UMBC

Amanda Fefel

Emily Thompson

Lauren O'Malley

Heather Brown

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—UMBC senior Amanda Fefel (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) became the 10th softball player in America East history to be named to the All-Conference First Team four years in a row and was joined on the all-league squads by senior right fielder Emily Thompson (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls), junior designated player Lauren O'Malley (Pasadena, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and freshman pitcher Heather Brown (Pasadena, Md./Northeast), the league announced Wednesday. All awards were voted on by the conference’s seven head coaches.

Thompson was voted to the first team, while O’Malley earned second-team honors and Brown was tabbed to the All-Rookie Team.

A unanimous first-team selection, Fefel batted .331 and ranked in the top five in the America East with 53 hits, 13 home runs, 35 RBI and 101 total bases. Her 13 homers match her career high for the fourth-highest single season total in school history. The third baseman/pitcher added nine doubles and 33 runs, slugged .631 and reached base at a .401 clip. Fefel also went 4-5 with a 2.64 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 21 appearances on the mound, and she earned a school-record and league-best four saves.

One of UMBC’s most prolific power hitters, Fefel finished her career with a school-record 43 home runs while collecting 147 RBI and 219 hits, including 77 for extra bases, which all rank among the Retrievers’ top 10 totals all-time. She also picked up 32 victories and a school-record eight saves in the pitcher’s circle, striking out 294 batters in her career, the fourth-highest total in UMBC history.

Fefel is just the second Retriever ever to earn first-team all-conference honors all four years, joining Deanna Vecchio (1999-2002) in the Northeast Conference. She is the first America East player to do so since Albany’s Amber Maisonet (2005-08).

Thompson had a career year in 2010, as she batted a team-best .333 and slugged .558 with 52 hits, seven doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI. She was even better against America East opponents, leading the league with 25 hits, including 11 for extra bases, and ranking in the top five in average (.397), slugging (.762) and total bases (48). She was also outstanding in the field, as she committed just one error in 57 chances and had five outfield assists. Thompson’s 17 career home runs rank 10th all-time at UMBC.

O’Malley batted .302 with 35 hits, seven doubles and 10 RBI on the season, and most of her production came when it counted most, as she hit five doubles and drove in six runs against conference foes.

Brown pitched to a 9-7 record with a 4.31 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 99.0 innings of work. She was perfect in the field, as she did not commit an error in 34 chances, and she also blasted a home run for her first career hit.

“I’m very excited for all of our players that received postseason awards,” head coach Joe French said. “I’m especially proud of the fact that Amanda was a four-year first-team selection, and I’m also very excited for Emily, who just had an outstanding season. Congratulations also to Lauren and Heather for making second team and the all-rookie team.”

Boston University outfielder April Setterlund was the unanimous selection for Player of the Year, while her teammate, Cassidi Hardy, was the unanimous Pitcher of the Year. Binghamton outfielder Jessica Phillips was tabbed Rookie of the Year, and Terrier head coach Shawn Rychcik was named Coach of the Year.