LINK: Complete GNAC Release
Winthrop, Mass. – A trio of Albertus Magnus College softball players earned All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) honors as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon. The Falcons landed one player on the first team, one on the second team and one on the third team.
Senior infielder Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.) was named to the first team for the fourth-straight year in a row while sophomore Aliza Esposito (East Haven, Conn.) landed on second team for the first time in her collegiate career. Sophomore Laura Anderson (East Haven, Conn.) rounded out the Falcons as the right-handed pitcher received third team distinction.
The GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team was also announced on Tuesday and senior infielder Melissa Castillo (Taftville, Conn.) represented Albertus Magnus on the squad.
Fortier landed first team honors for the fourth-straight year in her career as the third baseman recorded another strong year at the plate. Over 37 games, the senior batted .443 while posting a monster .713 slugging percentage while also collecting a league-high .519 on-base percentage. Fortier belted four home-runs and 51 hits to rank her first on the team. She also added nine doubles and five triples for 18 extra base hits. Earlier this season, Fortier recorded a major milestone in her career as she recorded her 200th career hit vs. Regis (Mass.).
Esposito recorded a breakout year for Albertus Magnus, appearing in 39 games and hitting a career-best .342 behind 38 hits, ranking her second on the team. The East Haven, Conn. native finished the season with 22 runs, 16 RBI, five walks, six extra base hits including three doubles/triples and five stolen bases. The outfielder was also stellar in the field committing only two errors to boast a .949 fielding percentage over 39 total chances.
Anderson enjoyed a stellar year on the mound for the Falcons earning her first All-Conference honor in her career. The right-handed pitcher posted an overall record of 9-5 and led the team with a career-best 2.69 earned run average. Over 96.1 innings, Anderson recorded 41 strikeouts while throwing eight complete games.
Castillo appeared in 35 games at first for Albertus Magnus in 2018. She scored seven runs, knocked 32 hits, including nine doubles, and picked up 14 RBI. She finished the season hitting .320 at the plate and recorded a .349 on-base percentage as well as posted a .410 slugging percentage.
The Albertus Magnus College softball team finished the 2018 season with a 23-17 overall record and earned the No. 5 seed in the GNAC Tournament after posting a 15-10 mark in league play. The Falcons saw their season come to an end with an 9-5 setback versus Emmanuel (Mass.) in the double elimination portion of the GNAC Tournament.
Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.
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