St. John's University Athletics
Marissa Rizzi, Kaitlin Mattera Named to NFCA All-Region Teams
5/21/2021 11:39:00 AM | Softball
Red Storm graduate students earn second and third team honors respectively
QUEENS, N.Y. – St. John's graduate students Marissa Rizzi and Kaitlin Mattera have earned spots on the 2021 NFCA DI Great Lakes Second and Third teams respectively, the organization announced late Thursday afternoon.
This marks the second time that both Rizzi and Mattera have been honored by the NFCA, as the Red Storm catcher landed on the third team in 2018 while Rizzi earned a spot on the second team in 2019.
The Johnnies have now had six selections to NFCA Division I All-Region Teams in the last three seasons, as Krystal Puga and Gretchen Bowie also earned the honor following the 2018 campaign.
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.
The Red Storm first baseman also 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, Mattera finished the season with a .354 batting average which was the third-highest mark on the team and in her career, as she caps off her time in Queens as 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.
Mattera got stronger as the season went on in 2021, also 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.
This marks the second time that both Rizzi and Mattera have been honored by the NFCA, as the Red Storm catcher landed on the third team in 2018 while Rizzi earned a spot on the second team in 2019.
The Johnnies have now had six selections to NFCA Division I All-Region Teams in the last three seasons, as Krystal Puga and Gretchen Bowie also earned the honor following the 2018 campaign.
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.
The Red Storm first baseman also 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, Mattera finished the season with a .354 batting average which was the third-highest mark on the team and in her career, as she caps off her time in Queens as 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.
Mattera got stronger as the season went on in 2021, also 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.
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