St. John's University Athletics
Bowie, Mattera, Rizzi Earn Spots on All-BIG EAST Teams
5/12/2021 11:00:00 AM | Softball
Bowie, Rizzi land on the conference’s first team while Mattera grabs a second team spot
QUEENS, N.Y. – Already some of the most decorated players in the history of St. John's softball, graduate students Gretchen Bowie, Kaitlin Mattera and Marissa Rizzi each earned spots on the 2021 All-BIG EAST Teams, the conference announced on Wednesday morning.
Bowie and Rizzi were selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the fourth and second times in their careers, respectively, while Mattera landed on the All-BIG EAST Second Team, marking the third time she has been honored by the conference over her collegiate career.
"Gretchen [Bowie] and Marissa [Rizzi] will be remembered as two of the most successful student-athletes in the history of St. John's softball," said Head Coach Bob Guerriero. "They will be missed! The leadership and on-field performance of Kaitlin [Mattera] will not be easily replaced, either."
With these three honors, Bowie, Mattera and Rizzi have combined for nine selections to the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams over their respective careers. The trio of graduate students combined to hit nearly .375 in BIG EAST play this season, with Bowie and Rizzi each finishing in the top-ten in batting average in conference play. The three five-year athletes were an integral part of the Red Storm's success over the last few years, having been keys to the program's 2017 and 2019 BIG EAST Regular Season Championships.
2021 marks the fourth season that Bowie was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, the most in program history. The Red Storm third baseman hit .378 in BIG EAST play this season, adding eight doubles, which was tied with Rizzi for second in the conference. The former BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year's 28 hits were tied for the best mark in the conference this season while her ten stolen bases were also tied atop the BIG EAST in conference action.
Overall, Bowie's .340 average on the season was the second best of her career. In 200 games played, the Johnnies third baseman caps off her career as the program leader in triples in a career with 13 while just three RBIs short of the all-time program mark. Bowie also recorded 193 hits, finishing just seven shy of 200.
As for Rizzi, the Red Storm first baseman earned her second consecutive All-BIG EAST First Team selection in 2021. The graduate student hit .386 in BIG EAST play, finishing ninth in the conference, while smacking eight doubles, tied for second, and landing tied atop the BIG EAST in stolen bases. Rizzi's 22 hits were good enough for fifth while she led the conference in triples with two in BIG EAST action.
Overall, Rizzi finished the 2021 campaign with a .402 batting average, just one point off her pace from 2019. The Manorville, N.Y., native finished the season in the top five overall in the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs scored, doubles and stolen bases. The Red Storm first baseman is the only player in program history to bat over .400 in multiple seasons in their career, as just eight other Johnnies have done it even once in the 40-year history of the program.
Mattera got stronger as the season went on in 2021, landing on the All-BIG EAST Second Team for the second time in her career, as she also received the honor back in 2019. The Red Storm catcher hit .375 in BIG EAST play this season, finishing just three points outside the top ten, while collecting 24 hits, good enough for fourth in the conference. Each of Mattera's three home runs this season came against BIG EAST opponents as well.
Overall, Mattera finished the season with a .354 batting average which was the third-highest mark on the team and in her career. Like Bowie and Rizzi, the Coventry, R.I., native goes down as one of the top players in program history, as she caps off her career a .324 lifetime hitter. Mattera racked up 157 hits, 31 doubles and 85 RBIs as a member of the Red Storm, while also holding the program record for hit by pitches in a career with 23.
See below for a full list of the 2021 BIG EAST Softball Awards:
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Paige Rauch, Villanova, Sr., P*
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
Paige Rauch, Villanova, Sr., P
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, Sr., SS
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Jana Sanden, UConn, Fr., SS
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
DePaul
All-BIG EAST First Team
Lauren Fey, Butler, Jr., 2B*
Karli Ricketts, Butler, Jr., P/DP
Reese Guevarra, UConn, Sr., OF
Jana Sanden, UConn, Fr., SS*
Kailey Wilson, Creighton, So., DP*
Ashley Cantu, Creighton, Sr., OF
Jessica Cothern DePaul, Sr., C*
Natalie Halvorson, DePaul, Sr., P
Gretchen Bowie, St. John's, Grad., 3B
Marissa Rizzi, St. John's, Grad., 1B
Paige Rauch, Villanova, Sr., P*
Ryan Henry, Villanova, Jr., DP
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Devon Casazza, UConn, Grad., C
Krista Dalgarn, DePaul, Sr., P
Brooke Johnson, DePaul , So., 1B
Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, Sr., SS
Kate Polucha, DePaul, Sr., OF/LF
Nicole Sullivan, DePaul, Fr., 3B
Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Jr., P
Kaitlin Mattera, St. John's, Grad. , C
Hailey Arteaga, Seton Hall, Grad., OF
Ally Jones, Villanova, So., C
Angela Giampolo, Villanova, Sr., 2B
Megan Kern, Villanova, Jr., SS
*unanimous selection
Bowie and Rizzi were selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the fourth and second times in their careers, respectively, while Mattera landed on the All-BIG EAST Second Team, marking the third time she has been honored by the conference over her collegiate career.
"Gretchen [Bowie] and Marissa [Rizzi] will be remembered as two of the most successful student-athletes in the history of St. John's softball," said Head Coach Bob Guerriero. "They will be missed! The leadership and on-field performance of Kaitlin [Mattera] will not be easily replaced, either."
With these three honors, Bowie, Mattera and Rizzi have combined for nine selections to the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams over their respective careers. The trio of graduate students combined to hit nearly .375 in BIG EAST play this season, with Bowie and Rizzi each finishing in the top-ten in batting average in conference play. The three five-year athletes were an integral part of the Red Storm's success over the last few years, having been keys to the program's 2017 and 2019 BIG EAST Regular Season Championships.
2021 marks the fourth season that Bowie was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, the most in program history. The Red Storm third baseman hit .378 in BIG EAST play this season, adding eight doubles, which was tied with Rizzi for second in the conference. The former BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year's 28 hits were tied for the best mark in the conference this season while her ten stolen bases were also tied atop the BIG EAST in conference action.
Overall, Bowie's .340 average on the season was the second best of her career. In 200 games played, the Johnnies third baseman caps off her career as the program leader in triples in a career with 13 while just three RBIs short of the all-time program mark. Bowie also recorded 193 hits, finishing just seven shy of 200.
As for Rizzi, the Red Storm first baseman earned her second consecutive All-BIG EAST First Team selection in 2021. The graduate student hit .386 in BIG EAST play, finishing ninth in the conference, while smacking eight doubles, tied for second, and landing tied atop the BIG EAST in stolen bases. Rizzi's 22 hits were good enough for fifth while she led the conference in triples with two in BIG EAST action.
Overall, Rizzi finished the 2021 campaign with a .402 batting average, just one point off her pace from 2019. The Manorville, N.Y., native finished the season in the top five overall in the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs scored, doubles and stolen bases. The Red Storm first baseman is the only player in program history to bat over .400 in multiple seasons in their career, as just eight other Johnnies have done it even once in the 40-year history of the program.
Mattera got stronger as the season went on in 2021, landing on the All-BIG EAST Second Team for the second time in her career, as she also received the honor back in 2019. The Red Storm catcher hit .375 in BIG EAST play this season, finishing just three points outside the top ten, while collecting 24 hits, good enough for fourth in the conference. Each of Mattera's three home runs this season came against BIG EAST opponents as well.
Overall, Mattera finished the season with a .354 batting average which was the third-highest mark on the team and in her career. Like Bowie and Rizzi, the Coventry, R.I., native goes down as one of the top players in program history, as she caps off her career a .324 lifetime hitter. Mattera racked up 157 hits, 31 doubles and 85 RBIs as a member of the Red Storm, while also holding the program record for hit by pitches in a career with 23.
See below for a full list of the 2021 BIG EAST Softball Awards:
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Paige Rauch, Villanova, Sr., P*
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
Paige Rauch, Villanova, Sr., P
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, Sr., SS
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Jana Sanden, UConn, Fr., SS
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
DePaul
All-BIG EAST First Team
Lauren Fey, Butler, Jr., 2B*
Karli Ricketts, Butler, Jr., P/DP
Reese Guevarra, UConn, Sr., OF
Jana Sanden, UConn, Fr., SS*
Kailey Wilson, Creighton, So., DP*
Ashley Cantu, Creighton, Sr., OF
Jessica Cothern DePaul, Sr., C*
Natalie Halvorson, DePaul, Sr., P
Gretchen Bowie, St. John's, Grad., 3B
Marissa Rizzi, St. John's, Grad., 1B
Paige Rauch, Villanova, Sr., P*
Ryan Henry, Villanova, Jr., DP
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Devon Casazza, UConn, Grad., C
Krista Dalgarn, DePaul, Sr., P
Brooke Johnson, DePaul , So., 1B
Maranda Gutierrez, DePaul, Sr., SS
Kate Polucha, DePaul, Sr., OF/LF
Nicole Sullivan, DePaul, Fr., 3B
Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Jr., P
Kaitlin Mattera, St. John's, Grad. , C
Hailey Arteaga, Seton Hall, Grad., OF
Ally Jones, Villanova, So., C
Angela Giampolo, Villanova, Sr., 2B
Megan Kern, Villanova, Jr., SS
*unanimous selection
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