MAY 12, 2004
BOB ZIADIESEVEN KING'S SOFTBALL PLAYERS NAMED ALL-FREEDOM CONFERENCE
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College softball team dominated the 2004 All-Freedom Conference Team as seven Lady Monarch players were selected, including five first-team choices.
Additionally, King's junior shortstop Stacey Preambo (Jessup/Valley View) was named the Freedom Conference "Player of the Year."
Joining Preambo on the first-team were senior first-baseman Maria Zangardi (Pittston Twp./Seton Catholic), junior catcher Kristin Brady (Mayfield/Bishop O'Hara), junior pitcher Sarah Genewski (Palmerton/Palmerton), freshman designated hitter and Mari Valonis (Dickson City/Mid-Valley). Second-team selections included senior outfielder Linda Manarchuck (Eynon/Valley View) and junior second-baseman Kelley Vaxmonsky (Jenkins/Pittston Area).
Preambo enjoyed a stellar season in which she batted .396 (63-159) and currently leads NCAA Division III with a school-record 16 home runs. Preambo also added 12 doubles, seven triples, a school-record 62 RBI, and scored 55 runs while registering a whopping .862 slugging percentage.
Zangardi, a three-time first-team all-conference selection, led the team with a .403 (71-176) batting average while setting a school single-season record for base hits. She also added eight home runs, 18 doubles, six triples, 43 RBI, 41 runs scored, and a .710 slugging percentage.
Brady batted .343 (48-140) with seven home runs, 10 doubles, five triples, 38 RBI while scoring 40 runs and posting a 636 slugging percentage. She was also excelled behind the plate where she threw out a total of 16 runners on the base paths.
Genewski, a repeat first-team choice, was 18-6 with a 1.77 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 151 innings of work. She led King's with 27 appearances, 24 starts, and 17 complete games. Genewski also batted .299 (23-77) with 13 RBI.
As a rookie, Valonis enjoyed an outstanding campaign before tearing thumb ligaments two days prior to the Freedom Conference playoffs and missed all of the post-season for King's. Valonis batted .333 (33-99) with six home runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 36 RBI, and scored 24 runs.
Manarchuck finished with a .327 (50-153) batting average with 16 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 22 attempts. She was a four-time all-conference selection, earning first and second-team honors twice each in her career.
Vaxmonsky finished third on the team with a .354 (62-175) batting average, including 11 doubles, two home runs, 36 RBI, and scored 46 runs as the Lady Monarchs' lead off hitter.
King's won a fifth straight Freedom Conference title along with a fifth consecutive Division III national tournament berth. The Lady Monarchs finished the year with a 39-10 record, establishing a new school record for victories in one season. King's finished third in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals at Salisbury University over the weekend.
King's College
133 North River Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
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Questions or comments to: Bob Ziadie, King's College Sports Information Director
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