May 11, 2006 - Three Broncs All-MAAC Honors

May 11, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Softball
Three Broncs All-MAAC

STRATFORD, CT—At the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference softball tournament awards banquet Thursday evening Rider University senior Jen Cullen was named First Team All-MAAC, while senior Heather Beintema and junior Nichole Mears were named Second Team All-MAAC.

Cullen (Lake Hopatcong) is second in the conference with 63 hits and is eighth in the MAAC in batting average (.373). In the all-important MAAC games, Cullen compiled 24 hits in 16 games, second most in the conference. The Rider left fielder earned Second Team All-MAAC honors last year.

Beintema (La Mesa, CA) is second in the MAAC in wins (16) and strikeouts (167). Beintema was a First Team All-MAAC selection as a freshman and as a sophomore. She was the MAAC Rookie of the Year and the MAAC tournament MVP in 2003, and was the MAAC Pitcher of the Year and an All-Region selection in 2004.

Mears (Simi Valley, CA) batted .333 against conference pitchers with 17 hits in 16 MAAC games and owned a .943 fielding percentage at third base. Overall, Mears has 40 hits in 44 games.

Rider began the season 1-5 in the MAAC and was 2-6 before winning its final eight conference games to qualify for the four-team Championship tournament. Rider is the third seed and plays the second seed, Marist, at 1:00 pm Friday. Canisius is the top seed and plays tournament host Fairfield at 3:00 pm Friday. The Championship Game is scheduled for Sunday.

-RU-