May 4, 2000

SIX GREYHOUNDS NAMED TO COMMWEALTH ALL-STAR TEAMS;
BYRNE TABBED COMMONWEALTH COACH OF THE YEAR

ANNVILLE, PA --- Senior pitcher Becky Stroup (Palmerton/Palmerton Area HS), senior shortstop Zan Azzolino (Lodi, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy), sophomore designated player Deb Noble (Cranford, NJ/Cranford HS) and sophomore catcher Stacy Matuczinski (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) of the Moravian College softball team have been named to the 2000 Commonwealth Conference All-Star First Team announced by the Middle Atlantic Corporation Thursday.

Sophomore outfielder Sarah Leiby (Fleetwood/Fleetwood HS) and sophomore pitcher Rachel Mowrey (Hellertown/Saucon Valley HS) were named to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star Second Team while head coach John Byrne was selected as the Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year.

The Greyhounds are currently 24-10 overall and have earned an automatic berth to the 2000 NCAA Division III National Tournament with the regionals to be held May 12^th through 15^th. Byrne has led the Greyhounds to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances (the only three in school history for softball), three Commonwealth Championships, three MAC Playoff appearances and a 192-79 record in seven seasons.

Stroup, who was a Commonwealth Conference Second Team All-Star the last two years, leads Moravian on the mound with a 13-4 record and a 1.55 ERA. Stroup has thrown four consecutive shutouts and has a 32 scoreless inning streak dating back to April 15^th. Stroup has 75 strikeouts and just 41 walks in 113 innings this season.

Azzolino earned a spot on the first team for the third straight year while leading Moravian at the plate with a .385 batting average. Azzolino has 37 hits, 13 RBIs, two doubles and two triples this season and she leads the Greyhounds with 22 runs scored. Azzolino has started every game for Moravian this season and has not struck out at the plate in 131 at-bats dating back to April 15, 1999.

Noble is making her first appearance on the all-star team this season. Noble leads the Greyhounds with 34 RBIs, 38 hits, nine doubles and two homeruns. She also has scored 21 runs and added a pair of triples while hitting .380.

Matuczinski moves up to the Commonwealth Conference All-Star First Team after being on the second team as a freshman. Matuczinski also has 38 hits this season and she has seven doubles to go along with a .365 batting average. Matuczinski, who has scored 20 runs and driven in 11 more, has a team high 12 sacrifice bunts. Matuczinski has made just one error behind the plate this season and has thrown out four runners.

Leiby, who became a starter this season, has a .327 batting average with 32 hits, 16 RBIs, 21 runs scored, nine doubles and a homerun this season. Leiby helped the Greyhounds to the automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament by throwing out a Widener University runner at home plate to end a game and keep the Greyhounds in first place.

Mowrey is also making her first appearance on the all-star team. She has a 9-6 record this season with a 2.28 ERA in 95 innings. Mowrey has 51 strikeouts on the year with just ten walks. She has not allowed a walk in ten of her 15 appearances this season.