SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS RELEASED; KELLER, McHENRY TAKE TOP HONORS

Penn State Altoona senior catcher Clarissa Keller is the 2016 AMCC Softball Player of the Year. Keller proved herself to be a top hitter in the AMCC this season and is one of the most complete players in the league. By the end of the regular season, she ranked first in the conference in batting average (.486), on-base percentage (.517), and slugging percentage (.670), second in runs scored (36), hits (53), total bases (73) and stolen bases (15), fifth in home runs (3), 12th in doubles (9), and 25th in runs batted in (19). Behind the plate, she made only two errors all season while solidifying herself as one of the top defensive catchers in the AMCC. This season, Keller was recognized with an AMCC Player of the Week award and an ECAC Division III South Region Player of the Week award.

For the third straight year, Pitcher of the Year honors goes to D'Youville College senior Kalie McHenry. McHenry finished her career as the best pitcher in Spartan program history. She holds the records for wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, appearances and complete games in D'Youville history. During the 2016 regular season, she set career-highs in innings pitched (199.1), complete games (28), strikeouts (180), games started (28) and games (32). She tied her career-high in wins (21) as well. McHenry led the AMCC in wins (23), strikeouts (203), innings pitched (229.1) and complete games (32), while finishing third in ERA (1.58). She posted four shutouts and has recorded a strikeout in every game. She was a three-time AMCC Pitcher of the Week this season.

Penn State Behrend freshman AJ Nichols has been named the Newcomer of the Year. Nichols is a versatile player that has been at catcher, shortstop and pitcher this season. She played in every conference game, tallying 17 RBI on 21 hits. Nichols smacked five doubles, two triples and only struck out twice. As a pitcher, she went 5-1 in the circle and threw five complete games, only allowing two earned runs. She struck out 39 batters, tying her for eighth in AMCC. As a catcher, she didn't have one passed ball or error defensively. 

For the second time in as many years, D'Youville head coach Ona Halladay has been named the Coach of the Year. Halladay led the Spartans to a 15-3 conference mark, placing them in a three-way tie as regular season champions. They won the tiebreaker for hosting rights of the 2016 AMCC softball championship tournament. 

Click here for the complete all-conference team and postseason awards.