UTICA, NY- Five members of the Utica University softball team were recently named to the 2022 Empire 8 All-Conference teams. Seniors
Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland) and
Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) took home first team honors, while freshman
Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) was named to the second team, and sophomore
Julia Phelps (Waterford, NY/Shenendehowa High School) earned third team accolades. Junior
Bailey McElwain (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker High School) was chosen as the program's representative on the E8 Sportswoman of the Year team.
Paul is making her second career appearance on the first team as she also earned the honor as a freshman. Paul batted .357 this season and she ranked second in the E8 with 36 RBIs and seven home runs. She also ranked fourth in the conference with a .634 slugging percentage.
Joss earned All-Conference nods for the second year in a row after she was named third team All-E8 last season. The everyday second baseman ranked sixth in the conference with a .404 batting average. She was also fifth in on base percentage (.485) and seventh in slugging percentage (.588). Joss was also second in steals (20) and tied for fourth in the conference with four home runs.
Sacks batted .367 in conference play (.302 overall) and made an immediate impact as she hit a three-run home run in her first collegiate at bat. Sacks finished the year with four homers, which tied for fourth in the E8.
Phelps also picked up her second straight All-Conference accolades after she finished fourth on the Pioneers with a .300 batting average. She tied for fifth in the conference with two triples and finished third in the E8 with 17 steals.
McElwain was Utica's representative on the Sportswoman of the Year team. One member of each team is selected for competing with honor and integrity, while consistently exhibiting the critical traits of an outstanding sportswoman. McElwain started just two games for the Pioneers before she was sidelined with a season-ending injury. However, she still was a valuable member of the team.
