Six from Baseball, Softball Recognized as Google Cloud Academic All-District Selections

Links: Baseball Google Cloud Academic All-District | Softball Google Cloud Academic All-District

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack College Athletics was well-represented on the Google Cloud Academic All-District squads for both baseball and softball when the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) unveiled its honorees for both academic and athletic success this week.

Four members of the baseball program were honored while sophomore Lucy Colarusso and junior Tiffany Mangiameli of the softball program earned representation. The Warriors were one of three teams in the district with multiple selections. Merrimack's baseball team led the district in selections, with seniors Cam Monagle and Matthew Ronai as well as junior Thomas Joyce and sophomore Timmy Kalantzakos receiving the academic accolades.

For Colarusso, Kalantzakos Mangiameli and Monagle, they received their first-ever All-District honors while Joyce earned recognition for the second straight year and Ronai was among the region's top student-athletes for the third time. A student-athlete is recognized as an All-District selection for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The student-athlete must have an overall G.P.A of 3.3 or higher to qualify in addition to being a significant contributor on the field. The Google Cloud Academic All-America® program separately recognizes baseball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. 

Merrimack's third baseman, Colarusso earned the first Google Cloud All-District nomination of her career after becoming the everyday starter for Merrimack. After seeing 19 starts in her freshman campaign, she became one of the most valued hitters for the Warriors this season. Earning her first all-conference nod in her second season, she led Merrimack's offense for the entire season in batting average, sporting a .349. Starting in 45 of the 47 games for the Warriors at third, she collected 45 hits, 17 RBI, one home run, an on-base percentage of .403, all while holding a slugging percentage of .457. She leads the team in assists with 110, and has just 12 strikeouts to her name in over 125 at-bats.

Another all-confernence performer at shortstop, Mangiameli's 3.81 GPA as a business major impressed the voters across the district. The junior shortstop was nothing short of exceptional, hitting a career-high .341 on the season. In 138 at-bats, the Middlefield, Connecticut, native collected 47 hits, 42 runs, seven extra-base hits, and an on-base percentage of .432. Hitting primarily in the leadoff spot, she's played every game this season for the Warriors, and was the only player to see time at shortstop. She led the NE10 all season in stolen bases, successfully swiping 35 bags in 37 attempts. Her fielding percentage was the highest among Merrimack infielders, currently holding a .955.

Kalantzakos was stellar this season during a breakout second-year campaign. In addition to NE10 All-Conference Second Team honors, the starting pitcher posted a 3.73 GPA as a business administration major. The Andover, Mass. native notched a 1.97 ERA during 11 regular season starts, ranking eighth in the NE10 and among the top-25 nationwide in earned-run average. The right-handed pitcher finished the year with 10 consecutive quality starts, leading Merrimack in that category.

Joyce boasted the highest GPA (3.85) among infielders in the region, earning a deserved selection for the second straight year as an economics major. The first baseman ended the regular season tied for the team lead with a career-high 37 RBI. His career campaign also includes a single-season high four homers as well as new career bests in walks (29) and steals (15). Through 45 games, the Newton, Mass. native has tied his previous career highs in hits (52) and doubles (8), while he's currently fielding at a career-best clip of .995.

Monagle's career year resulted in both his first-ever all-conference selection, on the first team nonetheless, and now a spot on the All-District First Team in regards to academics. Owning a 3.58 GPA as a business major, the fourth-year hurler owns a 7-0 record with a 1.46 ERA this season, posting the second most wins in a single-season in school history. His earned-run average ranks third in the NE10 and fourth nationally, and is on pace to be one of the top-five lowest single-season totals in program history.

Ronai's junior season ended with his selection as the program's second-ever Google Cloud Academic All-American, and his success in the classroom continued during his senior campaign. The Orange, Conn. native boasted a 3.83 GPA as a sports medicine major, and earned this year's selection as an outfielder after his previous two honors came in the designated hitter slot. Ronai became the sixth player in school history to record 200 career hits during the regular season, and entered the postseason tied for the team lead with 12 doubles on the year. He ranks among the top five the Warriors in most offensive statistics.

All six Warriors will now be eligible for Google Cloud Academic All-American status, with those announcements to come in June.