May 27, 2010
CAPE COD, Mass. - The season may be over, but the postseason awards keep rolling in as Fordham softball head coach Bridget Orchard was named ECAC Coach of the Year by officials from the ECAC. Orchard just completed her ninth year as Fordham's head coach and led the Rams to their most successful season, topped by their first NCAA Regional selection and two victories in the NCAA Regionals over University of Maryland. The accolade comes on the heels of her third Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Award. In addition to Orchard, senior Erin Fisher, junior Beckah Wiggins and sophomore Jen Mineau were named to the ECAC's First Team All-Star list and junior Jocelyn Dearborn to the second team.
Boston University's April Setterlund was named ECAC Division I Player of the Year, University of Massachusett's Sara Plourde was named Pitcher of the Year and ECAC Rookie of the Year was Oliva Galati of Hofstra.
Orchard coached the Rams to a program-best 49-12 overall record, their first-ever 40+ win season and eighth-straight 30 win season. Orchard's Rams went on a 21-game win streak, shut out six-consecutive opponents and recorded three wins over ranked opponents en route to Fordham's appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship Final and NCAA College Park Regional Final.
Fisher, an All-Mid-Atlantic First Team outfielder, Atlantic 10 All-Tournament selection and Atlantic 10 First Team honoree finished her career with Fordham as the single-season home run leader (16) and the career-RBI record holder (148). A Woodinville, Wash., native, Fisher finished her final season second in batting (.339), runs scored (47), hits (65) and tied for first in doubles (14). Fisher was also named to the ESPN The Magazine/COSIDA Academic All-District First Team. The senior was also Fordham's honoree for the Terence O'Donnell Award for sportsmanship and dedication.
Wiggins, a Conklin, N.Y., native was also an All-Mid-Atlantic First Team selection (at second base), an Atlantic 10 First Team and ESPN the Magazine/COSIDA Academic All-District First Team honoree. Wiggins set the single-season RBI record with 60, two away from the Atlantic 10's single-season record. Wiggins finished third in batting (.328) and hits (61) and tied for second in home runs (12). The junior was also one of two players to hit three triples this season. She set the single-game records for RBI (9) and tied the record for hits in a game (5). Wiggins was an honorable mention for the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week, during the week that Setterlund was given the honor.
A Schaghticoke, N.Y. native, Mineau was Fordham's No. 1 pitcher. She was Fordham's first-ever Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball's Player of the Year, and was also an All-Mid-Atlantic First Team selection, Atlantic 10 All-Tournament honoree and Atlantic 10 First Team member. Also a member of ESPN the Magazine/COSIDA's All-Academic District I First Team, Mineau was named Fordham's Co-Female Athlete of the Year and the softball team's MVP. Mineau broke all eight single-season records for pitching and has so far set the mark for the career record in ERA with 1.39. Mineau was the Atlantic 10 pitcher of the week five times and ECAC Pitcher of the Week on April 20. She was also honored as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week (May 4). Mineau pitched two perfect games, amidst three no-hitters this season, including the first-ever perfect game during an Atlantic 10 Championship. Mineau was also the Atlantic 10's Student-Athlete of the Year.
Dearborn also received All-Mid-Atlantic First Team and Atlantic 10 First Team honors as the Rams' starting third baseman and leadoff batter. Dearborn ended her season one double away from tying Fordham's all-time doubles record (44). She is one of three Fordham players to have more than 10 home runs this season with 12. Dearborn finished the season as the team leader in six offensive categories: hits (69), runs scored (49), doubles (14), at bats (215), total bases (125) and triples (3). The New Milford, Pa., native also led the team in stolen bases, with a perfect 14-14 record. Dearborn is the only Fordham Ram to accomplish the feat of a perfect steal record for more than 10 attempts.
Joining Wiggins as a First team infield selection are: Sarah Reeves (Massachusetts), Alex Schultz (Maryland), Bianca Mejia (Long Island) and Michelle Fridey (Canisius). Joining Fisher as first team outfield selections are: Katie Bettencourt (Massachusetts) and Setterlund (Boston University). University of Maryland-Baltimore County's Amanda Fefel joins the first team as a utility player, with Longwood's Brooke Short selected as a designated player. Joining Mineau on the first team pitching staff is Plourde of Massachusetts.
About the ECAC
The ECAC is the nation's largest athletic and the only multi-divisional conference with approximately 300 Divisions I, II, and III colleges and universities from Maine to North Carolina and westerly to Illinois. Established in 1938, the ECAC, a non-profit service organization, sponsors nearly 100 championships in 37 men's and women's sports, assigns more than 4,400 officials in 12 sports, administers nine affiliate sports organizations and six playing leagues and recognizes more than 2,000 student-athletes through the public relations arm of the conference. The ECAC serves as the primary conference for select members in the sports of men's and women's ice hockey, and men's lacrosse.
