By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---Michelle Hollister and Ashlyn Michalak were named the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. They weren't the only players to capture postseason honors, however.
Michalak, Hollister, Tabitha Britt, Melanie Iacoangeli and Mareshah Scott were named First Team All-OCCAC.
Express head coach Duane Lanham was also named the OCCAC Coach of the Year. It marks his fifth coach of the year selection since 2004.
Hollister becomes the eighth Express player to capture the OCCAC Player of the Year honor, while Michalak becomes the sixth Express player to capture OCCAC Pitcher of the Year honor.
In OCCAC play, Hollister hit .381 with nine runs, six doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases, while Michalak was 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA. She allowed five earned runs in 23.1 innings while striking out 27.
On April 21, Michalak tossed a no-hitter against Lakeland CC to help the Express secure the OCCAC championship.
Similar to Hollister, Iacoangeli and Scott started all eight games in conference play. Iacoangeli hit .560 with nine runs, six RBIs and 19 stolen bases, while Scott hit .583 with 10 runs, one triple, three RBIs and eight stolen bases.
The final All-OCCAC selection, Britt, hit .522 with seven runs, one double, two triples, one home run, six RBIs and one stolen base in seven games of OCCAC action.
As a team, in OCCAC play, the Express hit .436 with 35 stolen bases in 36 attempts.
Michalak and Iacoangeli were also named First Team All-Region XII, while Michalak and Britt were named to the Region XII All-Tournament Team.
In the Region XII District G tournament, Britt hit .375 with two runs, two doubles and two RBIs, while Michalak started all four games in the tournament. She struck out 16 in 16.1 innings pitched and earned one save in the tournament.
As First Team All-Region XII recipients, Michalak and Iacoangeli have the chance to take home NJCAA D-II All-American honors, which are yet to be announced.
Also announced recently were team awards. Hollister was named the team's most valuable player, while Britt was named the most improved player. Iacoangeli captured the team's offensive player of the year award, Michalak was named the team's defensive player of the year award and Scott was the Heart of a Champion recipient.
The Express finished 41-7 overall, while finishing 8-0 in OCCAC play. They captured the program's fifth consecutive OCCAC championship and 11th overall, while finishing third in the Region XII District G tournament. They finished the regular season ranked 12th in the NJCAA D-II poll, and they reached as high as 7th during the season.