SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- University of New England second-year head softball coach Dan Letellier has been voted The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Coach of the Year by his peers, and four players have been named to the all-conference team. TCCC Commissioner Gregg Kaye announced the team and the year's major award winners this afternoon.

Juniors Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine) and Marie Mantelli (Thompson, Conn.) were selected to the first team all-TCCC, classmate Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) made the second team, and sophomore Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) received honorable mention recognition by the league's 13 head coaches.

Letellier has guided the Nor'easters (25-15) to the program's fifth consecutive season of 20 or more wins, and three of the last four years have included 17 conference victories (7 losses). After a 2-5 start, Big Blue reeled off 19 straight triumphs, and had a 14-0 ledger at one point in the TCCC schedule. During the league's 24-game season, UNE finished second in many of the hitting categories (.359 AVG, 177 R, 50 2B). The Nor'easters also led the conference in fielding percentage (.964) and stolen bases (54).

An honorable mention selection last season, Gott finished the TCCC regular-season with the sixth-best batting average (.436), was fourth in hits (34), second in steals (10), and led all league catchers with a defensive stolen base percentage against of .500 (11-22 successful steals). Overall on the year, she is batting .468 (59-for-127) with 33 runs scored, 11 doubles, and 75 total bases.

Mantelli earned a spot on the first team with a .302 batting average in TCCC games, to go with team-highs in runs scored (22) and home runs (4). Her slugging percentage of .566 also led UNE. The designated player/third baseman stole five bases against conference opponents.

With a team-best 1.000 field percentage (33 plays) in league contests, Johnson secured a second-team nod as an outfielder. She shared the team-lead for runs with 22, and was second in hits (27) for a .375 batting average. Johnson also ranked second for UNE in total bases (38), doubles (6), and steals (7).

A second member of the outfield unit to garner recognition, Brigham batted .369 (24-for-65) in league outings. She was right near the team-lead in hits (24), runs (21) and doubles (5), and had six steals in TCCC play.


For the complete release of all the major award winners and all-conference team, click HERE.