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ROLLA, Mo.- Caldwell University softball junior Marisa Monasseri (Monroe, N.J.) and senior Sydney Ponto (West Deptford, N.J) were selected to the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Teams as released by both organizations. Monasseri earned First Team Honors, while Ponto garnered Third Team honors. Monasseri was also selected by the NFCA as the Diamond Catcher of the Year.

Monasseri earns her second All-American honors as she was a Second Team All-American selection by both organizations in 2016. She was recently named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American Second Team. Monasseri completed another outstanding season for the Cougars as she was named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player of the Year and was a First Team All-Conference selection for the second straight season. She was a D2CCA and NFCA All-Region First Team selection at catcher. Monasseri was also named as an Eastern College Athletic Conference First Team All-Star. She was named as a NFCA Division II Player of the Year Top-10 Finalist earlier this month. Monasseri finished the season with a .503 this season with 11 homeruns, 11 doubles, 78 hits, with an on base percentage of .624. She posted a .787 slugging percentage and led the team with 67 RBI. Monasseri led the CACC in on base percentage, slugging, average, homeruns, RBI and walks. She was tied for second in the conference in hits, fifth in runs scored and tied for 11th in doubles. In the nation, she led Division II in walks and was ranked third in average, sixth in RBI, 20th in slugging and sixth in walks.

Ponto earns her first All-American honors with her Third Team selection by both the D2CCA and NFCA She was recently named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American Third after completing a record setting year in her final collegiate season with the Cougars. Ponto was named the CACC Pitcher of the Year and was a CACC First Team All-Conference selection. She also earned D2CCA East Region Pitcher of the Year as well as ECAC D2 Pitcher of the Year honors. Ponto was also selected to the D2CCA and NFCA East Region First Team and was an ECAC First Team All-Star. She set the program single season record with 30 wins in the circle this season. Ponto led the conference in wins, strikeouts (269), complete games (23) and innings pitched (226.0). She went 4-0 in the CACC Championship Tournament, earning Tournament MVP honors. Ponto ended her career second all-time in school history with 75 wins.

The Cougars finished their season with a 45-15 mark, tying the single season program record for wins (2004, 2013, 2014). Caldwell won the CACC regular season title with a 25-1 mark and went 4-0 in the CACC Tournament for their seventh conference championship. The Cougars were selected as the #3 seed in the NCAA Division II Championship, earning a postseason bid for the tenth consecutive season.