Official Release  |  2017 All-PSAC Team
 
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown University senior Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) was named the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Pitcher of the Year, KU softball head coach Judy Lawes was named the East's Coach of the Year, and three Golden Bears were deemed All-PSAC status Monday morning, as voted by on the league's coaches.
 
Along with Nierintz earning All-PSAC, sophomore outfielder Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) and junior catcher Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) were named All-PSAC in the East.
 
Kutztown has a 30-15 record this year and was selected to play in the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year. KU will play Bloomsburg University in the first round on Thursday, May 11 at 12 p.m. at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
 
Nierintz is the third Pitcher of the Year in school history, and the first since 2012. She is a three-time All-PSAC selection and has been KU's No. 1 pitcher the last two years. She ranks among the PSAC leaders this season with a 21-7 record, 1.67 ERA and 172 strikeouts. She has gone the distance in 23 of her 26 starts, and has tossed a career-high six shutouts.
 
For her career, Nierintz holds a 2.03 ERA in 599.1 innings. She has 425 strikeouts to 130 walks – a 3/1 ratio – and carries a 58-31 record in 115 appearances. In KU's record book, she ranks second in school history in appearances (115), innings pitched, wins, saves (6), complete games (61) and strikeouts.
 
Lawes earns her seventh career Coach of the Year award from the PSAC – the first since 2012. Now in her 30th year at Kutztown, this year marked Lawes' seventh career PSAC East title and 18th NCAA Tournament appearances. Including this season, she has posted a winning record in 29 of her 30 seasons.
 
All-time, Lawes holds a 924-514-2 career record, a .642 winning percentage. She entered the year ranked eighth among active Division II coaches in victories and 27th in winning percentage. All-time, Lawes ranked 17th in victories and 48th in winning percentage entering the 2017 season.
 
Keeny earns her second All-PSAC honor in as many years at KU. She was named the Freshman of the Year in the East last year and earned All-Atlantic Region honors from the Coaches' Association. Keeny matched her batting average from last season at .403 – seventh in the PSAC – and has scored 40 runs off 62 hits with 11 RBI.
 
She gets on base at a .465 clip and has stolen 35 bases – five more than last year – that ranks fifth in school history. Keeny has used her speed to get on base, as 18 of her 62 hits (29 percent) have been bunts. She started in all 45 games this year, and all 95 for her career. Keeny has 65 career stolen bases as a sophomore, fifth in school history, while her .403 career average currently ranks third-best at KU.
 
Tareila earns her first career postseason honor after having a career year at the plate. The junior catcher is batting .397 this year with 54 hits, 26 RBI, 24 runs and a .574 slugging percentage – all career-highs. She hit three homers this year and has started in all 45 games.
 
For her career, Tareila holds a .979 fielding percentage and has started in 96-of-120 career games. She holds a .353 career batting average with 106 hits and 52 RBI.
 
Rounding out the major awards in the Eastern Division, Millersville's Brittany Smith was named the Athlete of the Year, and West Chester's Bri Garber was named the Freshman of the Year.