NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Following a record setting Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference regular season, Wilmington University softball head coach Erin Harvey highlights the 2012 CACC Postseason Awards, being named Co-Coach of the Year while Katie Warrington, Shelby Thompson and Jill Stafford were also recognized as All-CACC members, announced by the conference office on Tuesday.

Harvey shares the Coach of the Year Award with Caldwell's skipper Dean Johnson after leading the Wildcats to a program best regular season finish of 18-8 and the fourth seed in the upcoming CACC Tournament. She helped the Wildcats to a 9-0 start in the CACC season and closed the conference schedule by winning nine of the final 14 games. It is the first time in Harvey's six years at the helm of Wilmington that she earned the award.

As for the players, Warrington and Thompson were each named to the All-CACC First Team while Stafford was named All-CACC Honorable Mention. All teams and major awards were voted on by the leagues' 14 head coaches.

Warrington (Townsend, Del./Red Lion Christian Academy), the 2011 CACC Pitcher of the Year, earned first team honors for the second consecutive season after striking out a league best 183 batters in 138.2 innings of work. The junior went 13-7 but only losing twice in her final 16 appearances, a span that began on March 6. She finished second in earned run average, finishing the regular season with a 1.16 ERA.

In the conference, the right-handed pitcher went 9-1 with a 1.05 ERA in 73 innings in the circle. She recorded four complete game shutouts, including a no-hitter against Holy Family on March 27 in the team's home-opener. Warrington had a season high 13 strikeouts against University of the Sciences on April 11, giving up three hits and no walks in the complete game shutout. In seven of her 11 starts in conference games, Warrington struck out 10 or more batters on seven occasions. She was named the CACC Pitcher of the Week in three consecutive voting periods, starting March 26.

Thompson (Newark, Del./Hodgson Vo-Tech) came to Wilmington this season from Del Tech and immediately earned her keep atop of the lineup. She started the season with four straight (and five out of the first six) multi-hit games, finishing the year with a team best 19 in the regular season. The left handed slap-hitter led the Wildcats with a .341 batting average and 58 hits – all singles. She also scored a team best 27 runs and stole 19 bases on 21 attempts.

In conference games, the junior batted .307, ending the regular season on a seven-game hitting streak. Thompson has collected three multi-hit games in the past four games overall. The centerfielder had 10 multi-hit games in the conference, including two three-hit games on the year. She also stole 10 bags in conference games while scoring 13 runs. Thompson is also durable in the outfield, making 31 putouts and throwing out three runners while only committing one error during the CACC season.

Stafford (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester) came to Wilmington University from Burlington County College this season and became a force in the middle of the lineup from day one. She batted .302 on the year, belting five home runs and a team-high 16 doubles (third most in the CACC) and 32 RBI's. She slugged .540 in the regular season, hitting two doubles in a game three times and picking up 11 multi-hit games. She had a season high four RBI's in game two against Bemidji on March 9 and tallied eight multi-RBI games.

A part-time first baseman, designated player and pitcher, Stafford hit four home runs in conference games this year, hitting one against Concordia, Felician, Post and Chestnut Hill. The junior collected eight-multi-hit games in CACC play and four multi-RBI games as well. She knocked in three runners against Felician on a 2-for-3 day and three runners against Post on a 1-for-4 afternoon. Stafford hit .306 in CACC contests with a .553 slugging percentage.

Although Warrington was named First Team All-CACC for the second year in a row, she was beat out as Pitcher of the Year by Dominican's Delaney Childers (19-7, 0.94 ERA, 161 strikeouts). Georgian Court's Rachel Ruch (.423, 55 RBI, 45 runs, seven home runs) was honored as the 2012 CACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and Caldwell's Briana Gaspich (.429, nine home runs, 17 doubles, 58 RBI's) was selected as this year's Rookie of the Year.

Wilmington will kick off its CACC Tournament run on Thursday at 12 noon, when the Wildcats play No. 5 Post on Field Two. The entire tournament is hosted by Georgian Court University and runs through Saturday. Harvey and the players will be honored at the annual awards banquet held on Thursday night after the completion of the first day of the tournament.

AGATE:

2012 Softball All-CACC First Team

Briana Gaspich, Fr., 1B, Caldwell College
Rachel Ruch, Sr., 2B, Georgian Court University
Kelsey Cutler, Sr., 3B, Georgian Court University
Julie Plante, Jr., SS, Dominican College
Ashley Corrao, Jr., C, Dominican College
Kristen Knorr, Fr., OF, Caldwell College
Dara Schroeder, Fr., OF, Georgian Court University
Lianna May, Jr., OF, Post University
Katie Warrington, Jr., P, Wilmington University
Delaney Childers, Jr., P, Dominican College
Alexandria Smith, Jr., Util, Bloomfield College
Krystina Poloni, Jr., DP, Bloomfield College
Shelby Thompson, Jr., OF, Wilmington University
Angie Yoshizu, So., SS, Bloomfield College

2012 Softball All-CACC Second Team

Paige Berzak, So., 1B, Dominican College
Dia Cascone, Jr., 2B, Caldwell College
Kathryn Coles, Jr., 3B, Dominican College
Angela D'Amico, Sr., SS, Concordia College
Alyssa Calderon, Fr., C, Caldwell College
Katie Margiotta, Sr., OF, Caldwell College
Deidre Jeppson, Sr., OF, Dominican College
Erin Summers, Jr., OF, University of the Sciences
Kourtney Wilson, Jr., P, Caldwell College
Kristen Tenwolde, Jr., P, Felician College
Victoria Pisciotta, Sr., Util, Concordia College
Brooke Hull, Sr., DP, Georgian Court University
Kristina Patrocinio, Jr., OF, Concordia College
Cailin Cavanaugh, Sr., OF, Goldey-Beacom College

Honorable Mention: Nicole Velardi, Caldwell College; Jillian Stafford, Wilmington University; Chelsea Macaluso, Nyack College; Courtney Spina, University of the Sciences; Rachael Alligood, Holy Family University.

CACC Player of the Year – Rachel Ruch, Sr., INF, Georgian Court University
CACC Pitcher of the Year – Delaney Childers, Jr., P, Dominican College
CACC Rookie of the Year – Briana Gaspich, Fr., 1B, Caldwell College
CACC Co-Coaches of the Year – Erin Harvey, Wilmington University; Dean Johnson, Caldwell College
CACC Team Sportsmanship Award – Nyack College