Popielarczyk has posted a Conference-best 1.24 ERA and 6-1 overall record in his 79.2 innings of work, including 62 strikeouts and one complete-game in his 11 starts on the mound this season. He allowed only 11 earned runs this spring and 26 total walks. Additionally, the Florence, Mass., native registered a 1.16 ERA, along with a 5-1 record in 62.1 innings pitched during Conference play, allowing just eight earned runs with 48 strikeouts. He is the third UMass hurler to earn Pitcher of the Year honors, including former Minutemen Jay Murphy (1995) and Matt Torra (2005).

 
Roy and Popielarczyk are joined on the All-Conference first team by Charlotte’s Shane Brown (OF); Dayton’s Brian Blasik (SS) and Bobby Glover (OF); Rhode Island’s Pat Fortunato (2B); Richmond’s Chris Cowell (C) and Jacob Mayers (DH); Kevin Taylor (1B) and Kyle Mullen (SP) of Saint Joseph’s; Travis Parker (RP) of Saint Louis; and Temple’s Steve Nikorak (3B).

 The All-Conference second team consists of Charlotte’s Shane Basen (3B); Dayton’s C.J. Gillman (OF), Zach Stewart (OF) and Tim Bury (SP); Fordham’s Ryan Maghini (SS); Rhode Island’s Milan Adams (C), Jeff Cammans (1B) and Pat Quinn (DH); Richmond’s Adam Forrer (2B); Alex Alemann (SP) and Alex Kelly (OF) of Saint Louis; and Xavier’s Seth Willoughby (RP).

Sterling is joined on the All-Rookie team by Charlotte’s LeLand Clemmons; Dayton’s A.J. Ryan; Fordham’s Matthew Cianci; La Salle’s Mike McLeod; Conor LeBlanc of Massachusetts; Rhode Island’s Tim Caputo; Ryan Pater of Saint Joseph’s; James Norwood and Alex Sole of Saint Louis; Temple’s Patrick Peterson; Xavier’s Alex Westrick.

The Academic All-Conference, comprised of 12 student-athletes with a grade-point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale), consists of Charlotte’s Shane Basen and Corbin Shive; Dayton’s C.J. Gillman, Bryce Lahrman and Robby Sunderman; Rhode Island’s Dan Haverstick; George Washington’s Kenny O’Brien; La Salle’s Pat Christensen and Brendan Norton; Joe Popielarczyk of Massachusetts; St. Bonaventure’s Billy Urban; and Xavier’s Seth Willoughby.

Plourde becomes the first player in league history to win the top honor for players and pitchers, as this also marks just the third time in A-10 history that a single school won all of the top awards.

Joining Plourde on the first team is UMass junior leftfielder Cyndil Matthew, while second team honorees for the Minutewomen include Diaz-Patterson at shortstop, Kyllie Magill at second base, Katie Bettencourt in the outfield and Lindsey Webster at the designated player spot. Diaz-Patterson was also named to the All-Rookie team.

Plourde's third Pitcher of the Year honor marks the seventh-consecutive year a UMass pitcher has won the award and 18th overall. Brandice Balschmiter won four in a row from 2006 to 2009. Kelly Daut (1994-95), Danielle Henderson (1997-99), and Kaila Holtz (2002-03) are the other multiple winners of the award in program history.

Plourde leads the nation in strikeouts, victories, fewest hits allowed per seven innings and opponent batting average. The eight-time A-10 Pitcher of the Week enters the tournament leading the conference with 33 wins and 487 strikeouts. The senior from Bristol, Conn., has six no-hitters, three against conference opponents, and tossed a perfect game at St. Bonaventure this season. She has held opponents to a nation?s best .114 batting average. She also leads the league in shutouts (12) and complete games (39).

Offensively, she is one of the most dangerous batters in the league. She has 11 home runs, including a league-high 10 in A-10 games. Her 25 RBI in 19 league contests are also the benchmark this season. She has posted a .706 slugging pct. and a .308 on-base pct. Earlier this season she hit a home run in five-consecutive games, falling one shy of tying the NCAA Division I record.

Diaz-Patterson is second on the team in batting at .349 and leads the team with 40 RBI. The freshman from Amherst currently has reached base in 25-consecutive games and has 14 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI contests. In league play she has a team-best .435 avg. and 24 RBI. She was also named to the second team at shortstop.

Matthew earns her second all-conference honor and her initial appearance on the first team. She has led the conference in batting all year and enters this week's tournament with a .408 avg., 49 runs, 31 stolen bases, five triples and 12 extra-base hits. The junior from Westfield, N.J. was a second-team honoree last season.

Bettencourt earned second-team plaudits and has started every game in right field after coming back from an early-season injury a year ago. The 2010 co-Player of the Year has 11 multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games. A junior from Salem, N.H., she has established career-highs in walks, time hit-by-pitch and on-base pct.

Magill has been a four-year starter at second for the Minutewomen and has 196 starts. She has set career-highs in doubles, triples, walks and sacrifice flies in 2012. The Pawtucket, R.I. native has been voted to the second-team three times in her career.

Webster is honored for the second time in her career, earning second-team honors at designated player this year after being placed on the all-rookie team a year ago. She is 11th in hitting and 12th in RBI in the A-10 with a .318 avg and 28 RBI, respectively. A sophomore from Northridge, Calif., she has nine multi-RBI games with six coming in A-10 play and has a team-high four hits with the bases loaded.

Now in her 33rd year at UMass, Sortino has earned the A-10 Coach of the Year award an unprecedented 11 times, this time for leading the Minutewomen to their 23rd A-10 regular season title and the top seed in the A-10 Championship. She boasts a career record of 1,154-481-6 (.705) and ranks fourth in victories among active NCAA Division I coaches.