LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East Conference has announced its 2024 Softball - Volt Division All-Conference Teams. The All-Conference Teams are made up of twelve student-athletes on each team with two separate All-Conference teams for this season. Four major awards have been handed out including Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
All six Volt Division institutions that sponsor Softball were represented across the two All-Conference teams and major awards. Penn College led the way with seven individuals on the All-Conference teams.
Penn State Harrisburg was right behind with six individuals earning All-Conference honors, including the Player, Pitcher, and Coach of the Year. Penn State Berks and Penn State Abington each had four individuals earning All-Conference honors, respectively.
Lancaster Bible College had two All-Conference honorees while Gallaudet University was represented by one individual on the All-Conference teams.
Major Award Winners
Player of the Year - Madelyn Lehigh (Penn State Harrisburg)
Pitcher of the Year - Mackenzie Sawdey (Penn State Harrisburg)
Rookie of the Year - Marlena Hacker (Penn State Abington)
Coach of the Year - Mandi Baer (Penn State Harrisburg)
Madelyn Lehigh (Jr. / Harrisburg, Pa.) has been named the 2024 United East Player of the Year - Volt Division after leading the Volt Division with a .500 Batting Average, scoring 24 runs, collecting 36 hits, and legging out 9 triples in league play. The Penn State Harrisburg junior led the United East in At-Bats (144), Triples (14), Hits (68) and Runs Scored (44) while finishing Top 5 in Batting Average (.472), Slugging Percentage (.792), On Base Percentage (.534), and On Base + Slugging (1.326). Additionally, Lehigh became the program’s all-time leader in runs scored (123) and set the single-season program record for triples in a season (14). Nationally, Lehigh leads the country with 14 triples, is 5th in the country with 114 Total Bases, 6th in country with 68 Hits, and 35th with the .472 Batting Average. Lehigh is a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree and the United East Rookie of the Year in 2022. Lehigh was an NFCA All-Region awardee in 2023 and was named United East Player of the Week twice in 2024.
Mackenzie Sawdey (So. / Halifax, Pa.) has been named the 2024 United East Pitcher of the Year - Volt Division after leading Penn State Harrisburg to a 15-5 Volt Division record and a share of the regular season championship. The sophomore followed up the 2023 Rookie of the Year campaign by leading the United East with a 1.84 ERA and picking up 18 wins in the circle while throwing 15 complete games. In the 20 league games, Sawdey held opposing batters to a .200 batting average and struck out 78 hitters while throwing 72.2 innings. Nationally, Sawdey is 16th in the country with those 18 victories and 31st with 143 strikeouts on the year. Sawdey won Pitcher of the Week twice this season. This is the second major award for Sawdey, who was the Rookie of the Year in 2023, and second-straight First Team All-Conference award.
Marlena Hacker (FY / Warrington, Pa.) has been named the 2024 United East Rookie of the Year - Volt Division after a strong debut season for Penn State Abington. Hacker started all 40 games for the Lions, hitting .367 with 31 runs scored, 47 hits, 5 doubles, 10 triples, and 31 RBI. Additionally, Hacker stole 14 bases while only being caught three times. Within the United East, Hacker’s 10 triples were second only to Madelyn Lehigh from Harrisburg and finished Top 10 in both hits (8th; 47) and RBI (6th; 31). Nationally, Hacker’s 10 triples and 0.25 Triples per Game Average is second in the country, again behind Lehigh from Harrisburg.
Mandi Baer gilded Penn State Harrisburg to a 15-5 record in the Volt Division and a share of the Volt Division championship. Harrisburg finished the regular season 26-12, tying the single-season program record for wins in the process. Six individuals were named All-Conference in 2024, including the Player and Pitcher of the Year. This is the second Coach of the Year award for Baer, who previously won for the 2022 season.
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Clarks Summit University, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.