SPARKILL, N.Y. (Oct. 24, 2019) – Fresh off its best season ever, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Softball team kept the momentum going with a very successful fall season.

The Spartans’ historic 25-23 season last spring rewrote the program record book and thrust it on the NCAA Div. II map. They were ranked in the East Region regular-season poll for the first time ever and advanced to the third round of the East Coast Conference playoffs before falling to nationally ranked LIU Post. It was their first NCAA post-season bid since 2006.

Their winning ways continued this fall even after losing eight players to graduation. The Lady Spartans logged a 7-3-1 record highlighted by an exciting 1-0 loss to Iona College, an NCAA Div. I program. Iona’s Alana Evans, the MAAC Pitcher of the Year in 2018, outdueled STAC’s Adrianne Dilal in that game. STAC played Div. I programs University of Rhode Island and Fordham University in the 2018 fall season.

“We have eight freshmen players so this was an important opportunity to evaluate them in game circumstances,” said Head Coach Kristen Sullivan. ““It’s always exciting to play against Div. I teams and we played very well against Iona and a quality pitcher.”

Sullivan used her 23-player roster liberally in recording a doubleheader sweep over Bloomfield and wins over Concordia College, Nyack College, Dominican College, Post University and Mercy College. Dilal shared the pitching duties with junior Paige Toothaker and freshmen right handers Keesia Cisneros and Jai Santiago. Junior Morgan Santora and sophomore Lauren Christensen competed for the starting catcher job.

Returning starters Ashley Landolina (shortstop), Missy Sadler (centerfield) and Taylor Sullivan (first base) played consistently while sophomore Sarah Williams handled the bulk of the playing time at third base. She had two hits in the Iona loss.

Returnees Me’Lani Kendle and Valerie Winalski shared the outfield duties with Sadler and freshmen newcomers Selena Davis and Emilee Davis. Kim Astrologo, Amanda Castro, Rudae Gadson, Elise Oliande and Nikki MacDonald competed for playing time in the infield.  

“We played very competitive softball while auditioning many new players at several positions,” said Sullivan. “I was pleasantly surprised by the level of our play, but we still have a lot of work to do to get ready for next season. We will put together a very demanding off-season training program for the players and that will be the key to our 2020 season.”