May 6, 2011
Photo Gallery
Bronx, N.Y. -
As the 2010-11 season begins to wind down, the Fordham University Athletic Department held its 77th annual Block F Awards Dinner at the Villa Barone Manor on May 4th to honor Fordham University's student-athletes for their accomplishments during the academic year.
Among those honored were Ali Arat, who was the recipient of the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham's top male student-athlete, Kerri Gallagher, who was the winner of the Claire and Jack Hobbs Award as Fordham's top female student-athlete and head softball coach Bridget Orchard, who was presented with the Iron Major Award as Fordham's Coach of the Year.
Orchard, the 2011 Iron Major Award winner, has turned the Fordham softball program into a national contender. The team is currently 38-17 overall, Fordham's ninth straight year with at least 30 wins, and they wrapped up the Atlantic 10 by winning the regular season title with a 16-4 mark. They Rams will enter the 2011 Atlantic 10 Championship next week as the number one seed.
On the year, Fordham defeated three nationally ranked opponents with victories over Texas, DePaul and Syracuse.
Last year, Orchard led the Rams to a 49-12 overall record, 16-2 in the Atlantic 10, as the squad set a school record for wins in a season. The 2010 Fordham staff was named the 2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Mid-Atlantic Region Staff of the Year and Orchard was named 2010 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. The 2010 team earned its first ever trip to the NCAA tournament, where they defeated Maryland twice en route to the regional title game, where they ultimately fell to then No. 11 Oklahoma.
Individually, the 2010 Fordham roster broke 12 single-season records and eight single-game records
This is the second Iron Major award for Orchard, who also received the honor in 2005.
Also at the dinner
Jocelyn Dearborn was named the 2011 softball team MVP. Dearborn has been the centerpiece to another 35-plus win season for the Rams, as well as leading the team to its second ever regular season Atlantic 10 title this year. She is hitting .392 (69-176) on the year with 11 doubles, eight triples, 16 home runs and 44 RBI. Dearborn is ranked among the Atlantic 10 leader in most offensive categories this season, leading the conference in hits, runs (44) and triples while ranking second in home runs and RBI.
Dearborn became the Rams' career leader in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and total bases during the course of the season.
Additionally, Beckah Wiggins received an Athlete Academic Achievement Award, given to senior student-athletes who have been selected for outstanding athletic and academic achievement with a 3.5 GPA or better.
The Rams will head to Charlotte next week to participate in the 2011 Atlantic 10 Championship, beginning on Thursday, May 12th.
