University of Massachusets Athletics
Hilary Puglia Named A-10 Player Of The Year
May 12, 2004 | Softball
May 12, 2004
AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts junior shortstop Hilary Puglia (Stoneham, Mass.) has been named the Atlantic 10 Softball Player of the Year in voting conducted by the conference's coaches. Joining her on the All-Conference team are junior pitcher Kelli Arnold (Kalama, Wash.), senior center fielder Aisha Franke (Philadelphia, Pa.) and sophomore third baseman Katie Jo Kelley (Rainier, Ore.). Senior catcher Jamie Cahalan (Mesa, Ariz.) was named to the All-Academic team.
Puglia, who was also named the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association Player of the Year, ranks among the league leaders in nearly every offensive category. She is sixth in hitting (.329), fourth in hits (46), third in runs scored (28), third in RBI (28), tied for third in doubles (9), tied for fifth in triples (2), tied for third in home runs (5), tied for third in total bases (74) and also has 11 stolen bases (seventh in the league). Puglia has compiled a .529 slugging percentage (fifth in the league) and a .381 on-base percentage (ninth in the league). Defensively, she has a .925 fielding percentage in 198 chances. Puglia has reached base safely in 27 of her last 29 games (recording at least one hit 20 times), posting a .387 (36-93) average over that stretch. She has all five of her home runs, 23 RBI and a .634 slugging percentage as well in that time period. She also has seven sacrifice bunts which is tops on the team and seventh in the league. This is Puglia's first appearance on the All-Conference team.
Franke finished the regular second ranked second on the team and seventh in the A-10 with a .324 batting average en route to her second straight All-Conference selection She also ranks fourth in the league and second on the team with 27 runs scored as well as 13 stolen bases. Franke also has 36 hits, eight RBI, seven walks and a .375 on-base percentage. Franke was named to the initial top 40 watch list for the 2004 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. After a slow start, Franke has bounced back to over the .300 mark by hitting .424 in her last 26 games.
Kelley earns All-Conference accolades for the second straight season at third base. She finished the regular season with a .273 batting average and ranks at or near the top of the league in all the power categories. Kelley has hit 13 home runs which set a new UMass single-season home run record and also finished tied for first in the league. Her 38 RBI thus far is first in the A-10 and tied for the seventh-most in a single-season on the school's all-time charts. She also ranks first on the team and second in the league with 77 total bases and a .636 slugging percentage. Her .381 on-base percentage is also ninth in the league. Kelley, who is just a sophomore, already ranks third with 21 career home runs. UMass is 11-1 this year and 18-1 overall when Kelley hits a home run.
Arnold earns her first-ever All-Conference nod for going 18-5 in the circle this year with a 1.76 ERA, both tops on the team. Arnold's 18 wins are the most in the A-10, while her 1.76 ERA is fourth-lowest. Arnold has 102 strikeouts, which is fifth in the league, while her .208 opponent's batting average in second-best. She has allowed 48 runs (36 earned) on 113 hits and 37 walks in 143.0 innings thus far. In her 21 starts, she has 13 complete games, four solo shutouts and four more combined shutouts. On March 30, she and junior Barb LaFogg (Williamsburg, Mass.) combined for a no-hitter. There was one error or else it would have been a perfect game. In her first five outings this year, the Kalama, Wash., native went 0-2 and allowed 19 earned runs. Since then, she has gone 18-3 with a 0.94 ERA and a save. She has not allowed an earned run in the last 29.1 innings pitched. Arnold established a new career-high by striking out 10 La Salle batters in an 8-1 UMass win on March 27.
Cahalan earns all-academic honors for the first time. She has a 3.34 GPA as an Exercise Science major. Cahalan is hitting .241 this season with 16 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, four home runs and 23 RBI. Cahalan is tied for ninth in the league in home runs and eighth in RBI. She hit a home run in three consecutive at bats from March 27 at La Salle (final two at bats) until March 30 at Central Connecticut (first at bat). She also has a .414 slugging percentage and a .346 on-base percentage. Defensively, Cahalan has made just one error behind the plate for a .996 fielding percentage. That error came in the final game of the regular season. She has picked off five runners which is tops in the Atlantic 10.
Temple's Kim Watkins was named the A-10 Pitcher of the Year while Fordham freshman Sara Kinney was the Rookie of the Year. Rocci Pignoli of Temple was tabbed the Coach of the Year.
Massachusetts hosts the Atlantic 10 Tournament, May 13-15, at the UMass Softball Complex. The Minutewomen, who are the No. 1 seed, will play fourth-seeded Fordham in game one at 12:00 p.m. No. 2 Temple and No. 3 Saint Joseph's will play in game two at 2:00 p.m. The Minutewomen are in search of their 10th straight and 17th overall A-10 Tournament title. All games in the A-10 Tournament will be broadcast live online for free through SportsJuice. Bob Behler and Adam Frenier will call all of the action beginning at 11:45 each day. You can find the links on the tournament central page at www.umassathletics.com.
Tickets for the championship are now on sale and can be purchased in advance by calling 1-866-UMass-TIX or in person at the Mullins Center Box Office. They may also be purchased at the door. Adult tickets cost $5 per day or $10 for all three sessions. Atlantic 10 students with ID, children 18 and under and senior citizens cost $3 per day and $7 for a three-day pass. There will also be a group rate of $1 per day for groups of eight or more, but they have to be purchased in advance.