May 8, 2003

The University of Notre Dame softball team earned seven all-BIG EAST awards and two major individual player awards at the BIG EAST Conference awards brunch on Thursday before the 2003 BIG EAST Championship begins.

Senior All-American Andrea Loman was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year, marking the third-straight season a Notre Dame player has landed the top conference award (Lizzy Lemire, 2001, Jarrah Myers, 2002). Loman helped the Irish win the conference regular season title with a .397 batting average this season, and ranked in the top three in conference-only stolen bases, hits, RBI and slugging percentage.

Freshman Heather Booth went home with the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Award. Booth has led the Irish pitching staff the whole season, helping Notre Dame to a 14-3 record in the conference and posting a 1.65 ERA in league play.

Loman and Booth were joined on the all-BIG EAST first team by senior first base Lisa Mattison, sophomore outfielder Megan Ciolli and freshman designated player Meagan Ruthrauff. Both Ruthrauff and Loman were unanimous selections to the first team. Mattison earns all-BIG EAST honors for the third consecutive season, while Ciolli has been named to the first team in her two seasons with the Irish. Loman is a four-time first-team selection, while Booth and Ruthrauff earned their initial award.

The all-BIG EAST second team included freshman catcher Mallorie Lenn and senior short stop Andria Bledsoe. It is the third-straight season that Bledsoe has made either the first or second team at the BIG EAST awards banquet.

Booth, Lenn and Ruthrauff also were named to the BIG EAST all-rookie team.

Boston College senior Kim Ryan was named the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, while her coaching staff walked away with the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year trophy.

The 2003 BIG EAST Championship begins Thursday night, when Villanova and Boston College meet at 5 p.m. Notre Dame will take on Seton Hall at 7 p.m.

All-BIG EAST First Team

Kim Ryan, P, Boston College*

Heather Booth, P, Notre Dame

Nikki Childress, C, Rutgers

Lisa Fischer, IF, Boston College

Andrea Loman, IF, Notre Dame*

Lisa Mattison, IF, Notre Dame

Ricci Lugo, IF, Villanova

Erin Mackey, OF, Boston College

Megan Ciolli, OF, Notre Dame

Lisa Krueger, OF, Villanova

Francesca DiMaria, UT, Pittsburgh

Meagan Ruthrauff, DP, Notre Dame*

All-BIG EAST Second Team

Tekae Malandris, P, Boston College

Christina Shanko, P, Seton Hall

Theresa Hornick, P, Villanova

Mallorie Lenn, C, Notre Dame

Mandy Schettini, IF, Connecticut

Maggie Arbogast, IF, Connecticut

Andria Bledsoe, IF, Notre Dame

Alesha Argeras, IF, St. John's

Jacqui Goodchild, OF, Boston College

Jo Sherlock, OF, St. John's

Tanya Rose, OF, Syracuse

Barb Cook, UT, Connecticut

Rachel Pacheco, DP, Virginia Tech

BIG EAST All-Rookie Team

Kim Castner, C, Connecticut

Heather Booth, P, Notre Dame*

Mallorie Lenn, C, Notre Dame*

Meagan Ruthrauff, DP, Notre Dame*

Francesca DiMaria, UT, Pittsburgh*

Megan Oliver, IF, St. John's

Jo Sherlock, OF, St. John's*

Katie Pierce, IF, Seton Hall

Alexis Switenko, IF, Syracuse

Kelly Brown, OF, Virginia Tech

* - unanimous selections