DePaul's Rookie Revue a Smash Hit in Louisville
5/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
May 11, 2011
BIG EAST Championship Bracket (pdf) 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The rookies took center stage for DePaul on Wednesday night.
Freshmen Kirsten Verdun, Allie Braden and Megan Coronado were named to the All-BIG EAST softball team along with upperclassmen Alex Morocco, Samantha Dodd and Sean Plese.
Verdun was honored as Rookie of the Year and selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team.
Coronado and Morocco were named All-BIG EAST Second Team while Braden, Dodd and Plese made All-BIG EAST Third Team.
"It's incredible---I'm very lucky,"said Verdun, who accepted her award from DePaul Associate Athletic Director Kathryn Statz, BIG EAST Softball Committee Chair. "The coaches were terrific, and we did great as a team. That's what it takes to win individual awards like these.
"I've got to thank all my teammates for their support and helping me out all season."
Coronado was caught off-guard when her name was announced during the awards banquet at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
"I had no idea and was really shocked," said the rookie first baseman who hit ,448 in league competition. "I thought I had a good season, but wasn't sure if I played enough to get such a prestigious award."
Braden's pulse quickened when she heard the master of ceremonies preface her announcement with "a freshman second baseman..."
"When he said---`from DePaul,' that was really exciting," said Braden, who batted .431 in the BIG EAST. "Until then I was hoping, but I wasn't sure."
Kudos to coach Eugene Lenti and assistant coach Liz Jagielski for recruiting such a talented freshman class.
"I guess this says a lot for our future," said Verdun, who was 12-0 as a pitcher and hit .377 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs in conference play. "This coaching staff really knows how to judge talent."
Verdun followed up sophomore teammate Bree Brown who was BIG EAST Rookie of the Year last season.
In six years, there have been 32 DePaul players named All-BIG EAST.
The Blue Demons have come away with 13 first-team selections, 10 on second team and nine on third team.
DePaul has won Pitcher of the Year three times, Rookie of the Year three times and Coaching Staff of the Year three times.
"We're off to a great start as freshmen," Coronado said. "Defensively, Allie, Kirsten and I will be growing together throughout the years to come, getting better and stronger.
"We know we can rely on Kirsten for her offense and pitching. Kirsten knows she can rely on us to play solid defense behind her."
Come Thursday morning, Verdun, Coronado and Braden will resume the freshman tradition of lugging around bags and equipment prior to Thursday's BIG EAST Championship opener against Rutgers at 11:30 a.m.
"This was a great night, but it's still going to be so hard to replace the seniors we're losing," Braden said.
