Papas and Dicranian Named to 2021 NFCA All-Region Teams
RSC SOFTBALL PLAYERS PAPAS AND DICRANIAN NAMED TO 2021 NFCA DIVISION III ALL-REGION TEAMS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association revealed its 2021 NFCA Division III All-Region teams today. This year's eight squads are comprised of a total of 308 student-athletes from 134 programs. Russell Sage College's junior outfielder Arianna Papas (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) and junior utility player, Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) were named to the Northeast Regional Teams. Papas was a First Team selection, while Dicranian was placed on the Second Team.
The awards salute student-athletes from the Association's eight NCAA regions with first, second and third-team honors. NFCA member coaches voted on the teams in their respective regions, and all honorees are eligible for selection to the 2021 NFCA Division III All-America squads.
2021 NFCA Division III All-Region Teams
New in 2021, conference players and pitchers of the year from member institutions, who were nominated by their member head coach, are added to the third team if they were not already voted to an All-Region squad. Where there were ties in the balloting, all players involved in the tie were awarded honors. If there were not enough nominees for a position, all three teams for that position in that region were not filled.
The 2021 NFCA Division III All-America teams will be announced on May 24.
On the season, RSC posted a record of 17-6. Along the way, the team strung together an eight-game win streak, while three players earned Empire 8 First Team All-Conference citations, and the Gators also had three players honored with weekly awards from the Empire 8. They went 16-4 in the Empire 8 play and earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
On the season, Papas finished the year with a team-leading 45 hits, .523 batting average, with three homeruns and three triples. A 23-game starter, her 2021 numbers place her 19th in single-season hits, 23rd with 10 doubles, 16th in triples, 12th in runs scored (33), while her .523 batting average ranks second in the Gator record book. She was named to the 2021 Empire 8 First Team as well at outfield and was twice honored as the Empire 8 Player of the Week. She was also honored by Russell Sage College as the Female Athlete of the Year.
Dicranian worked both in the circle and at the plate this spring, excelling in both areas. She ranks second all-time in single-season victories (15), while having worked 115.1 innings (14th best), 15th in appearances (22), with a 3.76 ERA that also ranks 22nd best. At the plate, she batted .494 with 41 hits, a team-best 13 doubles and added 20 RBI's. The 41 hits ranks 28th best in single-season performances, while her 13 doubles is 10th best. On her career, she has tallied 19 career doubles already and is 13th best on the career record book. She has now appeared in 43 games, which ranks 13th best, while adding work in 180.0 innings which is 16th best. She is also 10th with 16 career victories. She tossed a no-hitter this season and also tallied her first career home run in the team's doubleheader sweep of Elmira College on May 6 and was honored as the Empire 8 Player of the Week on May 10. Two days later she was also named to the Empire 8 All-Conference First Team, while also earning a spot on the 2021 Empire 8 Softball Sportswoman of the Year team.
All told, the Gators combined for a .331 batting average with 50 doubles, 11 homeruns, and 65 extra-base hits under the guidance of head coach Erica Li. The team's 2021 numbers rank sixth in wins (17), fifth in team batting average, eighth in doubles, while their 8-game win streak mid-season also ranks fourth best in longest win streaks.
DIVISION III - NORTHEAST REGION - FIRST TEAM
Position Name School
P Jessica Wilcox Alfred University
P Jess Patterson St. John Fisher College
P Olivia Zoeller Clarkson University
C Amaya Esparza Manhattanville College
1B Lexi Szesnat SUNY Cortland
2B Gabby Laccona Ithaca College
3B Ashleigh Hartwig Saint Joseph's College (Brooklyn)
SS Ashley Lugo Alfred University
OF Kelly O'Gorman SUNY Cortland
OF Allie Klonowski St. John Fisher College
OF Arianna Papas Russell Sage College
UT/P Emily Trotman St. John Fisher College
DP or UT/Non-P Allison O'Toole Alfred University
DIVISION III - NORTHEAST REGION - SECOND TEAM
Position Name School
P Charli Shinstine Manhattanville College
P Karlee Weeden SUNY Cortland
C Cailey Cuttita SUNY Cortland
1B Haley Gaffney Ithaca College
2B Giovanna Liggett Manhattanville College
3B Kayla Robert Clarkson University
SS Jayleen Torres Manhattanville College
OF Isela Casillas Manhattanville College
OF Julia Loffredo Ithaca College
OF Jen Carson University of Rochester
UT/P Taylor Dicranian Russell Sage College
DP or UT/Non-P Rachel Evans St. John Fisher College
