May 6, 2008

Philadelphia, Pa. - Seven Fordham University softball Rams were honored by the Atlantic 10, being named All-Conference in voting conducted among the Conference's head coaches. Honored were Melissa Andrews (Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista), who was named First Team All-Atlantic 10, Stephanie Mott (Port Orchard, Wash./South Kitsap) and Allison Twarowski (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), who were named to the Second Team, Allison Storc (Boynton Beach, Fla./Santaluces) and Mary Beth Puccio (Brightwaters, N.Y./Bay Shore), who were named Honorable Mention All-Conference and Jocelyn Dearborn (New Milford, Pa./Blue Ridge) and Samantha Pellechio (Lebanon, N.J./North Hunterdon), who were named to the All-Rookie Team. Additionally, Twarowski was also named Academic All-Atlantic 10 in voting among the Conference's sports information directors.

Andrews, a junior center fielder, hit .324 (67-207) on the season with 12 doubles, two home runs and 18 RBI. In Atlantic 10 play, she hit .313 (20-64) with four doubles, two home runs and six RBI. Andrews leads the Atlantic 10 in hits and runs scored (54) while ranking fourth in stolen bases, with a team-high 20, and 17th in hitting. She has been caught only once in 21 stolen base attempts on the year.

This is the second straight year in which Andrews has been honored by the Atlantic 10 as she was named Second Team All-Conference last year as well as Second Team NFCA All-Region.

Twarowski, a senior third baseman, earned All-Atlantic 10 honors for the fourth consecutive season. She started all 61 games for the Rams in 2008, hitting .305 (64-210) with 14 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 35 RBI. She is second on the team in hits and runs (44), while tying for the team lead in doubles and ranking third in home runs and fourth in RBI from her lead-off position in the order. Twarowski became only the second Fordham player to hit over .300, drive in 35 runs and record 100 total bases in back-to-back seasons. In conference play, Twarowski hit .313 (20-64) with four doubles, one triple, two home runs and 12 RBI. She ranks second in the conference in total bases (100) and third in runs scored (44) and hits (64).

Twarowski, who received the Jack and Claire Hobbs Award last week as Fordham's female athlete of the year, wraps up her career as the Rams' career leaders in seven offensive categories, including hits (249), doubles (44), RBI (143) and runs scored (179).

Mott, a junior second baseman, picks up her first Atlantic 10 award hitting .291 (30-103) so far this year with three doubles and four RBI. She also has five stolen bases in six attempts and is third on the team with 112 putouts.

Storc, a senior catcher, picks up Atlantic 10 honors for the third straight season after being named Second Team All-Conference in 2006 and First Team last year. On the year, she is hitting .324 (56-173) with 12 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 39 RBI while playing a career-high 59 games and scoring 31 runs. She is second on the team in home runs and third in RBI while tying for third in doubles and ranks third in the conference in home runs and fourth in total bases. Storc, who set career-highs in doubles, triples and stolen bases (5) this spring, hit a team-high .349 (22-63) in Atlantic 10 play with six doubles, two triples, four home runs and 16 RBI.

Storc closes out her Fordham career among the all-time leaders in hits (192 - second), home runs (24 - third), RBI (114-second) and doubles (37 - fourth).

Puccio, a junior designated player, had one of the most improved seasons in the Atlantic 10 this year, hitting .346 (62-179), second best on the squad, after batting .225 a year ago. She has recorded 13 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 44 RBI in 60 games this year. Puccio, who set career-high in every offensive category, is tied for the team lead in triples while tying for second on the team in doubles. In Atlantic 10 action, she hit .270 (17-63) with three doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI.

Dearborn, a freshman outfielder, enjoyed a successful freshman campaign at Fordham in 2008, hitting .332 (63-190) on the year with 13 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 48 RBI. She leads the team in home runs and RBI, setting the Fordham freshman record for home runs in a season. Dearborn leads the Atlantic 10 in RBI and is second in home runs and fourth in hits.

A three-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week selection, Dearborn hit .250 (16-64) in league play with five doubles, one home run and 11 RBI.

Pellechio, a freshman shortstop, also had a solid rookie season, hitting .295 (44-149) with six doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBI and scoring 25 run while appearing in 59 games. In conference action, she hit .262 (16-61) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs and six RBI.

The Rams (33-28, 11-9 Atlantic 10) will open play at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championship on Wednesday, May 7th, as the fourth-seeded Rams face the fifth-seeded Saint Joseph's University Hawks on The 49ers Softball Diamond in Charlotte, N.C., at 2:00 p.m. For complete coverage of the 2008 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship, including live audio and video streaming, log on to www.atlantic10.org.