HADLEY, Mass. - The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) announced its award recipients for the 2021 softball season.
Williams senior pitcher
Kirstin Mapes (Corona, Calif.) was named the NESCAC Player of the Year and Tufts senior pitcher
Kristina Haghdan (Pelham, N.H.) was voted as the NESCAC Pitcher of the Year by the conference’s head coaches. Additionally, Tufts teammates
Emma Della Volpe (Concord, Mass.) and
Sophia DiCocco (Bozrah, Conn.) were named Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Tufts head coach
Lauren Ebstein was voted as Coach of the Year by her peers.
Mapes, who also picked up her third All-NESCAC honor with a spot on the First Team, went 7-1 with one save in the circle for Williams while leading the Ephs at the plate, hitting .417. She tossed 51.2 innings and registered 37 strikeouts, while also racking up a team-high 20 hits, including three home runs. Mapes is the fifth Eph to be named NESCAC Player of the Year (Joey Lye – 2009; Allison Hart – 2012; Erica Li – 2016; Lexi Curt – 2017 & 2018).
Haghdan also earned a spot on the All-NESCAC First Team, her second All-NESCAC citation. She tossed a five-inning shutout with 11 strikeouts in Tufts’ Game 1 win over Williams in the NESCAC Championship Series and owns a 6-3 record in the circle with one save. She has worked 60.2 innings and leads the conference in strikeouts (85) and ranks second in ERA (1.27). She is averaging 9.81 strikeouts per seven innings and has held opponents to a .165 average this season. Haghdan is the fifth Jumbo to garner NESCAC Pitcher of the Year honors (Jodie Moreau – 2002; Lauren Gelmetti – 2009; Allyson Fournier – 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015; Kristi Van Meter – 2019).
Della Volpe, an infielder, owns a .943 fielding percentage with 47 putouts, including eight double plays. She has played in all 22 games for the Jumbos and has 20 hits, 20 runs scored, and 12 RBI this year. Della Volpe is the fifth Tufts player to earn NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors (Laura Chapman – 2009; Casey Sullivan – 2010; Christina Raso – 2014; Michelle Cooprider – 2015).
DiCocco, an All-NESCAC First Team selection, earned the win in the circle in Game 2 versus Williams in the NESCAC Championship Series to help the Jumbos clinch their 12th conference title. DiCocco owns a league-low 1.11 ERA in 56.2 innings of action. Her 10 wins also lead the NESCAC and she has been credited with three saves and 36 strikeouts this season. DiCocco is the ninth Jumbo to be named NESCAC Rookie of the Year (Courtney Bongiolatti – 2002; Danielle Lopez – 2005; Casey Sullivan – 2007; Izzie Santone – 2008; Jo Clair – 2011; Allyson Fournier – 2012; Raven Fournier – 2015; Kristi Van Meter – 2018).
Ebstein was honored by her peers as the NESCAC Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. She guided the Jumbos to a 7-1 record in the NESCAC East division and led Tufts to its second straight NESCAC title. The Jumbos are making their second NCAA appearance in her three years at the helm of the team.
2021 NESCAC Softball All-Conference Team
Player of the Year: Kirstin Mapes, Williams
Pitcher of the Year: Kristina Haghdan, Tufts
Defensive Player of the Year: Emma Della Volpe, Tufts
Rookie of the Year: Sophia DiCocco, Tufts
Coach of the Year: Lauren Ebstein, Tufts
| 2021 NESCAC Softball All-Conference Team |
| First Team |
| Pos |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown |
Previous Selections |
| OF |
Michelle Adelman |
Tufts |
So. |
Cooper City, Fla. |
|
| C |
Kiana Arcayena |
Hamilton |
Jr. |
Kailua, Hawaii |
|
| SS/OF |
Lilly Armstrong |
Bowdoin |
So. |
Winchester, Mass. |
|
| P |
Sophia DiCocco |
Tufts |
Fy. |
Bozrah, Conn. |
|
| P |
Kristina Haghdan |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Pelham, N.H. |
2019 2nd Team |
| P |
Kirstin Mapes |
Williams |
Sr. |
Corona, Calif. |
2018 2nd Team; 2019 1st Team |
| UT |
Kelly McGuigan |
Williams |
Fy. |
San Mateo, Calif. |
|
| OF |
Anna Rasmussen |
Hamilton |
Sr. |
Fairfield, Conn. |
|
| DH |
Nicole Russo |
Tufts |
Jr. |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
|
| C/3B |
Sophia Sciarappa |
Wesleyan |
Jr. |
Charlton, Mass. |
|
| OF |
Samantha Witmer |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Drexel Hill, Pa. |
2019 1st Team |
| Second Team |
| Pos |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown |
Previous Selections |
| P |
Natalie Beebe |
Hamilton |
Fy. |
Glenmoore, Pa. |
|
| P |
Talia Bloxham |
Amherst |
Jr. |
Goleta, Calif. |
|
| IF |
Sophie Bolinger |
Middlebury |
Jr. |
Swarthmore, Pa. |
|
| C |
Jess Butler |
Amherst |
So. |
Knightstown, Ind. |
|
| IF |
Randi Finkelstein |
Amherst |
Fy. |
Merrick, N.Y. |
|
| OF |
Jackie Hill |
Colby |
So. |
Franklin, N.H. |
|
| OF |
Mara Kipnis |
Williams |
Jr. |
Redmond, Wash. |
2019 Rookie of the Year; 2019 1st Team |
| IF |
Autumn Lee |
Amherst |
So. |
Pacific, Wash. |
|
| OF |
Rachel Lovejoy |
Amherst |
So. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
|
| OF |
Gabi Medvene-Cirigliano |
Williams |
Sr. |
Agoura Hills, Calif. |
|
| P |
Maddie Procyk |
Amherst |
Fy. |
Monroe, Conn. |
|
