Softball Sets Program Record, Places Seven on Academic All-MAC Team
6/13/2022 11:01:00 AM | Softball
BUFFALO, NY – For the second straight year, the University at Buffalo softball team set a new program record in the classroom as they placed seven student-athletes on the Mid-American Conference Academic All-MAC team, as announced by the conference on Monday.
A total of 109 student-athletes were named to this year's squad.
Senior Alexis Matheney and junior Alexis Lucyshyn earned the honor for the second time in their careers while sophomores Rachel Steffan, Julia Tarantino, Ally Sobaszek, Madison Fernimen and Sara Kelly earned the recognition for the first time.
Matheney, an occupational therapy major with a 3.833 GPA, wrapped up a great career in the blue and white by appearing and starting in 45 games as a senior. She posted a .218 batting average on 27 hits, including two doubles and a triple, 11 RBI and 20 runs scored. Matheney also was an anchor in the Bulls' outfield, recording a .972 fielding percentage.
An exercise science major with a 3.479 GPA, Lucyshyn continued lead the Bulls on both sides of the plate, earning Second Team All-MAC honors as a junior. One of five Bulls to appear and start in all 46 games, she recorded a .282 batting average on 40 hits, including five doubles, six home runs, 32 RBI and 18 runs scored while notching 10 multi-hit games. Lucyshyn native was also a mainstay in the circle for the Bulls, compiling an 11-8 overall record, including 15 complete games, in 25 appearances with a 3.30 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 144.1 innings pitched and posted a .979 fielding percentage in the circle and at first base.
Steffan, a biomedical sciences major with a 4.0 GPA, earned the honor for the first time in her career. One of five Bulls to appear and start in all 46 games for UB as a sophomore, Steffan recorded a .308 batting average on a team-best 41 hits, including six doubles, a team-best four triples, 10 home runs, 29 RBI and a team-best 36 runs scored while also leading the team with a .639 slugging and .440 on base percentage. She also posted a .979 fielding percentage at first base.
A history major with a 3.392 GPA, Tarantino is coming off a solid sophomore campaign in which she cemented herself in the UB rotation. The North Bellmore, NY native appeared in 27 games and earned 22 starts and recorded a 4.40 ERA and a 10-15 overall record, including 16 complete games, while striking out 84 batters to just 40 walks in 140.0 innings pitched. Tarantino also had one hit in seven appearances at the plate.
Fernimen, a biological sciences major with a 3.797 GPA, was one of five Bulls to appear and start in all 46 games for UB as a sophomore. She posted a .182 batting average on 24 hits, including a career-best eight doubles, a triple, two home runs, a career-high 18 RBI and 18 runs scored. Fernimen also recorded a .922 fielding percentage, primarily at third base.
A social science interdisciplinary major with a 3.841 GPA, Sobaszek appeared in 45 games and earned 43 starts as a sophomore, recording eight hits, four RBI and three runs scored in 68 at bats.
Kelly, who maintains a 3.556 GPA in public health, also earned academic All-MAC honors for the first time in her career after breaking into the UB starting lineup as a sophomore. She appeared in 37 games and earned 30 starts, recording a .164 batting average on 10 hits while adding three RBI and 10 runs scored in 61 at bats. Kelly also recorded a .918 fielding percentage in right field.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. Student-athletes in their first year of competition are not eligible.
A total of 109 student-athletes were named to this year's squad.
Senior Alexis Matheney and junior Alexis Lucyshyn earned the honor for the second time in their careers while sophomores Rachel Steffan, Julia Tarantino, Ally Sobaszek, Madison Fernimen and Sara Kelly earned the recognition for the first time.
Matheney, an occupational therapy major with a 3.833 GPA, wrapped up a great career in the blue and white by appearing and starting in 45 games as a senior. She posted a .218 batting average on 27 hits, including two doubles and a triple, 11 RBI and 20 runs scored. Matheney also was an anchor in the Bulls' outfield, recording a .972 fielding percentage.
An exercise science major with a 3.479 GPA, Lucyshyn continued lead the Bulls on both sides of the plate, earning Second Team All-MAC honors as a junior. One of five Bulls to appear and start in all 46 games, she recorded a .282 batting average on 40 hits, including five doubles, six home runs, 32 RBI and 18 runs scored while notching 10 multi-hit games. Lucyshyn native was also a mainstay in the circle for the Bulls, compiling an 11-8 overall record, including 15 complete games, in 25 appearances with a 3.30 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 144.1 innings pitched and posted a .979 fielding percentage in the circle and at first base.
Steffan, a biomedical sciences major with a 4.0 GPA, earned the honor for the first time in her career. One of five Bulls to appear and start in all 46 games for UB as a sophomore, Steffan recorded a .308 batting average on a team-best 41 hits, including six doubles, a team-best four triples, 10 home runs, 29 RBI and a team-best 36 runs scored while also leading the team with a .639 slugging and .440 on base percentage. She also posted a .979 fielding percentage at first base.
A history major with a 3.392 GPA, Tarantino is coming off a solid sophomore campaign in which she cemented herself in the UB rotation. The North Bellmore, NY native appeared in 27 games and earned 22 starts and recorded a 4.40 ERA and a 10-15 overall record, including 16 complete games, while striking out 84 batters to just 40 walks in 140.0 innings pitched. Tarantino also had one hit in seven appearances at the plate.
Fernimen, a biological sciences major with a 3.797 GPA, was one of five Bulls to appear and start in all 46 games for UB as a sophomore. She posted a .182 batting average on 24 hits, including a career-best eight doubles, a triple, two home runs, a career-high 18 RBI and 18 runs scored. Fernimen also recorded a .922 fielding percentage, primarily at third base.
A social science interdisciplinary major with a 3.841 GPA, Sobaszek appeared in 45 games and earned 43 starts as a sophomore, recording eight hits, four RBI and three runs scored in 68 at bats.
Kelly, who maintains a 3.556 GPA in public health, also earned academic All-MAC honors for the first time in her career after breaking into the UB starting lineup as a sophomore. She appeared in 37 games and earned 30 starts, recording a .164 batting average on 10 hits while adding three RBI and 10 runs scored in 61 at bats. Kelly also recorded a .918 fielding percentage in right field.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. Student-athletes in their first year of competition are not eligible.
Players Mentioned
IF/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballUB Softball vs. Akron Double Header (4/30) @ 1pm
Thursday, April 24
UB Softball vs. Canisius Double Header (4/23) @ 1pm
Tuesday, April 22
UB Softball vs. Toledo (4/20) @ 12pm
Monday, April 14
UB Softball vs. Northern Illinois doubleheader (4/12) @ 1pm
Thursday, April 10
