Reilly Named ECAC Softball Metro Player of the Year
Joins Nadolny and Vitale on All-First Team
William Paterson Sports Information
5/29/2009 1:02:20 PM
Meghan Reilly (center) was named the ECAC Metro Player of the Year, and joined Lindsey Nadolny (left) and Jenna Vitale on the ECAC All-Star First Team.
CAPE COD, MASS. – William Paterson senior third baseman Meghan Reilly (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) was named the ECAC Softball Metro Region Player of the Year, and joined sophomore teammates Lindsey Nadolny (Bedford, N.J./Middletown North) and Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) on the ECAC Metro All-Star First Team, the group announced May 28.
A member of the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III All-America Second Team and a first-team NFCA all-East Region and all-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) selection this spring, Reilly became the fourth Pioneer to win the NJAC Player of the Year award in program history when she received the accolade this spring. A member of the NCAA Tournament Mahwah Region First Round All-Tournament Team (May 7-10), Reilly tied for the team lead and tied for second in the NJAC statistics with a .447 batting average (tied-55th in Division III) while leading the conference in on-base percentage (.546, 20th in NCAA) and runs scored (49), and she finished second in the NJAC in doubles (14), runs/game (1.14, 29th in Division III) and walks/game (0.56), tied for second in walks (24, tied-58th in NCAA), third in slugging percentage (.634) and doubles/game (0.33), tied for third in total bases (78), fourth in hits/game (1.28), fifth in hits (55), tied for sixth in triples (three), tied for eighth in hit by pitches (four) and tied for 10th in triples/game (0.07). Her 49 runs scored established a new Pioneer single-season record, and she tied for fourth in doubles, was fifth in walks and tied for fifth in batting average on the WP lists. On April 20, she was selected as the NJAC and ECAC Metro Region Player of the Week.
A starter in 42 of 43 games this season, Reilly primarily played at third base after serving as the Pioneers’ catcher and outfielder during her three previous seasons in Wayne. She finished her career with a .360 batting average and ranks fourth in runs scored (115) and tied for fourth in both doubles (31) and triples (eight) on the William Paterson career records charts. Reilly previously was named to the All-NJAC First (2007) and Second (2008) Teams, as well as the 2007 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-East Region Second Team.
A first-team all-NJAC and NFCA all-East Region selection this spring, Nadolny tied for the team lead and tied for second in the NJAC statistics with a .447 batting average (tied-55th in Division III), and she led the conference in hits (63) and hits/game (2.05) while ranking second in slugging percentage (.660) and total bases (93), tied for third in RBI (36) and home runs (five), fourth in homers/game (0.12) and RBI/game (0.84), tied for fourth in doubles (11), tied for sixth in doubles/game (0.26), tied for seventh in runs scored (33) and eighth in runs/game (0.77). The second baseman started in 43 games this spring and her totals put her third in hits and tied for fifth in batting average on the WP single-season lists. Nadolny, named the NJAC Player of the Week three times (March 23, April 13, May 4) as well as the April 13 ECAC Metro Player of the Week, currently stands second in average (.409) and tied for fourth in triples (eight) on the Pioneer career records lists.
A member of the NFCA all-East Region and all-NJAC first teams this spring, Vitale earned a spot on the NCAA Tournament Mahwah Region First Round All-Tournament Team (May 7-10). The designated player/pitcher led the NJAC and tied the WP school record with 19 doubles, and she finished first in RBI (44), RBI/game (1.02, 47th in NCAA) and doubles/game (0.44, 18th in Division III), tied for third in total bases (78), fourth in slugging percentage (.609), fifth in batting average (.391), sixth in on-base percentage (.451) and hits/game (1.16), tied for sixth in hits (50), and tied for eighth in hit by pitches (four) in the league statistics. Vitale also posted a 7-3 record and a 2.40 ERA inside the circle, starting in 11 of 13 appearances and throwing five complete games, two shutouts and 42 strikeouts in 58.1 innings of work. On the WP single-season charts, she was third in RBI, and on the career lists, she is fifth in batting average (.381).
William Paterson won the NJAC Tournament title and advanced to the final of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament’s Mahwah Region First Round, compiling a final record of 35-9 overall.