June 28, 2011
Bronx, N.Y. -
After a recording-setting season from the Fordham softball team in 2011, six of the seven incoming recruits for 2012 also earned many awards for their stellar play during their high school careers. The feted players, Michelle Daubman, Kayla Lombardo, Serena Moroukian, Paige Ortiz, Taylor Pirone, Samantha Smith and Brianna Turgeon, were all lauded during their senior seasons.
Daubman, a pitcher and infielder from North Massapequa, New York, concluded her senior season at Plainedge High School. In her final season, she was named All-Nassau County and All-Long Island. Additionally, she took the Nassau County Pitcher of the Year award, the Plainedge High School Athlete of the year bauble and was named a News 12 Scholar Athlete.
Not to be outdone, Lombardo, an infielder from Pompton Plains, New Jersey, concluded her senior season at Pequannock Township High School with a slew of awards. She was named First Team All-State, First Team All-Group 2, First Team All-County, Morris County Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference.
Ortiz, a third baseman from Katy, Texas, earned a myriad of awards beginning with a First Team All-State selection. Additionally, she was named All-Greater Houston-First Team, All District 17-5A First Team, MVP for Seven Lakes High School, and Seven Lakes High Softball-Best Offensive Player.
Turgeon, a standout infielder from Norwich, Connecticut, was the two-time Gatorade Softball Player of the Year in Connecticut for 2010 and 2011. She was also feted as the CHSCA Female Player of the Year and Softball Player of the Year both for 2011. A two-time All-State honoree after her junior and senior seasons, the infielder was also a two-time team MVP.
The final two honorees, local product Taylor Pirone, and Serena Moroukian also took home some awards. Pirone, a pitcher out of the Ursuline School in New Rochelle, was recently named NFCA-Louisville Slugger High School East Region Second Team, while Moroukian was named a Suburban Council All-Star, First Team honoree.
These new players will join the team for the 2012 season and will help offset the output produced by the five graduated seniors from the 2011 team, Jocelyn Dearborn, Samantha Pellechio, Chelsea Plimpton, Meghan Shager and Beckah Wiggins. The Rams won their first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship in 2011.
