WEST BABYLON, N.Y. – The LIU Post softball team swept the East Coast Conference softball major awards and six players were named to the all-conference team as announced by the league office on day two of the ECC Championship May 4.
 
Sophomore Abbey Fortin was tabbed as the ECC Player of the Year, while classmate Katie Humhej was named Pitcher of the Year. Freshman Breana Klaiber captured the league's Rookie of the Year honor and head coach Jamie Apicella was tabbed as the Coach of the Year.
 
Fortin, Humhej and Klaiber, along with juniors Leah Mele and Julia Seader received first-team All-ECC accolades and junior Hannah Olshevski garnered second-team honors.
 
Apicella was named Coach of the Year for the 11th time during his time at the helm of the LIU Post program. The 20th-year head coach helped guide the Pioneers to a regular-season championship after posting a 19-5 record in conference play and eclipsed the 30-win mark for the 19th time.
 
Fortin had a breakout season as a sophomore, hitting over .400 on the season with a league-best 13 home runs and 54 runs batted in. The Canadian hit .438 in league play this year with eight homers and 30 RBIs. Fortin most recently hit what proved to be the game-winning home run against the University of Bridgeport on Day One of the ECC Championship.
 
Right behind Fortin in more ways than one is Klaiber. Hitting behind Fortin in the lineup, Klaiber helped develop a one-two punch for the Pioneers in her first season, hitting .419 in conference play with four home runs and 23 RBIs. The rookie third baseman has compiled 61 hits and 89 total bases in her first collegiate season.
 
In the circle, Humhej has dominated ECC opponents this season. The sophomore posted a 10-0 record in conference play during the regular season, tossing 70.1 innings with a 1.59 earned run average and 64 strikeouts. Overall on the year, Humhej has fanned 120 batters, eclipsing the 200-strikeout mark for her career.
 
Seader and Mele rounded out the first team honorees. The junior catcher is hitting .389 on the season with 68 hits, six home runs, and 37 RBIs after transitioning into the leadoff hitter this season. Seader has reached base safely in 42 of the team's 49 games this season, ranking second to Klaiber for the team lead in with a .448 on-base percentage. Mele has also had a big year, hitting .342 at the dish with 21 runs scored and 23 runs batted in. In the field, Mele boasts a .977 fielding percentage at second base.
 
The Pioneers final all-conference honoree posted 16 wins in the circle during the regular season, compiling a 2.38 earned run average. Eight of Olshevski's victories came in conference play and has recorded five shutouts.
 
LIU Post will look to capture the ECC Championship on Saturday, May 5 at the LIU Post Softball Complex after taking down Mercy College 3-2 in extra innings on day two of the tournament.