LATHAM, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced it's 2021 softball All-Conference Teams as well as its major award winners. All-Conference is composed of two teams, with 11 players regardless of position making up each team. The conference has also awarded the Player of the Year, the Pitcher of the Year, the Rookie of the Year and the Coach of the Year.

Susan Duncan has had an incredible season for Penn State Berks, earning her the title of Player of the Year. This year she has batted .493 from the dish with a team-leading 36 hits. Of those 36, nearly half (17) have gone for extra bags including 14 doubles and three triples. This is apparent in her league topping slugging percentage, which sits at .767. During her 73 at-bats, Duncan has only struck out once, while she registered a hit in all but two games. The junior was also tabbed the NEAC Player of the Week in the week ending on April 19, 2021.

Briana Smith was absolutely dominant from the circle all season for Berks, earning her Pitcher of the Year honors. The sophomore finished with a record of 9-3 while also picking up a save against Penn College on April 7. Over her 75.2 innings pitched, Smith maintained an ERA of just 1.30 which was the lowest among all qualifying NEAC pitchers. She has also punched out 70 batters which tops the entire conference as well. This season, she has shown out nearly every week as she was named the conference's Pitcher of the Week four of the possible five times.

Penn State Harrisburg's Steph Reider looked far from first-year status as she took home Rookie of the Year honors. The freshman's batting average of .571 ranked second in the conference while her 46 hits topped all players. Those hits weren't just pokes either as she finished the year with 12 doubles, a triple and three homers. Reider's top outing came in a 4-for-4 performance against SUNY Morrisville where she hit two doubles, a homer and drove in three runs. 

Donna Ference directed her team to another outstanding season, earning her Coach of the Year honors. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Ferrance collects her fifth COY award (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019). This year she led Penn State Berks to a Regular Season title after posting a 16-2 record in conference play. Ference took pride in her squad's pitching ability, helping guide them to national recognition as they held the seventh best strikeout-to-walk ratio and the 11th best ERA among all Division III squads. She also produced five All-Conference members as well as the Player and Pitcher of the Year.

Player of the Year - Susan Duncan | Penn State Berks

Pitcher of the Year - Briana Smith | Penn State Berks

Rookie of the Year - Steph Reider | Penn State Harrisburg

Coach of the Year - Donna Ference | Penn State Berks

 

All-Conference First Team

Steph Reider | Penn State Harrisburg

Kyla Benner | Penn College

Briana Smith | Penn State Berks

Susan Duncan | Penn State Berks

Olivia Hemstock | Penn College

Arizona Shreck | Penn State Berks

Bri Smith | Penn State Berks

Margaret Mangene | Penn College

Mary Kate Smith | Penn State Abington

Megan Tomoney | Penn State Abington

Jordan Specht | Penn College

 

All-Conference Second Team

Hunter Hart | Penn State Berks

Courtney Fleisher | Penn State Harrisburg

Mary-Kate Penczkowski | Penn State Harrisburg

Delaney Nevius | Penn State Harrisburg

Kaylee DeMatteo | Penn State Harriburg

Phoebe Clemens | Lancaster Bible College

Nicole DeKok | Lancaster Bible College

Jackie McMenamin | Penn State Abington

Ivvy Morder | Penn College

Elyssa Bohr | Penn State Abington

Olivia Maish | Wells College

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The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has eight NCAA Division III member institutions which include: Gallaudet University, Lancaster Bible College, Morrisville State, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, and Wells College. The NEAC also includes one associate member in Rutgers University – Camden (M Golf). The NEAC has also partnered with the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference in the sports of men's and women's lacrosse and the North Atlantic Conference in men's tennis and women's tennis. For more information, please visit: www.neacsports.com.