ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Sophomore Kelly Kocher, starting pitcher on the Nazareth softball team, has added Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year to her growing list of accomplishments for 2010. Kocher also was selected as a first-team all-conference pitcher through voting conducted by the league's head coaches.

Senior first baseman Ann Schoff was named to the second team and senior outfielder Kelley Horbal was Nazareth's representative as Sportswoman of the Year.

Kocher, of Victor, N.Y. and a graduate of Victor High School, was dominant on the pitcher's mound in 2010 as she posted a 13-7 record overall with 277 strikeouts in 137.1 innings for a Division III-best 14.1 strikeouts per game. In conference games, she finished 5-3 with a 1.04 earned run average, five shutouts and 101 strikeouts in 53.2 innings.

Schoff, of Little Falls, N.Y. and a graduate of Little Falls High School, had a .438 batting average in conference games and a slugging percentage of .781. Seven of her 14 hits went for extra bases with two home runs and seven runs batted in. Overall, she led the Golden Flyers with a .310 batting average a .536 slugging percentage with four homers and 14 RBIs.

Horbal, of Auburn, N.Y. and a graduate of Auburn High School, started all 38 games for the Golden Flyers in 2010 and had a .252 batting average with a team-best 19 runs scored.

2010 Empire 8 Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Nicole Hedrick, Alfred
Pitcher of the Year: Kelly Kocher, Nazareth
Rookie of the Year: Emily Fenton, Alfred
Coach of the Year: Gino Olivieri, Alfred 

First Team All-Conference
Kerry Barger                 Jr.        Ithaca                   C
Bridgette Plummer       Fr.        Utica                    1B
Kait Dolan                    Jr.        Ithaca                   2B
Lauryn DePaul             Sr.        Elmira                  SS
Molly O'Donnell          Fr.        Ithaca                   3B
Kimberly Martin           Jr.        Utica                    OF
Angela Netta                So.       Alfred                  OF
Jennifer Vanek             So.       St. John Fisher     OF
Brittany Lillie               Jr.        Ithaca                   DP
Allison Greaney            Jr.        Ithaca                   UTIL
Nicole Hedrick             So.       Alfred                  UTIL
Chelsey Cary                Jr.        Alfred                   P
Kelly Kocher                So.       Nazareth                P

Second Team All-Conference
Emily Fenton                Fr.        Alfred                  C
Ann Schoff                   Sr.        Nazareth              1B
Emily McPherson         Jr.        RIT                      2B
Tori Nadow                  Fr.        RIT                      SS
Kayla Goodberlet         Fr.        St. John Fisher     3B
Brittnee McGuire         Sr.        Elmira                  OF
Lauren Hurley              Fr.        Stevens                OF
Carlissa Cole                 Jr.        RIT                      DP
Alyssa Brook                Sr.        Ithaca                   P

Sportswoman of the Year
Name                                      Yr.      School
Laura Haas                              Fr.        Alfred
Teszalyn Culp                         So.       Elmira
Katherine Wilson                    Sr.        Ithaca
Kelley Horbal                          Sr.        Nazareth
Jennifer Hayden                      Jr.        RIT
Laura Rojek                            Sr.        St. John Fisher
Sarah Parker                            Jr.        Stevens
Shannon Bailey                       Fr.        Utica

Honorable Mention All-Conference
Erin Pruess                              Elmira                    C
Ashley Passaro                        Alfred                   1B
Carissa Carlson                       St. John Fisher      1B
Jackie Gibson                          Elmira                    2B
Jaclyn Gallagher                      Utica                     SS
Molly Shepherd                      Alfred                   3B
Leanne Merchant                    St. John Fisher      UTIL