman Shelby McGraw (North Lawrence, N.Y.).  McGraw was second on the team with 31 runs and she batted .456 with 14 RBIs, two doubles and a triple and had a team-leading 109 putouts at first base.

The Coach's Award went to freshman Colleen Rivers (Bay Shore, N.Y.)  Rivers began the year in the outfield but then volunteered to move to catcher after regular catcher Cori Siegel (Yonkers, N.Y.) suffered a season-ending injury.   Rivers batted .464 with 23 RBIs, 18 runs, six doubles, and a home run and had a .939 save percentage behind the plate.

Para was named the Sunrise Conference Coach of the Year.  DeLuca earned Rookie of the Year honors and was joined on the all-conference team by Shaw, Lottie, Lynch and junior shortstop Carolina Olivares (Adelanto, Calif.).  The Roos also received the Team Sportsmanship Award from the conference.