NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - The Little East Conference announced its annual all-conference teams and end of the season awards this afternoon after a vote by the eight head coaches. Rhode Island College senior Christie Lotti (Waterford, Conn.) and second baseman Amanda Perry (New Bedford, Mass.) were selected Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Western Connecticut State University senior Shelby Slie (Seymour, Conn.) earned Pitcher of the Year honors, while Eastern Connecticut State University boss Diana Pepin was named Coach of the Year.

Lotti is the first softball player in the Little East Conference history to win an end of the season award in each of her four seasons on the diamond, earning player of the year honors for the third consecutive campaign and rookie of the year accolades in 2005. The Waterford, Conn. product sat atop the conference standings in runs scored (55) and hits (61), while ranking third in batting average (.449), on-base percentage (.531), total bases (83), and stolen bases (21). She set the Rhode Island College single-season record for runs scored, while matching the standard for walks with 24. A prolific hitter, Lotti posted 19 multiple hits games, including a season-high four base knocks at Roger Williams on April 10. She was recently named to the 2008 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-New England, first-team yesterday.

Slie became the fifth consecutive student-athlete over the past eight seasons to repeat as the conference's top pitcher. The native of Seymour, Conn. led the Little East Conference in batters struck out (162), earned run average (1.31), and opposing batting average (.221), while ranking second in wins (15). In 28 appearances, Slie posted a 15-6 overall record and went the distance in 14 contests. A dominant strikeout pitcher, she fanned at least 10 batters in seven games, including a season-high 12 against Plymouth State University on April 11. Slie held her opposition scoreless in 14 contests this season, including a five-game span between March 18 and March 27. She was also recently named to the NFCA All-New England, first-team.    

The third Anchorwomen to earn rookie of the year honors, Perry broke the Rhode Island College single-season RBI record (36), putting an additional six between the previous record holder. The New Bedford, Mass. product ranked among the conference leaders in RBI (3rd, 36), batting average (4th, .434.), hits (5th, 49), runs scored (5th, 39), and slugging percentage (5th, .664). A consistent hitter, Perry pieced together a team-best 13-game hitting streak, spanning March 11 to April 11. She registered at least two hits in 15 contests this season, including a 5-for-5 performance against Southern Maine on March 29. Perry was a third-team at-large selection to the 2008 NFCA All-New England teams.

Pepin led Eastern Connecticut to a share of the Little East Conference Regular Season Championship for the first time in the program's history. The Warriors earned the top seed and the right to host the 2008 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament with a 12-2 mark in the conference circuit. Eastern Connecticut's 12 Little East victories are a program best. Pepin led her charges to a season-high six-game winning streak between March 17-20. She mentored a conference-best four all-conference, first-team selections. The Warriors (26-12) accepted their 15th invitiation to the NCAA Division III Tournament on Monday morning.

Rhode Island College placed seven student-athletes on the all-conference teams, while Keene State College, Western Connecticut State University, and the Warriors had five honorees. Plymouth State University earned two picks, while UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth, and the University of Southern Maine each had a lone representative.    

Initially formed in 1986 as a six-team men's and women's basketball conference, the Little East Conference has since grown to its present eight-school membership, sponsoring championship play in 19 intercollegiate athletics: baseball; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's cross country; field hockey; men's and women's lacrosse; men's and women's soccer; softball; women's swimming; men's and women's tennis; men's and women's indoor track; men's and women's outdoor track and women's volleyball.

2008 Little East Conference Softball Award

 
Player of the Year
Christie Lotti, Rhode Island College
      
Pitcher of the Year 
Shelby Slie, Western Connecticut
      
Rookie of the Year 
Amanda Perry, Rhode Island College
         
Coach of the Year 
Diana Pepin, Eastern Connecticut State University