NEWPORT NEWS, Va. —Massachusetts’ Jena Cozza was named Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Player of the Year, while Cozza’s teammate, Kiara Oliver, was named Pitcher of the Year. The A-10 announced the awards Tuesday, which also included Coach of the Year Kristi Stefanoni of Massachusetts and Rookie of the Year Paige Rauch from Fordham.
The awards, which also included 48 honorees on the All-Academic, All-Conference and All-Rookie teams, were announced ahead of the 2018 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship, which begins Wednesday on Fordham’s campus. The major awards, All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches. The All-Academic Team was voted on by the softball communications directors.
A senior third baseman, Cozza leads the A-10 in batting average (.488), hits (62), runs scored (59), and is second in the conference in RBI, home runs, and walks. The Wantagh, N.Y., native’s batting average and on-base percentage also ranks second in the NCAA. Cozza broke the UMass single-season marks in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored and hit-by-pitches. The four-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Week is currently on a 41-game reached base streak and has posted 21 multi-hit games.
A two-time A-10 Pitcher of the Week, Oliver led the conference in strikeouts (163) and strikeouts per seven innings (7.66). Oliver’s strikeout total was nearly 20 more than the closest competitor. The freshman from North Kingstown, R.I., posted three games with 10 or more strikeouts and 13 with seven or more. In her game two start against Fordham, Oliver struck out 11 batters while holding the Rams without a hit until two outs in the sixth inning. In league play, she had a .160 average against and a 0.77 ERA.
Rauch, a two-time A-10 Rookie of the Week and a top 25 finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year, lead the Atlantic 10 in walks (38) and finished third in runs scored (48) and home runs (14). Rauch’s base on balls total ranks her 20th in the NCAA. She led the Rams with 13 multi-RBI games and 14 multi-hit games. The Binghamton N.Y., native also finished second in ERA (1.58) and tied for second with 14 wins posting a 1.07 ERA in conference play.
In her fifth season as head coach of the Minutewomen, Stefanoni claimed her first A-10 Coach of the Year award by leading Massachusetts to its first regular-season title since 2012. Sefanoni led UMass to a 21-0 A-10 record and a 33-12 overall record. The Minutewomen enter the 2018 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship this weekend winners of their last 21 games.
The 2018 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship begins Wednesday with three games starting at noon. The double-elimination tournament concludes Saturday, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Every game will be played at the Bahoshy Softball Complex, on the campus of Fordham, and will be streamed, free of charge, on the A-10 Network.