Softball's Heather Schwartzburg Named 2011 NEC Pitcher Of The Year
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Quinnipiac softball junior Heather Schwartzburg (Mission Viejo, Calif.) was named the Northeast Conference Pitcher of the Year, while junior Ashley Heiberger (Sioux Falls, S.D.) picked up the Golden Glove award and freshman Jordan Paolucci (Lake Mary, Fla.) received the Rookie of the Year honor, as announced at the NEC Banquet on Thursday, May 12. In addition, Schwartzburg and Paolucci were both selected to the All-Conference first team, while junior second baseman Jacqueline Ristow (Seal Beach, Calif.) earned a spot on the All-NEC second team.
Schwartzburg, the 2009 NEC Rookie of the Year, continued to lead the Bobcats with record-breaking performances in her third season with Quinnipiac. The right-handed hurler nabs a spot on the All-NEC first team for the second year in a row and was a five-time NEC Pitcher of the Week recipient this season. Schwartzburg currently leads the Bobcats and league in several statistical categories, including ERA (1.31), opposing batting average (.171), innings pitched (219.1), strikeouts (286) and wins (22). The Mission Viejo native recently broke the Quinnipiac and NEC single-season strikeout record with a season total of 286 batters. She also eclipsed the Bobcats' single-season record for wins, which stood at 21. Additionally, the junior's ERA and strikeouts per seven innings (9.1) is ranked 22nd nationally.
Heiberger earns the Golden Glove award in her first season with the Bobcats. The Quinnipiac junior catcher posted a .992 fielding percentage and committed just one error against conference opponents for a near-perfect .994 fielding mark. Heiberger currently leads the NEC as she's caught 16 players attempting to steal and is second amongst conference players in putouts (333).
Quinnipiac wins its third consecutive NEC Rookie of the Year honor as Paolucci picks up the accolade alongside a spot on the All-Conference first team. Sophomore Alex Alba (Sylmar, Calif.) and Schwartzburg received the award in 2010 and 2009, respectively. Paolucci currently leads all Bobcats with a .338 batting average, and in slugging percentage (.683) and on-base percentage (.486). She's also scored a team-high 35 runs and tallied a team-leading 33 RBI. Her 97 total bases ranks first among Quinnipiac and NEC competition. The third baseman's 14 season home runs leads Quinnipiac and the NEC and broke the Bobcats' single-season home run record. Paolucci was named Rookie of the Week twice this season.
Ristow represents Quinnipiac on the All-NEC second team after making 52 starts for the Bobcats this year. The junior second baseman has contributed a team-high 52 hits and ranks second on the team with 22 RBI. She's third amongst all Bobcats in batting average (.301), runs scored (22) and total bases (65). Additionally, Ristow hit eight doubles.
The No. 3 Bobcats kick off the 2011 NEC Softball Championships with first round play against second-seeded Sacred Heart on Friday, May 13 at 12:15 p.m. at the North Athletic Complex in Moon Township, Pa. Prior to the game, 2011 Regular Season Champion Robert Morris will face Central Connecticut State at 10 a.m. Live stats and video will be available by clicking on the appropriate links on the official website of Quinnipiac Athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.
2011 NEC Softball Award Winners
Player of the Year
Taylor Froelich OF Sr. Sacred Heart
Golden Glove
Ashley Heiberger C Jr. Quinnipiac
Pitcher of the Year
Heather Schwartzburg P Jr Quinnipiac
Rookie of the Year
Jordan Paolucci 3B Fr. Quinnipiac
Most Improved Player
Nicole Sidor UT So. Sacred Heart
Coaching Staff of the Year
Robert Morris
2011 All-NEC First Team
Taylor Froelich OF Sr. Sacred Heart
Jordan Paolucci 3B Fr. Quinnipiac
Nicole Sidor UT So. Sacred Heart
Heather Schwartzburg P Jr Quinnipiac
Jen Russell P Sr. Sacred Heart
Emily deLong C Sr. Monmouth
Christine Scherr 2B So. Monmouth
Bianca Mejia SS Sr. Long Island
Caitlin Bradac 1B Jr. Fairleigh Dickinson
Allie Patton OF Jr. Robert Morris
Jaci Timko OF Jr. Robert Morris
Annie Dubovec DP Sr. Robert Morris
2011 All-NEC Second Team
Lauren Sulick P Jr. Monmouth
Alexa Bryson P Jr. Robert Morris
Kendall Corder C Fr. Bryant
Courtney Lee 1B Sr. Sacred Heart
Jacqueline Ristow 2B Jr. Quinnipiac
Maritza Jimenez 3B So Robert Morris
Aubrey Mable SS Fr. Bryant
Kate Murray OF So. Bryant
Arielle Bruno OF FR. CCSU
Courtney Zingle OF Jr. MSM
Liz Tsipouras DP JR SHU
Maire Shaughnessy UT So FDU