ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Empire 8 Conference announced its annual softball postseason awards, with Amelia Martin '23 earning second team honors for the Soaring Eagles for her performance during the 2022 campaign. Barbara Guinto '23 also joins Martin, as she was selected to the Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year team.
 
Martin registered one of the most successful offensive seasons in recent history for Elmira, setting a handful of single-season marks. In 31 games, her 43 hits ranked T-3^rd in school history, a record shared with Lisa Colley '91. Amongst those 43 hits, her 11 doubles (T-2^nd) and five triples (T-1^st) rank amongst some of the best in program history while her 26 RBIs which tied for the team-best with Madison Brown-Bloom '23, tie the pair for 4^th for a single season in program history. This season, Martin carried a team-best .377 batting average and .614 slugging percentage, which place her 9^th and 5^th all-time for a single season in program history, respectively.

St. John Fisher College junior outfielder Allie Klonowski and Russell Sage senior outfielder Arianna Papas shared Player of the Year honors, while Nazareth College junior Emily Daciw earned Pitcher of the Year accolades, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2022 Softball All-Conference awards on Tuesday, May 10. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
 
First-year standout Meghan Neto of Alfred University earned Rookie of the Year honors. Chad Muise and his staff from Houghton College was named E8 Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
Klonowski enjoyed a tremendous season for the Cardinals in 2022, hitting .414 with league-best totals of 12 home runs, 39 runs batted in and an .828 slugging percentage, while tying for the league lead with 22 extra base-hits. Her 1.293 OPS was second in the Empire 8. Klonowski is the sixth St. John Fisher student-athlete to earn E8 Player of the Year accolades.
 
Papas led all Empire 8 student-athletes with a .476 batting average, .521 on-base percentage and 1.340 OPS in 2022. She tied for the team lead with 22 extra base hits and was second among all players with 50 hits. Papas slammed 13 doubles, four triples and five home runs, while driving in 30 runs. She also stole six bases on the season and was second in the league with an .819 slugging percentage. Papas is the first Russell Sage student-athlete to earn Empire 8 Player of the Year accolades.
 
Daciw became the second Nazareth player in program history to earn Pitcher of the Year honors. She struck out a league-high 160 batters in just 124 2/3 innings, finishing 10-9 with a 3.26 earned run average, 15 complete games, two shutouts and one save. Daciw struck out at least 10 batters in a game seven times this season, including a career-high 17 at Keuka on April 2.
 
Neto is having an excellent debut season for Alfred, the 2022 Empire 8 Champions, batting .376 with a 1.098 OPS to go along with 14 extra base hits, including three home runs and 24 runs batted in. She has also walked 14 times and has been hit by pitch a league-high 10 times. Neto, an outfielder, has reached base in 30 games this season. Neto is the second straight Saxon to earn E8 Rookie of the Year honors, joining teammate Mya Wells, who was honored in 2021.
 
Muise and his staff of assistant coaches Olivia Scarborough, Brianna Carpenter and Hannah Bailey led Houghton to its finest season in program history as they reached the 20-win plateau for the first time and were in contention for an Empire 8 postseason berth until the final weekend of the regular season.
 
2022 Empire 8 Softball All-Conference Selections:
 
Co-Player of the Year: Arianna Papas, Sr., OF, Russell Sage
Co-Player of the Year: Allie Klonowski, Jr., OF, St. John Fisher
Pitcher of the Year: Emily Daciw, Jr., P, Nazareth
Rookie of the Year: Meghan Neto, Fr., OF, Alfred
Coaching Staff of the Year: Houghton, led by Head Coach Chad Muise
 
Empire 8 First Team
Catcher – Mari Spitz, Fr., C, St. John Fisher
First Base – Kaitlyn Paul, Sr., 1B, Utica
Second Base – Emily Joss, Sr., 2B, Utica
Shortstop – Ashley Lugo, Sr., SS, Alfred
Shortstop – Hannah Haskell, Sr., SS, Houghton
Third Base – Grace Thompson, Sr., 3B, Houghton
Outfield – Sarah Simmons, Sr., OF, Nazareth
Outfield – Arianna Papas, Sr., OF, Russell Sage
Outfield – Allie Klonowski, Jr., OF, St. John Fisher
Utility – Taylor DiCranian, Sr., U, Russell Sage
Designated Player – Allison Rogowski, Sr., DP, St. John Fisher
Pitcher – Emily Daciw, Jr., P, Nazareth
Pitcher – Ainsley Evanetski, Fr., P, St. John Fisher
 
^ There was a tie for the second team Shortstop spot. There are two first team and no second team Shortstop
 
Empire 8 Second Team
Catcher – Marissa Berghorn, So., C, Nazareth
Catcher – Abigail Sacks, Fr., C, Utica
First Base – Mya Wells, So., 1B, Alfred
Second Base – Becca Irizarry, So., 2B, St. John Fisher
Shortstop – Sammie Torlish, Sr., SS, St. John Fisher
Third Base – Emily Agate, Gr., 3B, Russell Sage
Outfield – Meghan Neto, Fr., OF, Alfred
Outfield – Amelia Martin, Jr., OF, Elmira
Outfield – Lydia Peterson, Jr., OF, Houghton
Utility – Allison O'Toole, Sr., U, Alfred
Pitcher – Kayla Loomis, Jr., P, Houghton
Pitcher – Cassidy Ormond, Fr., P, St. John Fisher
 
^ There was a tie for the second team Catcher spot. There are two second team and no third team Catcher
 
Empire 8 Third Team
First Base – Justine Brooks, Jr., 1B, Nazareth
First Base – Makayla Lindsey, Jr., 1B, Russell Sage
First Base – Elise Swanson, Jr., 1B, Houghton
Second Base – Carlee Miller, So., 2B, Houghton
Shortstop – Katelyn Rice, Jr., SS, Russell Sage
Shortstop – Amalia DeMartino, Fr., SS, St. John Fisher
Third Base – Abby Flakus, Sr., 3B, St. John Fisher
Outfield – Maddie Donlin, Fr., OF, St. John Fisher
Outfield – Emma Smith, Jr., OF, St. John Fisher
Outfield – Julia Phelps, Sor., OF, Utica
Pitcher – Megan Bennett, So., P, Alfred
Pitcher – Mikaela Perez, So., P, Alfred
 
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Mara Moore, Sr., C/1B, Alfred
Barbara Guinto, Jr., INF, Elmira
Barbara Richert, Gr., 1B/OF, Houghton
Jordan Cole, Sr., 3B, Keuka
Emily Daciw, Jr., P, Nazareth
Taylor DiCranian, Sr., U, Russell Sage
Maddie Nadrich, So., C, John Fisher
Bailey McElwain, Jr., 1B/OF, Utica