Five Bulls Earn Softball Academic All-MAC Honors
5/31/2023 2:58:00 PM | Softball, Office of Student-Athlete Success
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the Academic All-MAC Softball honors on Wednesday afternoon. A total of five Bulls made this year's list. This marked the third consecutive year that at least five Bulls earned this honor.
Leading the way for Buffalo was senior Alexis Lucyshyn as this was her third time with this honor. Madison Fernimen, Sara Kelly, and Julia Tarantino earned the recognition for the second time in their careers. This was senior Kate Vara's first time with this honor.
An exercise science major with a 3.568 GPA, Lucyshyn continued lead the Bulls on both sides of the plate, earning Second-Team All-MAC honors. One of three Bulls to appear and start in all 50 games, she recorded a .268 batting average on 40 hits, including 11 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 18 RBIs and 20 runs scored while notching none multi-hit games. Lucyshyn native was also a mainstay in the circle for the Bulls, 19 complete games, in 27 appearances with a 3.02 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched.
A history major with a 3.539 GPA, Tarantino is coming off a solid junior campaign in which she cemented herself in the UB rotation. The North Bellmore, N.Y. native appeared in 22 games and earned 19 starts and recorded a 4.64 ERA, including 14 complete games, while striking out 93 batters to just 40 walks in 117.2 innings pitched.
Fernimen, a biological sciences major with a 3.806 GPA, was one of three Bulls to appear and start in all 50 games for UB. She posted a .182 batting average on 28 hits, including seven doubles, a career-best five home runs, a career-high 20 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Kelly, who maintains a 3.595 GPA in public health, also earned academic All-MAC honors for the second time in her career. She appeared in 40 games and earned 35 starts, recording a .180 batting average on 11 hits, including six doubles and three home runs, while adding 13 RBIs and 11 runs scored in 89 at bats.
Vara, an exercise science major with a 3.440 GPA, earned Academic All-MAC status in her senior season. She appeared in 42 games while making 38 starts. In 64 at bats, she had a .141 batting average on nine hits. Scoring four times on the season, she added one home run and six RBIs.
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.
Leading the way for Buffalo was senior Alexis Lucyshyn as this was her third time with this honor. Madison Fernimen, Sara Kelly, and Julia Tarantino earned the recognition for the second time in their careers. This was senior Kate Vara's first time with this honor.
An exercise science major with a 3.568 GPA, Lucyshyn continued lead the Bulls on both sides of the plate, earning Second-Team All-MAC honors. One of three Bulls to appear and start in all 50 games, she recorded a .268 batting average on 40 hits, including 11 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 18 RBIs and 20 runs scored while notching none multi-hit games. Lucyshyn native was also a mainstay in the circle for the Bulls, 19 complete games, in 27 appearances with a 3.02 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched.
A history major with a 3.539 GPA, Tarantino is coming off a solid junior campaign in which she cemented herself in the UB rotation. The North Bellmore, N.Y. native appeared in 22 games and earned 19 starts and recorded a 4.64 ERA, including 14 complete games, while striking out 93 batters to just 40 walks in 117.2 innings pitched.
Fernimen, a biological sciences major with a 3.806 GPA, was one of three Bulls to appear and start in all 50 games for UB. She posted a .182 batting average on 28 hits, including seven doubles, a career-best five home runs, a career-high 20 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Kelly, who maintains a 3.595 GPA in public health, also earned academic All-MAC honors for the second time in her career. She appeared in 40 games and earned 35 starts, recording a .180 batting average on 11 hits, including six doubles and three home runs, while adding 13 RBIs and 11 runs scored in 89 at bats.
Vara, an exercise science major with a 3.440 GPA, earned Academic All-MAC status in her senior season. She appeared in 42 games while making 38 starts. In 64 at bats, she had a .141 batting average on nine hits. Scoring four times on the season, she added one home run and six RBIs.
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
P
/ Softball
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