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University of the Sciences Athletes Named Academic Achievement Award Winners

Cleveland, Ohio (August 10, 2010) - The Division II Athletics Directors Association (DII ADA) announced the 2009-10 recipients of the DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards presented by WeatherPORT. The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level. Twenty-four student-athletes from the University of the Sciences were amongst the 3,022 athletes recognized from 97 Division II institutions by the NCAA Division II Athletic Directors Association (DII ADA).

In order to be recognized as an Academic Achievement Award recipient, the student athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale; have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work and be an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.  The institution’s athletic director must also be a current dues paying member of the DII ADA......more

Phillips Named to 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All District Softball Team

Philadelphia, Pa. (May 7, 2010) – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball player Dayna Phillips was named today to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-District Two Softball Team.

Phillips (Cumberland Regional High School/Rosenhayn, N.J.), a sophomore, was named as a first team selection in balloting done by District Two sports information directors. The Devils' centerfielder was the one of three softball player from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) to be named to 13-person first team in district two and the first conference softball athlete to earn Academic All-District honors twice since the CACC’s NCAA era began. As a first team selection, Phillips will move onto the national ballot.

The District Two College Division consists of all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia and District of Columbia. To be nominated for the Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a minimum 3.30 grade point average and a starter or significant reserve on her team....more

Softball Team Ends Season at CACC Championships (5/9/10)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team completed their 2010 campaign with a 1-2 record at the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Championships, losing their opening game to top seed and eventual champion Dominican College 6-1, before defeating Philadelphia University 7-2 to remain alive on the first day of competition. Concordia College then needed ninth inning heroics to defeat the Devils 4-2 in Friday's opening game.

The Devils finish the season with a 15-28 record. Senior Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) recorded hits in every game and was named to the CACC All-Tournament Team for her efforts in the Devils' three games. Tu had four hits in ten at-bats and was hit by a pitch twice.

Against Concordia, senior Erin Degnan pitched eight scoreless innings, keeping the Devils in the game as neither team was able to produce a run until the ninth inning. In the top half of the ninth inning, Haley Kavalak laced a single through the left side of the infield with two out before Mia Crotti hit a long home run to straightaway centerfield to give the Devils a 2-0 lead..........more

Summers and Tu Named to CACC All-Conference Softball Team

New Haven, Conn. (May, 4, 2010)– University of the Sciences in Philadelphia freshman Erin Summers and senior Samantha Tu were named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) All-Conference Women’s Softball Team as Second Team selections as announced today by the conference office. In addition junior Dayna Phillips was chosen as an honorable mention selection. The All-CACC team selections are done by the league’s 14 coaches.

The USP softball team finished the regular season with a 14-26 record and qualified for the post-season for the second time in the last three seasons.

The freshman Summers (Pitman High School/Pitman, N.J.) had the highest batting average this season amongst all the outfielders selected by the coaches to the first and second teams, leading the Devils with a .402 average. Her .402 mark is good enough to rank fifth amongst all CACC batters and is the second highest amongst all freshman softball players in the league. Erin leads the Devils with four home runs and 15 RBI while playing in 37 of Sciences' 40 games this season. The freshman outfielder also ranks tenth in the CACC in on-base percentage (.442) and ninth in the league in slugging percentage (.578).........more

Summers Named CACC Softball Rookie of the Week

New Haven, Conn. (5/4/10) – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball outfielder Erin Summers has been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending May 2, 2010.

Summers (Pitman High School/Pitman, N.J.) had hits in all four of the Devils games this week as she extended her hitting streak to a team high nine games. This is the second time Summers has earned CACC rookie of the Week honors, the first coming after her four home run week back on April 12, 2010.........more

Devils Earn Split with now Second-Place Chargers (5/1/10)

Never say never when it comes to the world of CACC women's softball. After falling from third place to ninth during their recent losing streak, the University of the Sciences women's softball team kept their playoff hopes alive by rallying to win the first game of their doubleheader against then first place Dominican College, 9-6 this afternoon at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

The now second-place Chargers came back to win game two 7-1. The split improves the Devils Central Atlantic Collegiate conference record to 12-14 and are still holding in ninth place, awaiting the results of Dominican's last two games on Sunday. A Charger sweep of Wilmington and the Devils will qualify for the playoffs for the second time in three years.

In the opener, Samantha Tu and Erin Summers had three hits apiece while Brittany Brown, Kerrianne Jones and Mia Crotti each drove in two runs. Winning pitcher Courtney Spina recorded her 100th strikeout of the season, becoming only the second pitcher in program history to record 100 strikeouts in one season (Rachel Morgan did it twice (2008, 2009). Spina is now 8-9 on the season..........more

Playoff Hopes Fade as Eagles Sweep Devils (4/24/10)

The University of the Sciences women’s softball team saw their playoff hopes fade further into the distance as the Post University Eagles completed a two-game sweep of the Devils, 3-1 and 4-2 Saturday afternoon at LaMoy field in Waterbury, Connecticut.

The two losses drop the Devils Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference record to 11-13 and their overall record to 13-23. The Eagles improve to 12-12 in league play and are 16-26 overall. The Devils have now dropped 11 straight conference games dating back to their second game against Concordia on April 10, 2010. USP now sits in ninth place, one game behind Post University for the eighth and final playoff spot with one conference doubleheader remaining (against first place Dominican College).

The Devils lone run in the opening game came as a result of a Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) home run in the second inning. Crotti’s blast put the Devils ahead, 1-0 at the time..........more

Rams Take Two From Devils (4/22/10)

Amidst Thursday afternoon's sudden thunderstorms, there was a pair of softball games played at USP's McNeil Field between the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and Philadelphia University. When the rain clouds disappeared and the games finally ended some 4 1/2 hours after they started, the Rams of Philadelphia University had completed a two-game sweep of the Devils, 5-2 and 9-5.

The sweep extends the Devils losing streak to nine straight games and drops their overall record to 13-21. In Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games, Sciences is now 11-11 overall and clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot with four CACC games remaining. The Rams improve to 22-14 overall and 14-6 in league play.........more

Cougars Sweep Devils (4/19/10)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia dropped their third straight doubleheader Monday afternoon, losing a pair of games to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference powerhouse Caldwell College, 8-0 and 2-1 at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

The two losses drop the Devils record to 13-19 overall and 11-9 in Central Atlantic Collegiate conference games. The Devils have dropped seven straight games dating back to their doubleheader at Concordia on April 10, 2010. Caldwell improves to 29-11 overall and 15-3 in league play.

In the opener, the Devils managed just two hits off Caldwell pitcher Brittany Pulido while the Cougars pounded out eight runs and eight hits in the first four innings off starter and losing pitcher Erin Degnan while cruising to an 8-0 win in five innings. Five of Caldwell's eight runs were earned. The Devils got a single from Courtney Spina in the second inning and a leadoff single in the third from Kerrianne Jones. jones was the only Devils runner to reach second base in the game, moving up on a wild pitch later in the third inning..........more

Summers Named CACC Softball Rookie of the Week

New Haven, Conn. (4/12/10) – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball outfielder Erin Summers has been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending April 11, 2010.

In eight games this week, Summers (Pitman High School/Pitman, N.J.) set or tied three school records while batting .524 on the week with four home runs and 12 RBI.

The freshman outfielder opened the week with a record setting performance in the Devils doubleheader sweep of Wilmington University on Monday. In Sciences opening game 9-0 win, Summers tied a school record with two home runs in the game.....more

Devils Strike Down Lightning (4/9/10)
Earn sixth straight conference win

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team earned their sixth straight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference win with a doubleheader sweep over Goldey-Beacom College Friday at McNeil Field, downing the Lightning 6-3 and 5-4.

The Devils are now 12-12 overall and 10-2 in league games. Goldey-Beacom falls to 14-12 overall and 6-9 in league play.

Sciences belted out 10 hits in each contest. Gabrielle Adams (Chichester HS/Aston, Pa.) and Erin Summers (Pitman HS/Pitman, N.J.) each drove in a pair of runs in the opener to support Courtney Spina's (Garnet Valley HS/Thornton, Pa.) sixth victory of the season. Spina helped her own cause with a triple.

In the nightcap Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) had four hits while Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) added a pair as the Devils hung on for the 5-4 win, giving Erin Degnan (Gwynedd Mercy Academy/ Doylestown, Pa.) her fifth win of the season. Summers and Adams each had a hit to extend their hitting streaks to seven and five games respectively. Julie Shaw (Ramapo HS/Wyckoff, N.J.) came into the game to pitch in the seventh and picked up her first collegiate save........more

Spina, Degnan Throw Shutouts as Devils Offense Overpowers Chestnut Hill (4/7/10)

Courtney Spina and Erin Degnan pitched a shutout in their respective games as the University of the Sciences women's softball team's bat came alive, defeating Chestnut Hill College 8-0 and 10-0 Wednesday at McNeil Field in Philadelphia. Both games lasted only five innings.

The Devils improve to 8-2 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games and 10-12 overall while the Griffins fall to 2-10 in league play and 2-20 overall.

Spina (Garnet Valley HS/Thornton, Pa.) needed just 67 pitches in the opener to earn her third shutout of the season. The rookie right-hander gave up just two hits while striking out nine and walking none. At the plate, Courtney was 1-for-2 with a double and was hit by a pitch. Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) was the big offensive star for the Devils getting three of the Devils ten hits in the game, including an RBI triple in the first inning. Tu drove in two in the game.All nine Sciences batters had at least one hit.......more

Summers Homers Again, but Devils are Swept by Marauders (4/6/10)
Mia Crotti also records 100th career hit

Erin Summers hit her fourth home run of the season in Tuesday's second game of the University of the Sciences softball team's doubleheader with Millersville, giving her four home runs in the past four games. However the Devils lost both ends of the twinbill, dropping the opener 4-2 and then the nightcap 7-6 at McNeil field in Philadelphia.

Summers four home runs is the most by a Devils softball player since teammate Mia Crotti hit four in the 2008 season and is already the third highest single season total in program history. Crotti meanwhile was reaching a milestone of her own, becoming the tenth softball player in program history to record 100 career hits. The senior catcher reached the mark with a single in the Devils final at-bat in the second game

Summers Hits Three Home Runs As Devils Sweep Wildcats (4/5/10)

Erin Summers tied a school record with two home runs in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against Wilmington University and added a third home run in the nightcap as the University of the Sciences women's softball team swept the Wildcats 9-0 and 7-3 in New Castle, Delaware.

Summers blasted two two-run home runs in the opener and finished the game going 3-for-3 with four runs batted in as the Devils won 9-0 in five innings. The two home runs tie the school record for most home runs in one game, set by Megan Trimble who accomplished the feat three times in 2004. Gina Murray was near perfect on the mound, allowing just one hit and just three base runners while walking none and striking out three to earn the win. Haley Kavelak also drove in three runs in the game.

In the nightcap, Summers added a three-run home run in the inning, erasing a 3-0 deficit and establishing a record for most home runs in one doubleheader with three. Summers again had four RBI while Kerrianne Jones added two with a double in the Devils four-run sixth inning. Courtney Spina got the win in relief, pitching 3 1/3 innings of scoreless softball.

Spina Named CACC Softball Rookie of the Week

New Haven, Conn. (4/5/10) – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball pitcher Courtney Spina (Garnet Valley H.S./Thornton, Pa.) has been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending April 4, 2010.

In her only appearance this week, Spina threw her second complete game shutout of the season, out-dueling All-American and CACC Pitcher of the Year Diana Sansevera of Georgian Court University as the University of the Sciences women's softball team earned their first win over the Lions since the 2005 season, 1-0 in eight innings.....more

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More game stories and recaps from the 2010 season

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Game stories from the 2009 softball season

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stories from the 2007-08 season

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stories from the 2006-07 season