All-Conference

ROCHESTER, NY – On Monday the Empire 8 announced the softball all-conference selections with Nazareth freshman Kaijah Alexander being named the Rookie of the Year. Joining Alexander on the First Team were Morgan Russo and Haleigh Suitor, while Sarah Ferruzza and Madison Hicks were Third Team honorees. In addition, junior Ashley Bell was Nazareth's representative on the Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year Team.
 
Alexander is the first-ever Golden Flyer to earn Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honors. The Long Beach, CA native was nothing short of spectacular in her collegiate campaign. Alexander was plastered on the leaders list for the conference, ranking first in slugging percentage (1.081), hits (42), RBI (41), and home runs (11) in 22 conference games. She was also second in batting average (.568), on base percentage (.607), and on base + slugging percentage (1.688). For the entire season she led the conference with a .536 batting average (59-for-110), .602 on-base percentage, 1.064 slugging percentage, 1.666 OPS and 16 home runs. The freshman incredibly reached base in all 36 games and had a 33-game hit streak from March 15-May 8. She broke the Nazareth single season record for hits (59), RBI (56), home runs (16), total bases (117), batting average (.536), slugging percentage (1.064), and on base percentage (.602). Nationally, Alexander ranked second in the country in slugging percentage (1.055), was seventh in total bases with 115, third in RBI per game at 1.60, sixth in total RBIs with 56, fourth in on base percentage (.592), third in home runs per game (.46), fifth in home runs with 16, and fifth in batting average .532.
 
Also on the First Team was Russo who was a Third Team selection in 2024. For the entire season, Russo tied for the conference lead in doubles with 16. Her 16 doubles also tied her single season Nazareth record from 2024.The dependable leadoff was seventh in conference-only games with a .480 batting average, fourth in slugging percentage (.893), seventh in on base percentage (.518), fourth in on base + slugging percentage (1.411), tied for first in runs scored with 31, fourth in hits (36), eighth in RBI (25), third in doubles (10), and fourth in home runs (7). Russo's .46 doubles per game ranked 19^th in the country, her .897 slugging percentage was 14^th, and her 104 total bases with 22^nd.
 
Suitor is making her first appearance on the all-conference squad. She hit .403 in conference play with 29 hits, five home runs and a .667 slugging percentage. The slugging percentage ranked 11^th in the conference.
 
Ferruzza's strong freshman campaign saw her in the top 20 in multiple categories in conference games, including batting average (.408), slugging percentage (.671), OPS (1.091), runs scored (19), hits (31), RBI (20), doubles (8), and home runs (4).
 
Rounding out the Third Team was Hicks in the designated player position.  Hicks hit .298 with 10 RBI in 19 conference games.
 
Bell is Nazareth's representative on the Sportswoman of the Year Team. One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025 Softball Sportswomen of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.