Sparkill, N.Y. – St. Thomas Aquinas College took home six major awards in 2026 East Coast Conference (ECC) Softball All-Conference Team announced today highlighted by Emma Popp winning co-Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Kristen Sullivan recognized as Coach of the Year for the fifth straight season.
Popp, who also won first-team recognition as a pitcher, and Sullivan were driving forces behind STAC’s impressive run to the ECC regular-season title and an overall record of 30-12. They are currently ranked second in the NCAA Division II East Region poll.
Joining Popp (Buffalo, N.Y.) with first-team All-ECC honors were Olivia Leon (Stony Point, N.Y.) at catcher, Trinadey Santiago (Cheshire, Conn.) at third base, and Sofia Marella (Cranston, R.I.) at designated player. Teammates Alyssa Haberstroh (Thornton, Colo.) at first base, Elyse Marcano (Middletown, N.Y.) at second base, Adrianna Coira (San Juan, Puerto Rico) at shortstop and Lauren Falk (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) at pitcher were named to the second team.
Popp has enjoyed a stellar season as a freshman in the circle. The right-hander posted a 16-1 record with 129 strikeouts in 132.1 innings while compiling an earned run average of 3.17. Popp and Falk have formed a formidable 1-2 pitching tandem. Falk finished the season with a 14-8 record that included eight shutout wins.
STAC entered the season with cautious optimism, but Sullivan has found a winning formula that has included excellent pitching, the trademark of the program, and exceptional hitting throughout the lineup. Seven players have .300 or better batting averages. The Spartans notched their fourth consecutive 30-win season and have recorded their most regular-season ECC wins and own a 15-game win streak entering the conference playoffs.
Marella emerged as the team’s most dangerous offensive weapon. The sophomore leads the ECC in homers and RBI and has batted at an impressive .440 clip. Leon turned in her best collegiate season with a .370 batting average and a team-leading 16 doubles. Santiago returns to the first-team for the second straight season after another solid campaign. She has slugged nine homers and compiled an on-base-percentage of .421.
The top-seeded Spartans will host the ECC playoffs and will meet College of Staten Island on Thursday at noon in the first-round of the double-elimination tourney. Mercy and D’Youville University will face off in the other first-round game at 3 p.m.
2026 ECC Softball All-Conference Team
C - Olivia Leon, St. Thomas Aquinas
1B – Frankie Morris, D’Youville
2B - Allison Murphy, Mercy
3B - Santiago Trinadey, St. Thomas Aquinas
SS - Averi Miller, Mercy
OF - Danielle Fenlong, D’Youville
OF - Shannon Howes, D’Youville
OF - Dylan Reyer, Mercy
DP - Sofia Marella, St. Thomas Aquinas
UTIL Player – Alyssa Bueno, Molloy
UTIL Pitcher – Caylea Campbell, Queens
UTIL Pitcher – Stevie Dabbadie, Molloy
P – Summer Clark, D’Youville
P – Emma Grace Popp, St. Thomas Aquinas
Second Team All-Conference
C - Mariah Cepeda, Molloy
C - Madilyn Paul, Staten Island
1B - Alyssa Haberstoh, St. Thomas Aquinas
2B - Elyse Marcano, St. Thomas Aquinas
3B - Kadie Cain, Queens
SS - Adriana Coira, St. Thomas Aquinas
OF - Emma Jackson, Mercy
OF - Abbie Morris, Staten Island
OF - Megan Wegel, Molloy
DP - Olivia Wanser, Queens
P – Lauren McSweeney, Mercy
P – Lauren Falk, St. Thomas Aquinas
P – Nellie Donahue, Queens
Pitcher of the Year: Summer Clark, D’Youville
Co-Rookie of the Year: Emma Jackson, Mercy
Co-Rookie of the Year: Emma Grace Popp, St. Thomas Aquinas
Coach of the Year: Kristen Sullivan, St. Thomas Aquinas