Softball Begins Skyline Era Under Fazzolare This Weekend
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Under the direction of a new head coach and finding home in a new league the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team opens their inaugural campaign in the Skyline Conference this weekend at Padavan-Preller Field, beginning a quest for their first NCAA Division III Championship berth.
Graduating only three seniors from a squad that finished 23-20 last season and culminated with the program's seventh berth to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships, new head coach Danielle Fazzolare—who was named the second head coach in program history last fall—will turn to a young core group of veterans looking to become contenders in the Skyline Conference.
The 2016 Lady Bears squad features only one senior, Erica Eddy (Glendale, N.Y./Christ the King), who earned USCAA All-American honorable mention in her first season in an SJC uniform after batting .333 with 19 RBI and 21 runs scored.
Junior co-captains Kristin Ferrigno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) and Samantha Rossi (Bayside, N.Y./Mary Louis) headline the deep junior class, both receiving All-Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and All-Association of Division III Independent honors in their first two seasons. Third baseman Ferrigno amassed a team-high 41 hits and a team-second-best 36 runs scored with a .347 batting average. Outfielder Rossi was tied as the team's top run producer with 28 RBI and batted .343 with seven extra base hits.
After a strong freshman campaign that also resulted in All-HVIAC and All-AD3I recognition, sophomore first baseman/pitcher Maria Gentile looks to improve on a freshman campaign that saw her bat .347 with 26 hits and team-second-best eight doubles.
Splitting the time in the circle again are junior Jamilynn McGowan (Staten Island, N.Y./Michael J. Petrides) and sophomore Theresa Armano (Middle Village, N.Y./St. Francis Prep). Both earned 11 wins each last season, with first-team All-AD3I selection McGowan compiling a team-leading 4.00 earned run average and 65 strikeouts with second-team All-AD3I honoree Armano just behind her with a 5.12 ERA and 63 strikeouts.
The Lady Bears, who were tabbed to finish seventh by the league head coaches in their annual preseason poll, will be tested right off the bat with a pair of Skyline doubleheaders against sibling rivals SJC Long Island (Saturday) and The Sage Colleges (Sunday) this weekend, the first of seven home twinbills this season.
Also visiting Padavan-Preller Field are The University of Maine at Presque-Isle (March 26), Mount Saint Mary College (April 2), Purchase College (April 3), The College of New Rochelle (April 6) and the College of Mount Saint Vincent (April 10).
Highlighting the non-conference road slate are continued rivalries against New Rochelle (March 31), York College (April 7), Lehman (April 21) and John Jay (May 1).
Five-time defending champions Farmingdale State College were picked to repeat as champions of the 10-team league followed closely by 2015 runner-up Mount Saint Mary.
The top six teams in the league will qualify for the Skyline Championship that kicks off on Wednesday, April 27 with winner receiving the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.
2016 St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) Softball Schedule
2016 Skyline Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (2015 Overall Record / 2015 Skyline Record), Points (first-place votes)
1. Farmingdale State (22-14 / 10-4), 77 (5)
2. Mount Saint Mary (19-11 / 12-2), 75 (4)
3. Mount Saint Vincent (14-20 / 10-4), 61
4. Sage (18-17 / 9-5), 58 (1)
5. St. Joseph's-Long Island (18-18 / 9-5), 49
6. Purchase (10-14 / 4-10), 37
7. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (23-20 overall), 34
8. Old Westbury (8-24 / 2-12), 32
9. Sarah Lawrence (6-26 / 0-14), 15
10. Yeshiva (6-18 overall), 12