Softball kicks off season

By Brittany Pavlichko | Published March 3, 2017

For 18 consecutive seasons, head softball coach Margie Acker will be returning to Kean University in addition to four new players on the team.

Some of the new faces on the field will include freshman infielder Julia Stasil and Tatiana Yourstone, Pitcher and outfielder Taryn DiGiacomo and transfer pitcher and infielder Jacqueline Riley.

Stasil has a lot of knowledge and experience she will bring to the table in her first year. She has been playing softball since she was five years old and in Watchung Hills Regional High School all four years.  Additionally, she was captain of the team in high school and at the end of the season her coach nominated her for a $750 softball scholarship for all of her hard work, leadership, and contributions to the team. She wants to bring that experience to Kean and have a voice by cheering her teammates on.

“I look forward to seeing how the team will work together as a whole, and how we all connect as we play,” said Stasil. “I truly believe that team chemistry helps wins games, and in order to be successful, we all need to have each other’s backs, I am curious to see how our first game goes, and from there, we can only get better.”

Additionally, assistant coaches Chrissy Yard, Nicole Scarillo, Kelly Moorehead and Sarah Prezioso will be returning as well.

According to the Kean athletics homepage, Kean was picked to finish 6^th in the New Jersey Athletics Conference (NJAC) after finishing in the same slot at the end of the 2016 season. The Cougars had a 20-22 record last season.

Furthermore, many awards were given to players for their work on the field last season.

Amanda Zeni: NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week

Olivia Zengel: NJAC Rookie of the Week

Emily Sabo: First Team All-NJAC

Lexi Oakley: NFCA all-America Scholar Athlete

Shannon McMahon: NJAC Pitcher of the Week

Dana Knapp: NFCA Third-Team All-American, NFCA First-Team All-East Region, First-Team All-ECAC, First-Team All-NJAC, NJAC Player of the Week

Zengel, Sabo, Oakley, McMahon and Knapp will be returning to the lineup this upcoming season.

Furthermore, for spring training the team will be traveling to Florida to prepare for their conference games. The team has fundraised a lot for their trip to Florida through selling Yankee candles, cookie dough, ads and poinsettias during Christmas time.

Their first game will be on Saturday, March 4, 2017 against Coe College at 10 a.m. starting their Rebel Spring games.

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