St. John's University Athletics
St. John’s Softball Claims Three Major BIG EAST Awards, Seven All-Conference Selections
5/8/2019 3:00:00 PM | Softball
Morris, Cody and the coaching staff garner major end-of-year recognition
QUEENS, N.Y. (May 8, 2019) – After clinching the top seed in the 2019 BIG EAST Softball Championship, the St. John's softball team has racked up three major awards and seven all-conference selections, it was announced by the league on Wednesday.
Madison Morris was unanimously crowned the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year after an undefeated season against conference opponents (11-0). Peyton Cody earned the conference's Co-Freshman of the Year award while the Red Storm's coaches were named the top staff in the league for 2019. Morris and Cody also received spots on the All-BIG EAST First Team alongside Marissa Rizzi, Laura Delgado, Gretchen Bowie and Christina Melendez. Kaitlin Mattera picked up an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.
Morris becomes just the second Red Storm hurler to be named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, joining former St. John's standout and current assistant coach Tori Free as the only Johnnies to win the end-of-year honor. The right-hander has fanned a league-high 85 batters in conference action while finishing the regular season ranked second in ERA at 2.23. The senior also chipped in two saves. In 13 appearances during BIG EAST play, Morris also held opponents to a .226 batting average.
In the final two weeks of March, the Johnnies' ace completed four-straight league contests with 10 or more strikeouts. Shortly after that stretch, she tossed 10 innings of shutout ball in her best weekend of the season against Seton Hall. She posted a 2-0 record with a save for the second-straight series, earning herself BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors.
Morris picked up a league-best six weekly accolades, earning a program-record three conference pitcher of the week awards to go along with a trio of honor roll selections.
Overall on the season, Morris enters the postseason with an 18-5 record in 31 appearances for the Red Storm.
Following 18 stellar games against BIG EAST foes, Cody was named the league's Co-Freshman of the Year along with Providence's Daniela Alvarez. The rookie standout paced the Red Storm lineup with a .390 average during conference play, recording 23 hits and scoring 16 runs while tallying 23 RBIs in 18 games. The Johnnies' designated player also tallied a base-knock in 12-consecutive league matchups as part of an overall 19-game hitting streak.
Cody broke the program's freshman record for most BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll selections with three, surpassing the pair won by both Bowie and Mattera in 2017. This Johnnie also received national recognition by earning a spot on the Schutt Sports/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 List.
Guiding these two league standouts are the 2019 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year composed of Head Coach Bob Guerriero with assistant coaches Alyssa Tiumalu and Free. The Johnnies' trio has led the Red Storm to a 26-21 record, including a 14-4 mark against BIG EAST competitors to secure the program's third regular season title in the last five years. The last time a Red Storm staff brought the conference award back to Queens was in 2017 when Guerriero was the associate head coach and Tiumalu was in her first season with the Red Storm. Free was dominating in the circle that season for the Johnnies.
St. John's three major awards match the program record set in 2015. Additionally, the Red Storm's six All-BIG EAST First Team selections equal the program high-water mark originally achieved in 2015.
With her third-straight First Team All-BIG EAST selection, Bowie has become the first Johnnie in 39 years to secure a spot on the league's top squad three times. As the Johnnies' primary third baseman this season, the junior knocked in 17 runs while scoring 17 of her own in 18 starts during conference play. She boasted a .345 average while posting a .709 slugging percentage and adding eight extra-base hits. Bowie has also been successful on the base paths this season, converting on all 19 of her stolen base opportunities, including seven in league play.
Rizzi picks up for her first All-BIG EAST First Team selection following a stellar 2019 regular season. In BIG EAST action, the Manorville, N.Y., native smacked 19 hits, 10 of which went for extra bases, while scoring 17 times. On the defensive side of the ball, the Johnnies' first baseman had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in league play, reeling in 86 putouts and recording two assists. Rizzi's best game against a conference opponent came in the team's final home tilt against Villanova, going 4-for-4 at the dish with five RBIs and falling a triple shy of the cycle.
A four-year standout at St. John's, Melendez cracked the All-BIG EAST First Team after smacking six home runs off of league pitchers. Three of her six dingers came against Creighton as the senior left the yard in three straight contests. The Fullerton, Calif., native posted seven multi-RBI games, driving in a combined 18 runs through 15 starts. At the dish, Melendez batted .372 with 16 hits and an .814 slugging percentage.
Delgado earns her first All-BIG EAST First Team recognition toward the end of a breakout season in 2019. Her overall batting average increased by nearly 100 from a season ago, as she is currently hitting .352 in 35 appearances. Two of Delgado's 20 hits in conference play were of the game-winning variety, as she drove in the decisive run against both Providence and Georgetown.
Mattera, a First Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2018, earned a spot on the all-conference second team. The Coventry, R.I., native was tabbed to the league's weekly honor roll after a combined 6-for-11 performance against Providence on March 23-24. She compiled four runs and a trio of RBIs in the three-game set. The following weekend, the Johnnies' catcher worked four walks in a game against Georgetown to set a new program record. Mattera has posted a .286 batting average with 14 base knocks and 13 runs scored in heading into the league tournament.
Top-seeded St. John's begins its quest for the BIG EAST Championship with a semifinal showdown against fourth-seeded Villanova on Friday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on FS2.
2019 BIG EAST Awards
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Paige Rauch, Villanova, So.*
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
Madison Morris, St. John's, Sr.*
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, So.
BIG EAST Co-Freshmen of the Year
Peyton Cody, St. John's, Fr., DP
Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Fr., P
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
St. John's
All-BIG EAST First Team
P – Madison Morris, St. John's, Sr.*
P – Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Fr.
C – Jessica Cothern, DePaul, Jr.*
1B – Marissa Rizzi, St. John's, Jr.
2B – Laura Delgado, St. John's, Jr.
SS – Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, So.
3B – Gretchen Bowie, St. John's, Jr.
OF – Hailey Arteaga, Seton Hall, Jr.
OF – Christina Melendez, St. John's, Sr.
OF – Ashley Cantu, Creighton, Jr.
Utility – Paige Rauch, Villanova, So.*
DP – Peyton Cody, St. John's, Fr.
All-BIG EAST Second Team
P – Reganne Camp, Seton Hall, Jr.
P – Laura Roecker, Creighton, Sr.
C – Kaitlin Mattera, St. John's, Jr.
1B – Kiara Mills, Creighton, Fr.
2B – Angela Giampolo, Villanova, So.
SS – Maddie Moore, Butler, So.
3B – Janae Barracato, Seton Hall, So.
OF – Lauren Fey, Butler, Fr.
OF – Kate Polucha, DePaul, So.
OF – Emma Lee, Providence, Sr.
Utility – Darby Pandolfo, Seton Hall, Jr.
DP – Gabby O'Riley, DePaul, Fr.
*unanimous selection
Madison Morris was unanimously crowned the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year after an undefeated season against conference opponents (11-0). Peyton Cody earned the conference's Co-Freshman of the Year award while the Red Storm's coaches were named the top staff in the league for 2019. Morris and Cody also received spots on the All-BIG EAST First Team alongside Marissa Rizzi, Laura Delgado, Gretchen Bowie and Christina Melendez. Kaitlin Mattera picked up an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.
Morris becomes just the second Red Storm hurler to be named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, joining former St. John's standout and current assistant coach Tori Free as the only Johnnies to win the end-of-year honor. The right-hander has fanned a league-high 85 batters in conference action while finishing the regular season ranked second in ERA at 2.23. The senior also chipped in two saves. In 13 appearances during BIG EAST play, Morris also held opponents to a .226 batting average.
In the final two weeks of March, the Johnnies' ace completed four-straight league contests with 10 or more strikeouts. Shortly after that stretch, she tossed 10 innings of shutout ball in her best weekend of the season against Seton Hall. She posted a 2-0 record with a save for the second-straight series, earning herself BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors.
Morris picked up a league-best six weekly accolades, earning a program-record three conference pitcher of the week awards to go along with a trio of honor roll selections.
Overall on the season, Morris enters the postseason with an 18-5 record in 31 appearances for the Red Storm.
Following 18 stellar games against BIG EAST foes, Cody was named the league's Co-Freshman of the Year along with Providence's Daniela Alvarez. The rookie standout paced the Red Storm lineup with a .390 average during conference play, recording 23 hits and scoring 16 runs while tallying 23 RBIs in 18 games. The Johnnies' designated player also tallied a base-knock in 12-consecutive league matchups as part of an overall 19-game hitting streak.
Cody broke the program's freshman record for most BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll selections with three, surpassing the pair won by both Bowie and Mattera in 2017. This Johnnie also received national recognition by earning a spot on the Schutt Sports/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 List.
Guiding these two league standouts are the 2019 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year composed of Head Coach Bob Guerriero with assistant coaches Alyssa Tiumalu and Free. The Johnnies' trio has led the Red Storm to a 26-21 record, including a 14-4 mark against BIG EAST competitors to secure the program's third regular season title in the last five years. The last time a Red Storm staff brought the conference award back to Queens was in 2017 when Guerriero was the associate head coach and Tiumalu was in her first season with the Red Storm. Free was dominating in the circle that season for the Johnnies.
St. John's three major awards match the program record set in 2015. Additionally, the Red Storm's six All-BIG EAST First Team selections equal the program high-water mark originally achieved in 2015.
With her third-straight First Team All-BIG EAST selection, Bowie has become the first Johnnie in 39 years to secure a spot on the league's top squad three times. As the Johnnies' primary third baseman this season, the junior knocked in 17 runs while scoring 17 of her own in 18 starts during conference play. She boasted a .345 average while posting a .709 slugging percentage and adding eight extra-base hits. Bowie has also been successful on the base paths this season, converting on all 19 of her stolen base opportunities, including seven in league play.
Rizzi picks up for her first All-BIG EAST First Team selection following a stellar 2019 regular season. In BIG EAST action, the Manorville, N.Y., native smacked 19 hits, 10 of which went for extra bases, while scoring 17 times. On the defensive side of the ball, the Johnnies' first baseman had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in league play, reeling in 86 putouts and recording two assists. Rizzi's best game against a conference opponent came in the team's final home tilt against Villanova, going 4-for-4 at the dish with five RBIs and falling a triple shy of the cycle.
A four-year standout at St. John's, Melendez cracked the All-BIG EAST First Team after smacking six home runs off of league pitchers. Three of her six dingers came against Creighton as the senior left the yard in three straight contests. The Fullerton, Calif., native posted seven multi-RBI games, driving in a combined 18 runs through 15 starts. At the dish, Melendez batted .372 with 16 hits and an .814 slugging percentage.
Delgado earns her first All-BIG EAST First Team recognition toward the end of a breakout season in 2019. Her overall batting average increased by nearly 100 from a season ago, as she is currently hitting .352 in 35 appearances. Two of Delgado's 20 hits in conference play were of the game-winning variety, as she drove in the decisive run against both Providence and Georgetown.
Mattera, a First Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2018, earned a spot on the all-conference second team. The Coventry, R.I., native was tabbed to the league's weekly honor roll after a combined 6-for-11 performance against Providence on March 23-24. She compiled four runs and a trio of RBIs in the three-game set. The following weekend, the Johnnies' catcher worked four walks in a game against Georgetown to set a new program record. Mattera has posted a .286 batting average with 14 base knocks and 13 runs scored in heading into the league tournament.
Top-seeded St. John's begins its quest for the BIG EAST Championship with a semifinal showdown against fourth-seeded Villanova on Friday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on FS2.
2019 BIG EAST Awards
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Paige Rauch, Villanova, So.*
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
Madison Morris, St. John's, Sr.*
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, So.
BIG EAST Co-Freshmen of the Year
Peyton Cody, St. John's, Fr., DP
Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Fr., P
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
St. John's
All-BIG EAST First Team
P – Madison Morris, St. John's, Sr.*
P – Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Fr.
C – Jessica Cothern, DePaul, Jr.*
1B – Marissa Rizzi, St. John's, Jr.
2B – Laura Delgado, St. John's, Jr.
SS – Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, So.
3B – Gretchen Bowie, St. John's, Jr.
OF – Hailey Arteaga, Seton Hall, Jr.
OF – Christina Melendez, St. John's, Sr.
OF – Ashley Cantu, Creighton, Jr.
Utility – Paige Rauch, Villanova, So.*
DP – Peyton Cody, St. John's, Fr.
All-BIG EAST Second Team
P – Reganne Camp, Seton Hall, Jr.
P – Laura Roecker, Creighton, Sr.
C – Kaitlin Mattera, St. John's, Jr.
1B – Kiara Mills, Creighton, Fr.
2B – Angela Giampolo, Villanova, So.
SS – Maddie Moore, Butler, So.
3B – Janae Barracato, Seton Hall, So.
OF – Lauren Fey, Butler, Fr.
OF – Kate Polucha, DePaul, So.
OF – Emma Lee, Providence, Sr.
Utility – Darby Pandolfo, Seton Hall, Jr.
DP – Gabby O'Riley, DePaul, Fr.
*unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
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