PAC honors softball all-conference teams, award winners

PAC honors softball all-conference teams, award winners

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First Team | Second Team | Honorable Mention | Sportsmanship Team

GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) announced its 2019 All-PAC Softball teams and annual award winners Wednesday afternoon. The All-PAC teams, along with the PAC's yearly award winners, were determined by vote of the league's nine head coaches.

Saint Vincent College freshman pitcher Celia Knappenberger (Sarver, Pa. | Knoch) was selected as this year’s PAC Player of the Year, while Saint Vincent 13th-year head coach Nicole Karr collected PAC Coach of the Year honors.

Knappenberger is Saint Vincent's second PAC Player of the Year selection (Samantha Emert, 2016). This is Karr's second PAC Coach of the Year award (2016). 

Also announced Wednesday were the members of this year's PAC Sportsmanship Team. The PAC’s Sportsmanship Teams were established to recognize student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior and are an ongoing effort to both recognize and encourage positive sportsmanship among all conference teams.

Over 24 starts (29 appearances) this season, Knappenberger is 16-7 with five saves and a 1.62 earned-run average (ERA). She owns the league's most victories and best ERA and has limited opposing hitters to a league-low .221 average. Her five saves are tied for the most in the PAC, while her 96 strikeouts and 155.1 innings pitched both rank second among conference counterparts. In nine league starts this season, Knappenberger went 7-2 with a 1.88 ERA. Her five saves are tied for the most in NCAA Division III while her 17 victories rank 25th among Division III leaders. 

Knappenberger was also recognized as the PAC Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Performer. She went 3-1 (4 starts) with a save and posted a 0.93 ERA during the two-day tournament, helping Saint Vincent claim its second PAC title (2016) and automatic qualifying bid to this year's Division III Championship. 

Karr helped lead Saint Vincent to a 25-13 regular season finish and 13-3 mark in the PAC. The Bearcats claimed the top seed and hosting rights for this year’s four-team, double-elimination tournament for the first time since 2012. Saint Vincent earned three-straight victories last Friday to claim PAC Championship Tournament title. It marked the fourth time since 2014 that the championship tournament winner was forced to earn a victory in the if necessary game to capture the league title. 

Saint Vincent (29-14) will open this year’s Division III Championship at No. 18 DePauw University Friday. DePauw (31-12) was selected as one of 16 regional hosts for the Division III Championship. Regional round action is scheduled for Friday-Sunday, May 10-12. DePauw rallied to earn its third-straight North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) title last Sunday and enters the national tournament ranked No. 2 in the Central Region.  

2019 Awards
PAC Player of the Year: Saint Vincent freshman pitcher Celia Knappenberger (Sarver, Pa. | Knoch)
PAC Coach of the Year: Saint Vincent 13th-year head coach Nicole Karr
 
2019 All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Softball Teams
First Team
Position Name Class School Hometown | High School
C Jennifer Oberthur Fr. Bethany Indianapolis, Ind. | Park Tudor
C Rachel Skon Jr. Waynesburg Pittsburgh, Pa. | Brashear
1B Alex Lawrence Sr. Waynesburg Bridgeville, Pa. | Chartiers Valley
2B Johnna Karas So. Saint Vincent North Huntingdon, Pa. | Norwin
SS Vanessa Falce Jr. Thiel McKeesport, Pa. | McKeesport
SS Rachel Johnson Sr. W&J Orchard Park, N.Y. | Orchard Park
3B Alona Sleith So. Saint Vincent West Newton, Pa. | Yough
OF Kelly Flaherty Sr. Saint Vincent Pittsburgh, Pa. | Brashear
OF Sarah Johnson Fr. Geneva Highlands Ranch, Colo. | Mountain Vista
OF Leah Woytek Jr. Thiel Hillsville, Pa. | Mohawk
DP Madison Howell Jr. Chatham Huntington, W.Va. | Huntington
UTIL Jessica Kelley Sr. Thiel Freeport, Pa. | Freeport
UTIL Nicole West Fr. Geneva Glenwood, Md. | McDonough
P Celia Knappenberger Fr. Saint Vincent Sarver, Pa. | Knoch
P Madison Brown Fr. Westminster Lisbon, Ohio | East Liverpool
 
Second Team
Position Name Class School Hometown | High School
C Miranda Reesman Sr. Thiel Vandergrift, Pa. | Leechburg
1B Haley Dietz So. Grove City Allison Park, Pa. | Hampton
2B Caitlin Worwood So. Chatham Caldwell, Idaho | Caldwell
SS Lauren Miller So. Saint Vincent Glenshaw, Pa. | Shaler
3B Brooke Lapia Jr. W&J Oakdale, Pa. | Chartiers Valley
3B Marina Manuppelli So. Geneva Mars, Pa. | Mars
3B Jen Kondracki Jr. Grove City Beaver, Pa. | Beaver
OF Haley Sainato Sr. Geneva New Castle, Pa. | Mohawk
OF Marissa Wightman Jr. Chatham Cypress, Calif. | Cypress
OF Haley Bedalota So. Westminster Aliquippa, Pa. | Hopewell
DP Paige Hollinger Fr. Geneva Hummelstown, Pa. | Lower Dauphin
UTIL Lauren McNany Jr. Westminster Emlenton, Pa. | Allegheny-Clarion Valley
UTIL Liz Scherer Jr. Grove City Pittsburgh, Pa. | North Allegheny
P Ashley Cornelius So. Grove City Youngstown, Ohio | Boardman
P Bobbi Ann Theiss Jr. Geneva East Liverpool, Ohio | Beaver Local
 
Honorable Mention
Position Name Class School Hometown | High School
1B Tyra Bell Jr. Bethany Mechanicsburg, Pa. | Cumberland Valley
2B Sarah Eidle Jr. Grove City Boyertown, Pa. | Boyertown
SS Erica Amoroso Jr. Bethany Belle Vernon, Pa. | Belle Vernon
OF Emily Folk Sr. Bethany Hagerstown, Md. | North Hagerstown
DP Kayla Dinsmore Jr. Bethany Beavercreek, Ohio | Beavercreek
P Courtney Messenger  Sr. Waynesburg East Liverpool, Ohio | Beaver Local
 
Sportsmanship Team
Position Name Class School Hometown | High School
SS Erica Amoroso Jr. Bethany Belle Vernon, Pa. | Belle Vernon
C Alexis Butler Fr. Chatham Pittsburgh, Pa. | Keystone Oaks
1B Ashley Grow Sr. Geneva Beaver, Ohio | Waverly
P Ashley Cornelius So. Grove City Youngstown, Ohio | Boardman
P Riley Assalone So. Saint Vincent Falls Creek, Pa. | DuBois Central
OF Leah Woytek  Jr. Thiel Hillsville, Pa. | Mohawk
2B Brooke McCleester So. W&J Johnstown, Pa. | Conemaugh Valley
C Rachel Skon Jr. Waynesburg Pittsburgh, Pa. | Brashear
2B Alexis Brinza So. Westminster McKees Rocks, Pa. | Our Lady of the Sacred Heart