Softball's Julianne Tierney Named to ECAC Metro All-Star First Team

Press Release from the ECAC

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The Sage Colleges senior Hillary Faas (East Greenbush, N.Y.), College of Mount St. Vincent freshman Mackenzie Heizer (Vacaville, Calif.) and Farmingdale State freshman Lori Michalowski (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) took top honors, as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2014 Division III Metro Softball All-Star teams and major award winners. Faas was voted the Player of the Year, while Heizer was named the Pitcher of the Year and Michalowski was tabbed as the Rookie of the Year. Voting was completed by the head coaches within the ECAC Division III Metro Softball membership. 

In her final season in a Gators' uniform, Faas hit .465 with six home runs and a team-best 45 RBI. She ranked No. 20 nationally in RBI per game (1.25) and her batting average was No. 41 in the country. Faas slugged .729 with 20 extra-base hits, registered an on-base percentage of .514 and crossed the plate 37 times. She started 37 games at shortstop during 2014, posting a .950 fielding percentage and helping Sage advance to the ECAC Division III Metro/Upstate Softball Championship for the third consecutive season. Faas was also named the ECAC Division III Metro Player of the Week on April 15, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Atlantic Region Second Team selection and the Skyline Conference Player of the Year.

In her first season with the Dolphins, Heizer emerged as one of the top pitchers in the region. She finished the year with a record of 10-2 and an earned run average of 2.03 in 96.2 innings. Heizer fanned 144 batters and tossed 11 complete games, including four shutouts. She held the opposition to a .196 batting average, threw a pair of no-hitters and picked up a pair of saves. She was named the ECAC Metro Pitcher of the Week on April 9 after going 3-1 in the circle with a 0.47 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. Heizer was also named the Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Skyline.

Michalowski played a vital role in helping the Rams advance to the NCAA tournament, batting .419 with 18 RBI and a .624 slugging percentage. She smacked 10 doubles, three home runs and scored 16 runs in 2014, which helped propel Farmingdale State to its fourth consecutive Skyline Conference championship. Michalowski ranked second on the team in home runs, third in batting average and on-base percentage (.460) and fourth in hits. For her efforts, she was also named the 2014 Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year.