Montclair, NJ (6/23/08) – Softball third baseman Jackie Ferranti (Bergenfield, NJ / Bergenfield) and men’s lacrosse goalkeeper Thomas Bowers (Hamburg, NJ / Pope John XXIII) were named Players of the Year in their respective sports as Montclair State placed a total of seven players on the ECAC Spring Sports All-Star teams.

Ferranti, who led the Red Hawks to a record-setting season, including the NJAC Championship, headlined the Metro Softball All-Star squad while Bowers was chosen the Goalkeeper of the Year for the Metro-South Team. Bowers helped Montclair to a 12-5 record during the 2008 campaign and the Skyline Conference regular-season title. Ferranti was joined on the softball team by fellow seniors Carolyn McCrea (Wharton, NJ / Jefferson) and Maureen Shockley (Magnolia, NJ / Triton) as well as freshman Leslie Gonzalez (North Bergen, NJ / North Bergen), who was selected as the Rookie of the Year. Seniors Jeff Miller (Wyckoff, NJ / Ramapo) and Lou Politan (Livingston, NJ / Livingston) were selected to the ECAC Metro Baseball All-Star Team.

Named the NJAC Female Athlete of the Year and a First-Team All-American by the NFCA, Ferranti batted .431 this season with 66 hits, 60 runs scored (single-season record), 16 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 38 RBI while drawing a season-record 38 walks and posting slugging and on-base percentages of .745 and .542, respectively. In addition she stole 11 bases and successfully handled 126 of 128 chances in the field. Ferranti led the NJAC in eight categories, including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, home runs, total bases and walks while finishing second in RBI.

Bowers, a two-time Skyline selection, led the conference in every goalkeeping category. The all-time saves leader in Montclair State history, Bowers posted a goals against average of 6.75 (second-best in school history) while making 192 saves as he ran his career record to 671 in three season. Bowers, who was named the Skyline Player of the Week on March 24, had a .646 save percentage this season and also set the career record for win as he is now 30-17.

McCrea went 24-4 this season with a 0.94 ERA and a season-record five saves as she garnered Second-Team All-America honors by the NFCA. The NJAC Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season, McCrea allowed just 30 runs in 183.1 innings, fanning 201 batters. A First-Team NFCA All-Region selection, McCrea, the holder of two of the six recorded perfect games in MSU history, led the conference in wins, shutouts (10) ERA, strikeouts and saves and finished her career with a sparking 74-20 record with 28 shutouts and nine saves while striking out a school-record 597 batters.

Shockley, a two-time All-Region pick, had been solid in centerfield for the Red Hawks this season. The left-handed hitting Shockley batted .362 with 54 hits, 10 doubles and two homers. In addition Shockley also drove in 30 runs while also stealing eight bases and scoring 29 times.

Gonzalez came up with plenty of clutch hits during her first season with Montclair as she batted. 405 with 26 runs scored and 18 RBI. Appearing in 46 games this season, Gonzalez, the NJAC Rookie of the Year, was second on the team in batting average.

Miller, a First-Team All-NJAC pick, led the Red Hawks with a .420 batting average and 45 RBI along with 15 doubles, seven home runs and 47 runs scored. Miller, who threw out 14 base runners during the season, recorded 71 hits, drew 29 walks and had a slugging percentage of .657 as well as a .488 on-base average.

Politan, who hit the game-winning home run against Eastern Connecticut in the NCAA Regional, batted .388 with 66 hits, 10 doubles, six triples, three homers and 31 RBI while registering a team-best 42 walked while tying Miller for second on the squad with 47 runs scored. Politan, a First-Team All-NJAC selection, had an on-base percentage of .505 and successfully handled 397 of 399 chances at first base.