Lady Bears Grab Top Honors as Six Named to All-Independent Softball Teams

OVERLAND PARK, KS – For the second time in school history, the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Softball Player of the Year reigns from St. Joseph's College. Sophomore pitcher Alyson Chiaramonte (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) was selected for the Association's top honor after a dominating season in the circle and at the plate. St. Joseph's also grabbed two more of the special year end accolades with freshman shortstop Millicia Malvasio (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) tabbed Co-Rookie of the Year and Frank P. Carbone named Coach of the Year.

Overall six Lady Bears received year-end recognition with Lisa Scheer (Bayside, NY/Mary Louis) and Jackie Marinello (Brooklyn, NY/Fontbonne Hall) selected to the First Team All-Independent while Mabel Vargas (Ridgewood, NY/Mary Louis) and Danielle Marino (Maspeth, NY/Mary Louis) were selected to the Second Team All-Independent.

A three-time AD3I Player of the Week and First-Team All-Independent selection for the second straight year, Chiaramonte led the Association in ERA (1.20), opposing batting average (.198) and strikeouts (179). She tossed eight complete-game shutouts and finished eight games with double-digit strikeouts en route to compiling a 17-5 record while maintaining a 9 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio.

As a hitter, Chiaramonte built a school-record 23 game hitting streak and led AD3I in runs scored (37) and ranked second in batting average (.437) and hits (52). A tenacious hitter, Chiaramonte struck out only five times in 129 plate appearances. Chiaramonte joins current assistant softball coach C.J. Kavanagh ('07) as the only student-athletes to secure AD3I Player of the Year honors.

Malvasio assembled the most prolific rookie season in school history. An effective leadoff hitter, she led the Association in on-base percentage (.532) and walks (27) and struck out only eight times in 140 plate appearances. Malvasio ranked second in runs (35) and third in batting average (.421), and in the top 10 in hits (45), slugging percentage (.533) and RBI (21). She was the only Lady Bear to appear in all 40 games, starting all but one. The rookie shortstop delivered the clutch, game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning against Briarcliffe that clinched a third place finish in the USCAA National Championships.

Coach Carbone earns back-to-back AD3I Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Lady Bears to a program record 28 wins, surpassing the 26-win mark set last season.  Completing his ninth season at the helm, Carbone, who started the SJC softball program back in 2001, has compiled an impressive career record of 170-97-1 (.636).  Under Carbone's leadership, the team has risen to become one of the more respected programs in the metropolitan area, producing two AD3I Players of the Year, numerous USCAA All-American recipients, five HVWAC Championships and four berths to the USCAA's National Championships, highlighted by this year's 3rd place finish, the best in school history.

Scheer, a sophomore pitcher/third baseman, has been selected to First Team All-Independent for the second straight year as a pitcher. She received AD3I Player of the Week honors after tossing her first career no-hitter against New Rochelle. Scheer compiled a 7-6 record with 3.25 ERA and 78 strikeouts ranking in the top 10 in AD3I in those categories. At the plate, she was ranked second in the Association in RBI (30), fourth in triples (3) and fifth in doubles (9).

Marinello, a junior outfielder/catcher, was selected to the First Team All-Independent for the first time in her career after assembling her most productive year finishing with a .328 batting average and leading the team in on-base percentage (.541). She led Association in hit by pitch (8) and ranked third in walks (23). A solid outfielder, Marinello committed only two errors all season.

Vargas, a freshman utility player, added depth both offensively and defensively and was selected Second Team All-Independent as an outfielder. She finished with a .310 batting average, played every position in the outfield, spent considerable time at third base and made 11 appearances in the circle compiling a perfect 4-0 record with a 0.80 ERA and 37 strikeouts.

Marino, a freshman second baseman/catcher, was named to the Second Team All-Independent as a second baseman. She was tied for third on the team in batting average (.333) and fourth in on base percentage (.459). Despite missing 15 games due to injury, Marino was ranked eighth in the Association in stolen bases (8), going perfect in all her attempts.

The All-Independent softball teams were selected by the softball coaches from AD3I member schools.