Tag: Alyssa DeLuca

KP’s DeLuca Ends Record-Setting Career at Illinois Tech

Alyssa DeLuca
King Philip grad Alyssa DeLuca wrapped an impressive career at Illinois Tech as the program’s all-time leading scorer and as a four-time first team all-conference selection. (Stephen Bates, WCS Photography)

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The email from Illinois Institute of Technology coach Kirk Lamitie came as a surprise. Alyssa DeLuca was playing in a club lacrosse tournament in Virginia with the Mass Mavericks, but, the King Philip alum admitted in a phone call this week, the game that the coach saw was not her best.

“I literally fell and lost my stick and my goggles and everything went flying,” she said with a laugh. “I was so shocked that I got an email from any of the coaches for that game.”

It may not have been her finest moment on the field, but it couldn’t have turned out any better. DeLuca had never heard of Illinois Tech, which started the transition from an NAIA program to an NCAA Div. III program in 2015, but she went for a visit to the Chicago campus. It was an instant connection with the school, the team, and her future teammates.

“I could really see myself playing with those people for the next four years,” she explained. “That was pretty exciting. It just kind of felt right when I went out there. The cards just got dealt really well in Virginia. I was very lucky.”

Illinois Tech was very lucky as well. DeLuca made an instant impact with the Scarlet Hawks, scoring 50 goals her freshman year, and she went on to become the program’s most decorated player and its all-time leading scorer. She scored 221 goals in four years and was named to the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference (MWLC) First Team all four years of her career.

She reflected, “It’s honestly kind of unreal to think I was able to make an impact in the conference and on my team for four years.”

Her season and playing career had come to an end just a couple of weeks before and she struggled to put into words how it felt. “It’s special because when you pick a program that you want to play for, sometimes you might not get a lot of minutes…being able to come out and play every minute of every game…thinking back on it….it was so rewarding that I put in so many hours in the sport over the years and I just feel honored to be recognized.”

Making the transition from high school to college is always difficult, especially when you have to balance athletics with academics and especially when you are traveling halfway across the country, but DeLuca believes that her being on the lacrosse team and having that instant cohort of friends made the move to Chicago considerably easier.

She said, “It definitely allows you to assimilate better into the school and my roommate that I lived with was also on the lacrosse team and on the same floor as all the other freshmen, so we got really close and it helped us. We were all very far from home.”

On the field, the freshman class was given plenty of opportunities during fall ball to learn the new system, become comfortable with each other, and to be ready to start the spring season. The preparation worked, as DeLuca stormed onto the scene, starting all 15 games and leading the team with 50 goals as a rookie.

“When we went out on the field we were playing like we’d been playing together for all four years of high school,” DeLuca said of her freshman campaign. “That whole fall ball and right up to our first game, we were set up with the right amount of fun and the right amount of discipline.”

Although she felt comfortable getting out on the field, she surprised evev herself with the level of success that she achieved that spring. “Halfway through the season, you look at the conference stats and you go. ‘Holy crap, I’m leading the conference in goals? I’m only a freshman, what is this?’”

If her freshman year was a warning to the conference of what she and Illinois Tech were capable of, then her sophomore season took it to another level. DeLuca scored 77 goals in 17 matches that spring and the Scarlet Hawks put together a record of 15-2, sharing the regular season conference title.

The only thing missing from that season was the opportunity to play in the conference tournament. Because Illinois Tech was in the midst of the five-year transition process to NCAA DIII standing, the Scarlet Hawks couldn’t play in the postseason. While this was obviously a disappointment, DeLuca also saw the positive side of things. The team always ended the season on senior night, always played at home, and also won each of those games. It was far different from the abrupt ending of a tournament loss on a random field.

“Everyone’s dream when they come to college is to get the chance to play in the NCAAs and it was definitely a little frustrating that we weren’t allowed to play,” she admitted. “It was humbling to say now we need to just start focusing on next year but it also offered a nice closure to a season.”

This past summer, Illinois Tech officially joined DIII, which meant that the Scarlet Hawks would compete for the first time in the MWLC Tournament. DeLuca said there was a noticeable increase in the team’s energy knowing that for the first time the Hawks had something to play for beyond the regular season.

“We had something to play for this season and every win or loss mattered so much more,” she said. “You fight a little bit harder for every ground ball and you maybe pick your feet up a little faster in the midfield to get back quicker on defense and it definitely added that little bit of a spark that drove us really hard.”

They went 10-5 in the regular season and entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed. DeLuca wasn’t the team’s top scorer this season, although she still finished with 47 goals and 11 assists but she showed off her all-around game, leading the team in caused turnovers with 44, and also grabbing 52 ground balls and 32 draw controls. Illinois Tech led at halftime against No. 3 Aurora but the Spartans dominated after the break to pull away and advance to the conference finals.

Even though her scoring numbers were down a little this spring, DeLuca was once again recognized as a first team all-conference performer. “I tried to step up as more of a go-getter, causing turnovers and getting those ground balls and still being recognized for all that hard work it made me realize you get what you give to the sport,” DeLuca remarked.

DeLuca, who has one more year left to get a Master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering, played in 63 of a possible 65 games during her four years. It may have started with a chance encounter at a club tournament four years ago, but her collegiate career turned into a positive experience for her and for the Illinois Tech program.

“It was a lot more fun because you’re playing with people who love playing and not because it’s easy to play after school,” DeLuca explained. “It’s definitely more people who are really passionate about the sport and the traveling was a lot of fun. I got to see a lot of different places in the Midwest and across the country. I think it was a more challenging experience than playing in high school and more rewarding.”

The Campus Report: 2016-2017 School Year Wrap Up

Campus Report
The HockomockSports.com Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

While David MacKinnon selected in the MLB draft earlier this month, two other former Hockomock players also had success in the America East this season. Brendan Skidmore finished a memorable career at Binghamton University, leading the Bearcats to a 30-win season. Skidmore, a Franklin graduate, started in 148 games in his four years as a Bearcat and recorded 152 hits, 117 RBI, 84 runs and 20 home runs. He posted an impressive .997 fielding percentage during his senior campaign. A broken wrist kept the former Hockomock League MVP out of postseason action.

And at Maine, former Taunton ace Connor Johnson made a team-high 23 appearances for the Black Bears, who reached the America East Championship game. The southpaw posted a 4-4 record with one save in 39 innings of work, coming out of the bullpen for all of his appearances. He struck out 30 while allowing just eight extra base hits all season.

Last year’s HockomockSports.com Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year Hana Caster had a terrific first year at UMass Lowell. She led all River Hawk freshmen with 22 points and notched 14 goals and eight assists on her way to becoming one of six River Hawks to record over 20 points this season, while leading the squad with 12 points (9g, 3a) during conference play. The midfielder was named to the America East All-Rookie team and finished the season third on the team in assists and draw controls (16), while her 17 ground balls tied for fifth best.

A pair of former Hockomock hurlers were both named to National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Northeast Region teams for their work this Spring. North Attleboro grad Meg Colleran was named to the first team as well as the Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference. Colleran was also named A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player after helping UMass Amherst reach the final. On the season, she posted a 20-14 record with 22 complete games and a 2.60 ERA. King Philip alum Renee Poirier was selected to the third team, posting a team-best 2.19 ERA with a 14-8 record and five saves. She tossed 15 complete games in 21 starts with four shutouts and had two no hitters on the season (Columbia and Lafayette). She finished with 78 strikeouts on the season.

Taunton graduate Aimee Kistner, last year’s HockomockSports.com Softball Player of the Year, was selected to the NFCA DIII All-New England third team for her tremendous rookie season at Western New England. On top of that, Kistner was tabbed Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and named to the All-CCC Second Team. Kistner hit .393 (33-for-84) with six doubles, one triple, four home runs and 27 RBI while scoring 24 runs and drawing 16 walks. She emerged as one of the top players in the CCC over the second half of the season, batting .568 (21-for-37) with four doubles, four home runs and 21 RBI in 14 games since April 11. She was also a top pitcher for the Golden Bears all season, appearing in 12 games with seven starts (four complete games), posting a record of 5-3 with a 2.53 earned run average and 44 strikeouts in 58 innings.

The 2015 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Kali Magane saw plenty of time in the circle for Boston University this spring. Magane tossed a team-high 155 innings as a freshman, striking out 70 while posting a 13-11 record. She had 11 complete games and one save. Milford’s Rachel Levine also saw a lot of time for the Terriors, starting in 39 games. She finished with a 0.240 batting average with 24 hits, including a home run, and 10 RBI. Levine also had an impressive 0.938 field percentage.

Katie Notarangelo was named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse All-Conference Second Team for the first time in her career. Notarangelo, a starting midfielder for MIT, is 10th in the NEWMAC in draw controls (42) and as a midfielder she is fifth on the team in goals (23), points (29), groundballs (26), and caused turnovers (13).

Former Panther Jared Trainor was second on the Wheelock men’s lacrosse team in scoring despite being just a freshman. Patrolling the midfield for the Wildcats, Trainor recorded 15 goals (second) and 14 assists (first) for 29 points. He also scooped up 26 ground balls with 38 caused turnovers.

Luke Figueira, last year’s HockomockSports.com Baseball Player of the Year, saw plenty of action in his first season at the collegiate level with the Bentley Falcons. The Taunton graduate played in 34 games and was fourth on the team with 34 hits, batting .245. He added 10 RBI, 16 runs and one home run. Figueira had a seven-game hit streak in April and had a season-high four hits against Merrimack in early May.

Taunton’s Kelly Reading had a successful sophomore campaign with Cedar Crest on the softball field. The former Hockomock League MVP batted 0.313 on the year, belting out 31 hits with 22 runs scored and eight RBI. She also stole four bases on the season while drawing a team-high 11 walks. She finished the season with 15 hits in the last 14 games.

Sharon graduate Ryan Riley posted a 3-1 record during his sophomore campaign at Clarkson University. Riley started two games and made relief appearances in 11 more games. He recorded two saves over 28.8 innings of work, allowing 21 earned runs while striking out 25 – third most on the team. Riley finished the season with a five-inning outing, allowing just three hits and striking out five in a win against Union.

Former Canton Bulldog Sam Sullivan was named to the Little East Conference Women’s Lacrosse First Team following a stellar season for Plymouth State. Sullivan has scored more than 50 goals for the second year in a row, just the second player in school history to achieve that feat. She has scored a team-high 53 goals this spring, fourth-most in the Little East, and ranks ninth in the conference with 61 points. A two-time LEC Offensive Player of the Week this spring, Sullivan was also named Most Outstanding Player in the Little East Conference Tournament.

Milford’s Steve Morganelli had a solid senior season at Endicott, helping the Gulls win 25 games this season. The former Scarlet Hawk appeared in 33 games, recording 26 hits – including three triples, 15 runs and 17 RBI – posting a .310 batting average. Morganelli finished the season strong, notching two hits in three straight games and 15 hits in the last 14 games.

Franklin graduate Nicole Ellin earned All-Liberty League Women’s Lacrosse Honorable Mention for the second straight year. Ellin started every game, leading Bard with 41 draw controls. She had 18 goals (on just 30 shots) and added two assists; two of her goals were game-winners, including the overtime goal that beat Nichols in March.

A pair of former Hockomock rivals both had superb seasons up north at Keene State. Foxboro’s Connor Longley got it done at the plate and Sharon’s Nate Pederson was just as effective on the mound, helping the Owls make an impressive run in the Little East Conference. Longley was selected First Team All-Little East Conference as well as the D3Baseball.com Third Team All Region after batting .395 in 30 games with four home runs, 24 RBI and a .605 slugging percentage. On the mound, Pederson made 15 relief appearances for the Owls, tossing 30 innings while allowing just six earned runs (1.80 ERA) and striking out 12.

Former North Attleboro star Mycala Moody continued her ways at Framingham State, earning MASCAC Softball Rookie of the Year and first team All-MASCAC honors. Moody batted .348 on the year with a pair of doubles, a pair of triples and 12 RBI. She also crossed the plate 21 times, stole 10 bases and had a .402 slugging percentage. Moody, who was selected as Rookie of the Week five times, was also named a Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England All Star.

Canton’s Michael McMahon saw action in 16 games during his rookie season with Becker College’s baseball team. The former Bulldog recorded eight hits (batting .306), scored five runs and knocked in three runs with a pair of stolen bases.

A pair of former Hock rivals teamed up to help the Bridgewater State women’s lacrosse team. King Philip alum Alex Lynch, a senior, scored 29 goals in 19 games played, adding seven assists for 36 points. Brooke Buckner, a junior and former Foxboro standout, finished with 12 goals and five assists, adding 19 ground balls and 35 caused turnovers.

Canton’s Meghan Lennon and King Philip’s Jennifer Lacroix played pivotal roles in helping Endicott College claim the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship this season. Lennon, a senior, was named to the All-CCC First Team for the second time. After missing last season to injury, Lennon has started all 15 games for the Gulls thus far and currently leads the team in points (66), goals (41), and assists (25). Her 66 points is tied for the fifth-most in the CCC. Lacroix was also named to the All-CCC First Team and was named CCC Rookie of the Year – just the second Endicott women’s lacrosse player in program history to earn the honor. Lacroix is third on the team in points (47) for the most among rookies and tied for third overall in goals (32). Additionally, she is fourth on the team in assists (15) for the most helpers among the Gulls’ rookies. Lacroix leads the team in draw controls (72), which is good for fourth-most in the conference. She is second on the team in ground balls (28) and fourth in caused turnovers (14).

Plenty of players dream of hitting the big hit to earn their team a big win, but former Foxboro Warrior Mike Slaby saw his dream turn into reality in the New England Collegiate Conference Baseball Championship in early May. Slaby’s fourth-seeded Lesley University and top-seeded Mitchell College were tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the bases loaded, Slaby launched a game-winning walk-off grand slam to hand the Lynx the title. Slaby was named the tournament MVP for his heroics. On the season, Slaby led Lesley in at-bats (142), RBI (23) and stolen bases (10) while batting .289 during his senior season. You can watch Slaby’s walk-off grand slam below.

King Philip graduate Malorie Knowlton was named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference women’s lacrosse All-Conference First Team following a great season for Curry. She made 17 starts and led the team and the conference in caused turnovers with 71. Knowlton finished second on the team and tied for third in the conference with 52 ground balls. She tallied 43 goals and dished out seven assists for 50 points which ranked her second on the team for both points and goals. Attleboro’s Kayla Merritt, a freshman, also started in 17 games and scored three goals, four assists and 25 draw controls.

Two former Hockomock rivals completed their collegiate careers at Wheaton College this season. Franklin’s Rebecca Seifert was one of the team’s top hitters, batting .306 with 34 hits (both second on the team). Seifert was second on the team with 18 RBI and scored 30 runs in 36 games played. Milford’s Caroline Fairbanks had 21 hits on the season, including two home runs and 15 RBI, while leading the Lyons in walks. Fairbanks had 120 RBI in her four-year career at Wheaton.

Foxboro alum Alex Pacitti concluded his lacrosse career at Saint Anselm this past spring, notching double figures in points for the second straight season. For his senior year, Pacitti scored 18 goals and added seven assists for a total of 25 points. He also had 25 ground balls this year. He finished his career with 43 goals and 62 total points.

Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Max Lancaster continued his strong career at MIT with a stellar junior season. The Attleboro High grad batted .299 (sixth) on the season with 27 RBI, 10 stolen bases, five home runs, 11 walks and 31 runs scored to help the Engineers record 21 wins.

Franklin’s Maegan Schmauder had the best offensive season of her collegiate career so far for RIT. A junior captain, Schmauder scored a career-high 20 goals this season with five assists. She also had 23 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers and 22 draw controls.

Although just a freshman, Franklin graduate MacKenzie Pleshaw was one of top offensive producers for Stonehill women’s lacrosse. Pleshaw netted 29 goals and had two assists for a total of 31 points. She also had 15 ground balls during her rookie season.

North Attleboro graduate Matt Hardy concluded a successful career with Nichols College with a strong season, helping the Bison earn 23 wins. Hardy was fourth on the team with a .309 batting average, starting in 40 games this season. He collected 43 hits, including eight doubles, knocked in 16 runs and posted a perfect fielding percentage.

Carrie Long, who previously was a standout player for Foxboro, had a strong junior season for Fitchburg State and was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III North Women’s Lacrosse First Team. Long scored 27 goals (third on the team) and added seven assists for 34 points. She finished with a team-high 94 ground balls and 88 caused turnovers, while leading the nation in caused turnovers per contest (4.63) and being seventh nationally in ground balls per game (4.95) as of May 16th.

Mansfield’s Kimmy Foley was also named to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team as well as the ECAC Division III North Women’s Lacrosse Second Team. Foley, a midfielder for Framingham State, tallied a team-best 56 points on the year which included 37 goals and 19 assists to go along with 54 ground balls, 46 draw controls and 22 caused turnovers. Canton’s Casey Bradley, a freshman, was just one of four players to start all 19 games for the Rams this season and recorded 26 ground balls.

Former HockomockSports.com Baseball Underclassman of the Year Nick Santucci made a big splash in his first year at Rollins College. Just a freshman, Santucci appeared in 35 games, including 23 starts, and posted a .313 batting average. Of his 25 hits, eight were doubles and he knocked in 10 runs while recording a .923 fielding average.

Franklin’s Samantha Jones was named to the Mountain East All-Conference Second Team after a tremendous freshman season for the University of Charleston. Jones started in all 13 games for the Golden Eagles, netting 24 goals and adding two assists. She also had 34 ground balls and 33 draw controls during her freshmen season.

Although it feels like just yesterday that Shannon Smith was winning back-to-back state championships at Milford, the Massachusetts high school strikeout record holder concluded her career at Kentucky. In her senior season, she posted a 6-3 record, making 17 appearances and 11 starts. She had two complete games, striking out 55 batters in 50.1 innings of work. She limited batters to a 0.203 average with just five doubles allowed. In her collegiate career, Smith struck out 207 batters.

Jack Vail, the only male athlete to win HockomockSports.com Player of the Year in consecutive seasons, is continuing his strong play at Springfield College. After getting his feet wet with with just three games played last year, Vail tied for a team-high 32 goals in 17 games played in 2017. He also recorded 16 assists, good for 48 points, while adding 28 ground balls.

The only female athlete to win HockomockSports.com Player of the Year in consecutive seasons, Marta Versprille, had her best offensive production of her collegiate career during her junior season at Saint Anselm. Versprille scored 15 goals along with seven assists for 22 points, her career best in all categories. She also had 38 draw controls and 29 ground balls.

Two Hockomock alums were a big part of Salve Regina’s pitching staff this season, helping the Gulls to 36 wins. Canton’s Jimmy Fitzgerald, who was named to the 2017 ABCA//Rawlings NCAA Div. III New England All-Region Second Team, posted a 6-2 record for the Gulls this season, striking out a team-high 73 batters with just 16 earned runs allowed in 52.1 innings of work (2.75 ERA). Sharon’s Will Ginsberg made nine appearances, including six starts, posting a 2-0 record with 37 strikeouts in 34.1 innings of work (3.15 ERA).

Fitzgerald wasn’t the only former Hockomock standout to be on the 2017 ABCA//Rawlings NCAA Div. III New England All-Region Second Team: Taunton grad Matt Nunes was also on the list as a pitcher. Nunes, a star pitcher for Westfield State, posted a 6-2 record, including five complete games, a 2.04 ERA and allowed just 36 hits in 54.2 innings of work.

North Attleboro grad Anthony Rinaldi posted a 3-1 record this season for the Endicott men’s tennis program. He went 2-0 at No. 5 singles and 1-1 at No. 6 singles play. He also went 1-0 in doubles play. He was named to the 2017 CCC Academic All-Conference Team.

Former King Philip standout Brandon King continued to impress for the Clark University men’s lacrosse team. As a sophomore, King led the Cougars with 42 goals in the 2017 campaign. He also added eight assists, finishing with 50 points (second on the team). King was just one of three players to start all 18 games this season.

Attleboro’s Hannah Smith had a very impressive junior season for UMass Dartmouth. Smith was the Corsairs’ top pitching option, tossing a team-high 157.0 innings while striking out 89 batters. She started in 23 games, earning 11 wins with 15 complete game efforts, posting a terrific 1.78 ERA for the year.

Former Sharon Eagle Jacob Berish emerged as one of Skidmore College’s most reliable pitchers during his sophomore season. Berish was the lone pitcher on the team to post a sub 3.00 ERA, allowing just 12 earned runs in 39.2 innings of work (2.72 ERA). He had nine appearances – six of them starts – and posted a 2-3 record while striking out 21 batters.

Brian Buckner had a strong rookie season with the Colorado Mesa men’s lacrosse team. The former Foxboro standout appeared in 14 of the team’s 18 games, helping the Mavericks to an 16-2 overall record. Colorado Mesa won its second straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 20-7 win over Westminster, a game that saw Buckner record his first two collegiate assists.

Former Taunton girl’s tennis head coach Dave Purpura led the Bridgewater State Bears to a Little East Tournament Title this past fall and an NCAA tournament berth this spring. Another former Tiger, Alisha Silva, was the top singles player for the Bears, playing 18 matches at first singles. Mansfield’s Rachel Tarantino played 18 matches at No. 5 singles, recording six wins.

After losing his first year to injury, former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Brendan Welch, a redshirt freshman with Southern New Hampshire, finally got his first taste of collegiate baseball. Welch made 19 appearances, all in relief, and posted a 3-1 record with one save for the Penmen. It won’t come as a shock to former players to faced Welch but the left-handed pitcher struck out 27 in 23 innings of work.

Sharon’s Spencer Aubin and North Attleboro’s Marshall Blackman both played pivotal roles for the Lyndon State men’s lacrosse program this spring. Aubin, a sophomore, started in 15 games, netting 28 goals (second on the team) as well as recording 18 assists (third on the team) for a total of 46 points (third on the team). Blackman was one of four players on the team to start in all 17 games, shoring up a strong defensive unit. Blackman had 36 ground balls on the year.

Alyssa DeLuca, a King Philip alum, was named Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference (MWLC) Co-Attacker of the Year and was also a First Team All-MWLC selection. Also garnering first-team honors for a second straight season, DeLuca led the MWLC in goals scored with 77, ranking her sixth in all of NCAA Division III and also 15 more than the league’s next-closest player. She is also tied for the league-lead in points (84), ranked 15th in draw controls (40). DeLuca set a school record with 10 goals in a single game back in April.

Attleboro’s Nate Tellier had no problem making the transition from high school to college, based on his production in his first season with UMass Dartmouth. Tellier led the Corsairs in at-bats (177) and stroked 52 hits – nine doubles, two triples and two home runs – with 18 RBI total. He led the team with 27 stolen bases and posted a .294 batting average. While making just seven appearances on the mound (7.2 innings), Tellier only allowed two hits with nine strikeouts and no runs allowed. Former Mansfield Hornet Zac Courier also enjoyed a nice season, batting .310 with 19 RBI and three home runs, playing in 30 games.

Former Oliver Ames standout Lexi Soucie had a strong senior year at the plate at Salve Regina. Soucie was fourth on the team with 33 hits, batting .311 with a .387 slugging percentage. Her eight doubles were tied for the team lead, and she added 23 runs scored and 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases. For her career, Soucie had 159 hits at Salve Regina and a career batting average of .322.

Canton’s Carly Scanlon posted an impressive 13-1 record in singles action for the Regis women’s tennis team. After starting the season 1-1, Scanlon rattled off 12 straight wins, including the last two in April. Another former Hockomock tennis player, Emma Prinos, had a strong season in singles action for Stonehill College. Prinos went 10-6 playing at a variety of different singles spots for the Skyhawks. Prinos rattled off seven wins in a row back in the fall. Taunton’s Mollie McCaffrey went 8-6 for UMass Dartmouth over the past year, including a 5-0 record at third singles.

King Philip alum Jake Cavanagh had an immediate impact during his freshman year with Utica College. He made four appearances out of the bullpen for the Pioneers, posting a 2-2 record in 18.1 innings of work, striking out 13 with just 10 earned runs allowed.

After setting the record for hits at Oliver Ames, Mike Ferrara has continued to rake at Worcester State. A sophomore, Ferrara was third on the team in at-bats (149) and posted a .322 batting average with 48 hits this season. Of his 48 hits, six were doubles and four were home runs, totaling 30 RBI for the year with a pair of stolen bases.

Former Franklin goalie James Keane had a strong year for Nichols College. Keane started in nine games this season, making 12 overall appearances, and posted a 7-3 record. He made 107 saves with a .601 save percentage and a 7.18 goals against average. North Attleboro alum Pat Nally won 51 face-offs, second most on the tam, in 18 appearances in his rookie season.

Milford graduate Allie Piergustavo was a reliable option for the St. Bonaventure softball squad this season. Piergustavo started in all one but game for the Bonnies this spring, recording 38 hits (second on the team) for a .273 batting average. She added seven doubles and six home runs, scoring 15 runs with a team-high 29 RBI. She had a team-high 316 putouts with a .976 fielding percentage.

Campus Report: Hock Alumni Shine In Spring

Former Sharon standout Jake Fishman was recently named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, on of only two non-Div. I players on the list. (Trent Hermann/Carolyn Studio{
Former Sharon standout Jake Fishman was recently named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, on of only two non-Div. I players on the list. (Trent Hermann/Carolyn Studio{

Below is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

BASEBALL

Last week, USA Baseball announced its 60-man Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List and former Sharon star and current Union College junior pitcher Jake Fishman was among those listed. Fishman is one of only two non-Div. I players that were on the list, which includes 18 preseason picks and 42 players that were added over the course of the season.

Fishman is currently leading Union with a .383 batting average and has driven in 10 runs. He has also been a star on the mound with a miniscule ERA of 0.51 and a record of 4-0. He has thrown three complete games in five starts and has struck out 51 batters and allowed only two earned runs in 35 innings pitched. Opponents are batting .211 against Fishman this season.

The semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award will be announced by USA Baseball on June 1.

Former Attleboro High outfielder Matt Elliot went 4-5 in a doubleheader against Suffolk over the weekend. The Anna Maria College freshman is batting .294 this year with seven RBI and an OPS of .805. He is also 1-4 on the mound over six starts and has struck out 12 in 33-2/3 innings for the AMCATS.

Brendan Skidmore of Franklin has a seven-game hit streak going for Binghamton University. The junior infielder is batting a team-high .344 with seven homers and 28 RBI this season. His OPS is .983 and he has also been strong with the glove, boasting a fielding percentage of .994.

Former Oliver Ames pitcher David Holmes threw a complete game for Bridgewater State in the opening game of a doubleheader with Mass. College of Liberal Arts to pick up a 1-0 victory. Holmes struck out seven and allowed only four hits and improved to 4-1 on the season. He has an ERA of 3.00 on the season and batter are hitting only .247 against him this year. Also for the Bears, former Taunton player Travis Ritchie went 2-5 in the second game of the MCLA doubleheader and is currently batting .286 on the season, good for third on the team. He also has a homer and nine RBI.

J.J. Branch suffered his first loss of the season at Endicott in a 5-0 loss to Salve Regina on Sunday. Branch allowed three earned runs in seven innings and struck out a pair of hitters. For the season, the former Milford pitcher leads the Gulls with an ERA of 2.50 and is now 5-1 overall. He has struck out 33 batters in 57-2/3 innings pitched.

David MacKinnon went 3-4 and drew a pair of walks for Hartford in an 11-5 victory over Quinnipiac on Tuesday. The Oliver Ames star is now batting a team-high .372 with two homers and 22 RBI this season and is in the midst of a 10-game hitting streak. MacKinnon has struck out a team-low 11 times in 148 at bats this year.

MacKinnon’s former teammate at Oliver Ames, Mike Ferrara, came through with a clutch at bat for Worcester State to help the Lancers beat Becker College in extra innings. Ferrara came through with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to tie it, before the Lancers added another for a 10-9 win. Ferrara was 2-4 with a pair of RBI in the game. The freshman is now hitting .279 on the season and has hit one homer and drive in 13 runs.

Former Foxboro player Connor Longley went 1-4 with an RBI and former Sharon pitcher Nate Pederson picked up the win with 2-2/3 innings of scoreless relief as Keene State beat Western New England on Monday. Longley, a freshman first baseman, has stepped right into the lineup and is batting .310 with a homer and 19 RBI. Pederson, also a freshman, is now 1-1 and has struck out six batters in 13-2/3 innings this season.

Junior third baseman Mike Slaby went 3-6 and scored a pair of runs for Lesley University in an 11-4 win against Mitchell College on Sunday that clinched the Lynx the fourth seed in the upcoming NECC Baseball Championship. In 34 games this season, the former Foxboro High player is batting .388 (good for second on the team), has scored 19 runs and picked up 16 RBI.

Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Max Lancaster went 3-9 for MIT in a doubleheader sweep of Wheaton College that earned the Engineers their second straight NEWMAC regular season title and top seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The Attleboro grad is batting .278 on the season and has three homers and 17 RBI in 20 games played.

Former North Attleboro player Dylon Grzenda drove in a pair of runs with a single to left as part of a four-run fourth inning that lifted the University of New Haven to a win against Saint Anselm on Monday. The freshman infielder has hits in five of his last eight appearances.

Another former Rocketeer, Matt Hardy, went 1-3 with a pair of RBI to help Nichols College earn a spilt of a doubleheader with Western New England on Sunday. The junior has a team-high .395 average and has driven in 19 runs this year for the Bisons. He has struck out only five times in 124 at bats and has scored 27 runs.

Junior pitcher Matt Nunes allowed three earned runs in 5-1/3 innings on Saturday to help Westfield State split a doubleheader with Fitchburg State. With the win, the former Taunton player improved to 2-1 on the season with an ERA of 5.04. Nunes also has one save this year and has struck out 29 batters in 25 innings of work.

SOFTBALL

Freshman pitcher Renee Poirier was named the Army Athletic Association Athlete of the Week and the Patriot League Rookie of the Week after going 2-0 in the last week with no earned runs allowed. The former King Philip player threw a pair of complete games for the Black Knights to beat Quinnipiac and Holy Cross. For the season, Poirier is 7-5 with an ERA of 2.21 and has struck out 60 batters. Opponents are only hitting .231 against her. Army has won 30 games and reached 10 league wins for the first time since 2013.

Last year’s Hockomock League MVP Kelly Reading went 2-4 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases on Saturday to help Cedar Crest College (Pa.) to a 9-2 win in the second game of a doubleheader with Keystone College. The former Taunton and Franklin player is batting .355 this season with an OBP of .418. She also leads the team with 14 steals and has driven in 16 runs.

Former Mansfield player Bri Chiusano, a senior at Coastal Carolina, was named the Big South Player of the Week on Monday. Chiusano batted .619 last week, going 13-21, with two RBI and nine runs scored. In the process, Chiusano set a Big South career mark with 196 runs scored. She has at least one hit in 30 of the past 32 games and is now third in the league with a .394 batting average and second with 71 hits and 49 runs scored. She is also among the nation’s best in stealing bases with 141 for her career, including 25 this season.

Franklin Pierce ended its softball season with a loss to Stonehill on Sunday and a couple of Hock alumni closed out strong seasons for the Ravens. Senior Patricia Hansen, a former Mansfield player, finished with a record of 6-4 and an ERA of 3.16. She struck out 39 in 75-1/3 innings and threw eight complete games. Sophomore Samantha Bonvino, a Milford alum, batted .293 with a homer and 13 RBI.

Another former Scarlet Hawk continues to pitch well for the University of Kentucky. Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Shannon Smith has made 14 appearances and nine starts for the Wildcats this season and has a record of 3-0 with an impressive ERA of 1.83. Smith, who won a pair of state titles for Milford, has struck out 72 batters in 42 innings and opponents are batting only .147 against her.

Senior Nicole LeBlanc became Lasell College’s all-time hits leader on Saturday with the 163rd base hit of her career during a doubleheader split with Rivier. LeBlanc, an Oliver Ames alum, had three hits and drove in four runs during a 9-1 victory in the opener and then added another RBI, the 100th of her career, in a 9-3 game two loss. LeBlanc is second on the Lasers in hitting this season with a .355 batting average and tops in slugging at .548. She has two of the team’s three homers and driven in a team-high 19 runs.

Former Oliver Ames player Lexi Soucie had a big day for Salve Regina against UMass Boston. On Monday, Soucie went 3-3 with two solo homers and drove in three runs to lead the Seahawks to a 7-5 extra innings win. She also went 1-3 with an RBI in the second game of the doubleheader. Soucie now has a team-leading four homers on the season and is batting .289. In the same game, Taunton grad Lauren Mitsiaris went 3-4 with three RBI and a run scored for the Beacons and in the second game added a hit and another RBI. In the second game, Sharon alum Kelsey Whiting pitched three innings of relief for UMass Boston, her longest outing of the season.

Although Simmons was swept in a doubleheader by Johnson and Wales, former Milford catcher Taylor LeBrun had a big day with a double and homer. She went 1-3 in game two and drove in three runs. Former North Attleboro player Mikaela Caracciolo also went 1-3 in game two with a bunt single. Caracciolo is hitting .375 this season and has driven in 19 runs. LeBrun has hit .317 in her freshman season with a pair of homers and 16 RBI and a .537 slugging percentage.

Sophomore Meg Colleran was named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week and UMass Co-Athlete of the Week after picking up a 4-0 record in five appearances in the circle with an ERA of .62. She tossed her sixth shutout of the season against George Washington and matched her career-high with eight strikeouts. She struck out 23 in batters in 22-2/3 innings. Colleran is 16-14 on the season with a 2.04 ERA and 112 strikeouts.

Hannah Smith of Attleboro tossed a complete game in a 2-1 loss for UMass Dartmouth against Keene State. Smith struck out four in the loss and moved her season record to 11-7 with an ERA of 2.59. In the second game of the doubleheader King Philip alum Maddie O’Gryzek went 2-4 for the Corsairs with a run scored and an RBI. She is batting .319 in her rookie season.

Former Milford player Caroline Fairbanks went 5-8 as Wheaton College split a doubleheader with Smith College on Sunday. She went 2-4 in the opening game (an 8-6 loss) and drove in a pair of runs. In the second game, Fairbanks went 3-4 and drove in another three runs. Fairbanks is hitting .427 this year with nine homers and 31 RBI. In the same game former Franklin player Rebecca Seifert went 1-3 with an RBI, as Wheaton rolled to an 8-1 win.

MEN’S LACROSSE

Former King Philip attacker Brandon King scored a hat trick for Clark University in a 14-8 win over Mass. Maritime that helped the Cougars reach nine wins in a season for the first time in program history. He added another goal on Wednesday in a loss to Springfield College. King, a freshman, is among the team leaders with 12 goals this season and he has also recorded an assist for Clark.

Former Franklin player Connor Trainor made 10 saves for St. Joseph’s College of Maine in a loss to Mount Ida. Trainor, a sophomore, has started all 15 games this year and has made 182 saves, including twice making 18 saves in a game (in losses to Johnson and Wales and the University of New England).

Former Sharon player Jake Rotman has played in 15 games this season for Salisbury University and has scored 15 goals and assisted on 11 others for the country’s No. 1 ranked Div. III team, according to LaxMagazine and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association coaches poll. The senior midfielder has jumped from 12 points last year to 26 this season, as the Sea Gulls get set for the conference tournament final.

Alex Pacitti scored a first half goal for St. Anselm in a 14-8 win over Bentley that clinched the team a berth in the NE-10 tournament for the third time in the past four seasons. Pacitti, a junior midfielder from Foxboro, is tied for second on the team with 20 goals and has also chipped in with five assists in 12 games.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Nicole Ellin had a goal and assist, three draw controls, and forced two turnovers in Bard College’s loss to Rochester on Friday. The former Franklin lax and soccer star added a goal and three ground balls in a loss to RIT on Saturday. Ellin led the team with 25 goals and 31 points this season. She added 44 draw controls and 36 ground balls for the Raptors.

Mansfield alum Kristen Tuleja had two goals and three assists for Emmanuel College in a 20-8 win over Rivier last Saturday, Heading into the regular season finale this weekend, the senior midfielder has a team-high 54 goals and added 15 assists. In her four-year career, Tuleja has scored 206 goals and has recorded 77 assists.

Sophomore Jaimee Lutz has been on a scoring streak for Fitchburg State. The Foxboro grad has scored at least one goal in her last nine games, eight of those were wins for the Falcons. Lutz has 23 goals and eight assists on the season. Her former Foxboro teammate Carrie Long has also had a strOng sophomore season for the Falcons with 10 goals and an assist. Long scored two goals in a game twice, including two against Worcester State on Saturday, and has played in all 17 games.

Another former Foxboro player, Katie Notarangelo, had three draw controls in MIT’s loss to Babson College on Wednesday. Notarangelo, a sophomore midfielder, is fourth on the team with 41 points this season (35 goals and six assists). She is also third on the team with 29 ground balls and second with 45 draw controls.

Former King Philip player Alyssa DeLuca has scored 16 goals in the last five games for Illinois Tech, including four against Concordia Chicago and then a hat trick against Benedictine on Wednesday. DeLuca has scored 49 goals this season, 17 more than the team’s next top scorer, and also has four assists. She is also third on the team with 25 draw controls despite missing a pair of games in midseason.

Bridget Doherty scored a hat trick and added an assist for Lasell College in a big win over Albert Magnus on Tuesday. It was the second straight hat trick for the Franklin alum, a senior midfielder, who also scored three goals against Johnson and Wales. Doherty has scored 20 goals in 15 games this season and also has 16 assists.

Canton grad Sam Sullivan scored five goals in Plymouth State’s 13-7 win over Southern Maine on Wednesday. The sophomore attacker has scored a team-high 40 goals this season and added five assists for the Panthers. It was the second time this season that Sullivan notched five goals in a game and she also scored six against Lasell in March. Fellow sophomore Jordyn Kim of Sharon has played in 12 games this season and has chipped in with a goal.

Two-time HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Marta Versprille scored a pair of goals for St. Anselm College against Assumption on Wednesday. It was the fourth straight game with at least one goal for the sophomore midfielder, who is fourth on the team with 13 goals this season. She also has four assists and is second on the team with 24 draw controls, tied for third with 17 ground balls, and tied for the team lead with 17 caused turnovers.

Salve Regina senior Abby Tepper closed out her collegiate career with two goals and two assist in a loss to UMass Dartmouth on Wednesday. Tepper was tied for second on the team with 23 goals and added five assists. She was also second on the team with 35 ground balls and tied for fourth with 10 caused turnovers. Former Attleboro player Kerri Beland started nine games this season for Salve and had 18 ground balls and six draw controls.

Foxboro alum Ellen Decker scored a pair of goals and had two assists in Southern New Hampshire’s loss to New Haven on Wednesday. The junior midfielder has scored 24 goals and assisted on 18 others this season, good for fourth on the team in scoring. She is also third on the team with 39 draw controls. Another former Foxboro player, freshman Mary Beth Sweeney, has played in all 16 games for SHNU this year and has scored seven goals and had three assists in her rookie campaign.

Westfield State senior captain Blair Smith of Milford scored from 10 yards out with 1:10 left in overtime to hand the Owls a 12-11 victory over Bridgewater State on April 19. Smith is tied for second on the team with 20 goals this season. Olivia Overdahl, another former Milford player, has played 14 games and scored two goals in her freshman season. Liz Navoni, a freshman from Mansfield, has scored four goals in 13 games this year and Maria Woodall, a freshman goalie from King Philip, has played in six games and made 11 saves.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Providence College senior Alana Prinos, a Foxboro grad, closed out the regular season by helping the Friars top doubles team earn a point in 6-1 loss to Seton Hall that closed out the regular season. Heading into the Big East Championships, Prinos has a career singles record of 46-44 and doubles record of 46-43.

Emma Prinos of Foxboro picked up a point at second doubles for Stonehill in a narrow win against Hartford on April 17. Prinos teamed with fellow sophomore Victoria Barbetta for a 7-5 win in the final regular season match.