PSAC Softball Players of the Week

Eastern Division Athlete of the Week

Sarah Yamrick, Bloomsburg
First Base / Pitcher, Sophomore

Yamrick went 15-for-26 (.577) across eight games and four consecutive days of action with a double, two home runs, 12 RBIs, and seven runs scored at the plate.She helped the Huskies sweep three of their four series and earn a doubleheader split against No. 16 Kutztown. She registered a hit in seven of the Huskies' eight games, including six multi-hit efforts. On the mound, she pitched in four consecutive days, accumulating a 4-0 record with one save in 23.0 innings pitched -- boasting a 1.83 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts across five appearances. She tossed a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts against Mansfield, gave up one run in a five-inning victory over No. 16 Kutztown, and notched her second save of the season with a two-inning effort against Millersville before picking up win No. 10 and her fourth of the week in game two.

Eastern Division Pitcher of the Week

Madelayne Ruffner, Shepherd
Pitcher, Sophomore

Ruffner helped lead the Rams to a 4-0 week as she recorded a pair of wins and a save. She fanned 27 and walked three in 13.0 innings. Ruffner scattered four hits and allowed only one earned run.

Western Division Athlete of the Week

Kassidy Wittig, Seton Hill
Outfield, Redshirt Sophomore

Wittig helped the Griffins to a 5-1 week in PSAC West play. She hit .473 (9-19) with seven runs scored, four doubles, and five RBIs. Kassidy was 5-7 with three doubles, four runs scored and four RBIs in the sweep of IUP.

Western Division Pitcher of the Week

Shelby Telegdy, Seton Hill
Pitcher, Freshman

Telegdy went 3-0 with one save and a 0.63 ERA in a 5-1 week for the Griffins in PSAC West play. Shelby worked 22 innings while allowing two earned runs and striking out 10. She threw a complete game three-hit shutout in the win over Gannon. At the plate, Shelby also added five hits, including three homers while driving in seven.

The East Stroudsburg Warriors and Gannon Golden Knights have been voted as the top teams in the Eastern and Western divisions, respectively, in the 2025 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Softball Preseason Polls as voted by the coaches pf the PSCA.


EASTERN DIVISION (# of first place votes)

1. East Stroudsburg (5)
2. West Chester (2)
3. Kutztown
4. Shippensburg (2)
5. Bloomsburg
6. Shepherd
7. Lock Haven
8. Millersville
9. Mansfield

WESTERN DIVISION (# of first place votes)

1. Gannon (6)
2. IUP (1)
3. California (1)
4. Slippery Rock
5. Seton Hill
6. Edinboro
7. Clarion
8. Pitt-Johnstown

EASTERN DIVISION

The top spot in the Eastern Division’s preseason poll was secured by East Stroudsburg for the second consecutive season. The Warriors (46-17 overall, 23-9 PSAC in 2024) advanced all the way to the 2024 PSAC Softball Championship last spring. Freshman pitcher Sarah Davenport spun up a historic debut season, leading the conference in ERA (1.31), wins (25), saves (8), and strikeouts (322). Offensively, junior Taylor Lipkins (.370 average, 42 runs scored) and sophomore Delaney Ridgell (.355, 30 RBIs) were both All-Conference honorees.

Voted second in the 2025 PSAC Softball Preseason Poll is West Chester (36-22, 18-13 PSAC). The Golden Rams defeated East Stroudsburg to claim the 2024 PSAC Softball Championship behind Tournament MVP Danielle Ciliberto’s pitching exploits and Mairead Hopkins’ five home runs in the tourney. Hopkins, (.348 average in 2024 along with 41 RBIs) along with returners Casey Best (.316, 20 runs scored) and Hailey Melvin (.292, 28 runs scored, 25 RBIs) should bolster the offense while Ciliberto returns in the circle. Her ERA of 2.48 was fifth-best in the PSAC in 2024 while her 208.2 innings and 23 wins were second-most.

The Kutztown Golden Bears (37-25, 19-13 PSAC) come in third in this year’s poll. Senior pitcher Haley Gravish should return to the circle after pitching a PSAC-best 223.2 innings last season. Brianna Stocklin (.374, 52 runs scored, 22 RBI) leads KU’s returning bats – along with Emily Henn (.361, 43 runs, 49 RBIs) and Alexa Stevens (.333, 44 runs, 45 RBIs).

Shippensburg (36-21, 18-14 PSAC), fourth in this year’s poll, also returns plenty of talent. Caitlyn Martell (.398, 58 runs scored, 49 RBIs) and Sarah Sabocsik (.352, 38 runs, 47 RBIs) are back to spearhead the offense while Alicia Ball (whose 194.2 innings pitched were 113 more than anyone else on the Raiders’ roster) is back to lead the pitching staff.

The remainder of the 2025 PSAC Softball Eastern Division Preseason Poll is rounded out by Bloomsburg at No. 5, Shepherd at No. 6, Lock Haven at No. 7, Millersville at No. 8, and Mansfield at No. 9.

WESTERN DIVISION

The Western Division’s top team in the 2025 poll is Gannon (32-15 overall, 25-6 PSAC in 2024). The Golden Knights’ .331 team batting average was third-best in the conference, led by Natalia Mallozzi (.440, 36 runs, 33 RBIs) and Emma Smerick (.385, 43 runs, 27 RBIs), who should both return this spring. Also back is 2024 PSAC West Pitcher of the Year Maggie Lenda, whose 2.44 ERA was fourth-lowest in the PSAC.

Behind Gannon is IUP at No. 2, which ended 2024 with a record of 29-25 (15-17 PSAC) but return a lot of talent this spring, including Madison Pikula (.425, 61 runs, 35 RBIs), Paige Truax (.410, 43 runs), Jaycee Haidze (.364, 9 HRs, 53 RBIs), Delaney Patella (.349, 9 HRs, 42 RBIs), and Jordan Sylvia (.346, 8 HRs, 57 RBIs.) Kendall Young handled the bulk of the pitching duties as a freshman, with 143 innings pitched and a 3.28 ERA.

The No. 3 team in the 2025 West poll is California (23-20, 20-12 PSAC), who will have to replace 2024 PSAC West Athlete of the Year Caleigh Rister, who led the Vulcans at the plate (.434 average) and in the circle (3.61 ERA in 143.2 innings). Alyssa Rose started 20 games last spring and tossed 101.1 innings to return as the most experienced pitcher, while also hitting .348 with 6 HRs and 39 RBIs at the plate. Carlena Fiorilli (.336, 32 runs scored) and Mikayla Linkous (.309 average) should also return to lead the lineup.

Slippery Rock comes in at No. 4 after finishing 2024 with an overall record of 25-27 (18-13 PSAC). Alexsa Hurd (2.90 ERA in 123 innings pitched) returns in the circle to lead The Rock’s pitching staff and also hit .304 at the plate with 10 HRs and 30 RBIs. Also back are Julia Montie (.306, 12 HRs, 36 RBIs) and Arielle Brown (.303, 39 runs, 29 RBIs).

Completing the top five teams in the 2025 poll is Seton Hill (37-17, 23-9 PSAC), which must replace two starting pitchers (Lauren Dellett and Logan Hartman) who combined to pitch 320.4 innings last season. Plenty of adept hitters return, though, including Kassidy Wittig (.427, 43 runs scored), Brooklyn Fukuskima (.371, 38 runs, 34 RBIs), and Grace Paredes (.368, 41 runs, 14 HRs, 56 RBIs).

The remainder of the 2024 PSAC Softball Western Division Preseason Poll is rounded out by No. 6 Edinboro, No. 7 Clarion, and No. 8 Pitt-Johnstown.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is pleased to announce its 2024 Fall Top 10 award recipients, as nominated and voted on by the Sports Information and Athletic Communications professionals of the conference.

Delaney Bittner
Shepherd
York, Pa. / Red Lion Area
Women's Soccer
Major: Health Promotion and Exercise Science
Cumulative GPA: 3.92

Bittner helped lead Shepherd women’s soccer to a record-setting 18-2-4 season, starting all 24 games and earning the 2024 PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year award. She tallied three assists during the season and was named a First Team United Soccer Coaches All-American and Third Team CSC Academic All-America.

Jennifer Cichra
Slippery Rock
Renfrew, Pa. / Butler
Women's Cross Country
Major: Mechanical Engineering (Minor in Computing)
Cumulative GPA: 4.00

Cichra was the NCAA Elite 90 winner for women’s cross country to become the first Slippery Rock female athlete to ever win that award. She earned First Team All-PSAC honors with a career-best 12th-place finish at the 2024 PSAC meet, helping The Rock to a second consecutive PSAC team title. She also earned her first career All-Region honor in cross country with a 17th-place finish at the Atlantic Region championships to help SRU to a runner-up finish and a team trip to the national meet.

Dan Gibney
IUP
Stewartstown, Pa. / Kennard-Dale
Men’s Cross Country
Major: Safety, Health, & Environmental Applied Sciences
Cumulative GPA: 4.0

Gibney earned the 2024 PSAC Champion Scholar award for men’s cross country and finished as runner-up at the PSAC meet. He went on to finish 13th in the 10k at the NCAA Atlantic Region championships.

Anna Igims
Slippery Rock
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Avonworth
Women's Cross Country
Major: Applied Behavioral Analysis (GR), School Wellness Education (UG)
Cumulative GPA: 4.0 (GR), 3.98 (UG)

Igims, the PSAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year, was the winner of the 2024 PSAC and NCAA Atlantic Region championships, becoming the second-ever SRU female runner to win a PSAC crown and the first-ever to win a Division II regional title. She was bested by Division II runners on only one occasion all season, and that occurred at the national meet. She earned PSAC Athlete of the Week honors every week she competed during the regular season.

Brayden Long
Slippery Rock
Hanover, Pa. / New Oxford
Football
Major: Sport Management (Minor: Leadership)
Cumulative GPA: 4.00

Long ranked third in Division II in passing years with 3,470 and ninth in passing touchdowns with 28. He led The Rock to the national semifinals and a final national ranking of No. 3 in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls. He was a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the DII Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and finished sixth in the national voting. He was also the only Division II player in the country to be a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.

Sverre Orten
Gannon
Orsta, Norway / Aalesund vgs
Men’s Soccer
Major: Finance
Cumulative GPA: 3.814

Orten, the PSAC West Athlete of the Year, led Gannon with 32 points (nine goals, 14 assists) and led the conference in both points and assists while ranking fourth in goals. He helped the Golden Knights qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament for the third time in four years and was named the United Soccer Coaches National Scholar Player of the Year. He was also named USC NCAA DII All-America First Team as well as the D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year.

Freddie Retter
Kutztown
Quakertown, Pa. / Quakertown
Football
Major: Elementary Education
Cumulative GPA: 3.97

Retter, the PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year, was named PSAC Champion Scholar as well as CSC Academic All-District in 2024. On the field, he tallied career-highs in solo tackles (22), tackles for loss (13), sacks (7.5), and forced fumbles (two) while also leading the conference with three blocked kicks. He was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Second Team and also earned D2CCA All-Super Region 1 Defensive Athlete of the Year honors.

Brady Rimple
Bloomsburg
Cherryville, Pa. / Northampton Area
Men’s Soccer
Major: Master of Business Administration
Cumulative GPA: 4.0 (GR), 3.93 (UG)

Rimple set the Bloomsburg single-season shutout record and led the Huskies to its first PSAC championship in program history, with conference-best marks in goals against average (.707), shutout percentage (.524), and team save percentage (.810). He had four games with six or more saves, including three games with seven and two matching a career-best eight saves. Bloomsburg also won a program-record 15 games and set a record for consecutive wins at 11 games.

Cassidy Snider
Clarion
Harmonsburg, Pa. / Conneaut
Women's Volleyball
Major: Sport Management
Cumulative GPA: 3.58

Snider was the national leader and NCAA Division II statistical champion in kills per set with 5.46. She was second in the nation in both total kills (606) and points per set (5.97). She was voted both the Atlantic Region Player of the Year and the PSAC West Athlete of the Year in addition to D2CCA First Team All-America and AVCA Second Team All-America honors. Academically, she was honored with a CSC Academic All-America Third Team award.

Jady van Gils
East Stroudsburg
Amersfoort, Netherlands
Field Hockey
Major: Sport Management
Cumulative GPA: 3.722

Van Gils set career-highs in points (35), goals (12), and assists (11) in 2024. She led East Stroudsburg in both points and assists and ranked first in the PSAC in assists, fourth in points, and tied for sixth in goals. She was named the NFHCA Regional Player of the Year, PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year, and NFHCA National Player of the Year for the second consecutive seasons. Academically, she collected CSC Academic All-America Third Team honors.

The PSAC Top 10 was initiated in the 1998-99 academic year and is awarded to those women’s student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and athletic competition.

The honorees for Spring 2025 are: Keri Barnett (West Chester), Alexsa Hurd (Slippery Rock), Anna Igims (Slippery Rock), Kelly Leszcynski (Bloomsburg), and Ditte Petersen (Gannon).

Keri Barnett, West Chester
Glenolden, Pa. / Archbishop Carroll
Women’s Lacrosse
Major: Nursing Cumulative GPA: 3.79

Barnett led the PSAC with 105 goals and 133 points – which were both West Chester and PSAC single-season records – and also led the conference in caused turnovers with 53. She was voted the PSAC East Athlete of the Year, tallied 72 draw controls and 36 ground balls this spring, and earned IWLCA and USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-America status.

Alexsa Hurd,Slippery Rock
Suffield, Ohio / Field
Softball
Major: Early Childhood Education (Minor in Special Education)

Cumulative GPA: 3.92



Hurd was voted the PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year and First Team D2CCA Atlantic Region at utility/pitcher. She tossed 18 complete games, compiling an ERA of 3.13 and a Slippery Rock all-time record 243 strikeouts. She set a single-season SRU record with 16 home runs at the plate and also ranked second in school history with 48 RBIs, leading The Rock to its first PSAC West title in program history.

Anna Igims, Slippery Rock
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Avonworth
Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Major: Applied Behavioral Analysis (GR),

School Wellness Education (UG)
Cumulative GPA: 4.0 (GR), 3.98 (UG)



Igims earned First Team All-America status in steeplechase for the second year in a row and earned the Most Outstanding Women’s Track Athlete and Overall MVP awards at the 2025 PSAC Championships. At the conference meet, she won the 1500m, 5000m, and 3000m steeplechase and was an eight-time PSAC Athlete of the Week in the 2024-25 season.

Kelly Leszcynski,Bloomsburg
Nazarath, Pa. / Nazareth
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Major: Middle Level Education - Math
Cumulative GPA: 3.96



Leszcynski was the NCAA National Champion in Women’s Javelin, with a school-record throw of 52.07m – the furthest throw in all of Division II this spring. The title was also the first Bloomsburg women’s track & field national championship in any event. She also was the PSAC champion in the event and won four javelin competitions in total throughout the spring.

Ditte Petersen
Gannon
Dianalund, Denmark / Soro Akademi Skole
Women’s Golf
Major: Marketing Cumulative GPA: 4.0



Petersen is one of the most successful PSAC women’s golf student-athletes of all time. She was named the PSAC Women’s Golf Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive season, just the second golfer to ever accomplish that feat. She was also the first player in PSAC history to win three straight individual championships, finishing the spring with a team-best 76.3 scoring average over 26 rounds with six top-five finishes,six top-10’s, and three tournament wins.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced the addition of Chestnut Hill and Jefferson as Associate Members in the sport of men’s tennis beginning in the 2025-26 season. With the addition of both programs, the PSAC will feature seven men’s tennis programs for the next academic year. Both programs have been competing in the CACC prior to joining the PSAC.

“We are pleased to welcome both Chestnut Hill and Jefferson as Associate Members in men's tennis,” said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray. “We have been strategic with our Associate Membership status in the past and this allows us to continue operating the sport of men's tennis as usual. It is critical that we maintain our automatic qualification into the Division II tournament as a conference, and these two institutions help strengthen that position for us.”

Both programs have also competed frequently against PSAC competition. In 2024-25, Chestnut Hill faced off against Bloomsburg (twice), Kutztown, Millersville, and West Chester while Jefferson battled Kutztown, Millersville, and West Chester. Chestnut Hill and Jefferson also competed against each other three times in the 2024-25 season.