March 4, 2008
All three of this week's Patriot League softball weekly award winners were honored for the first time in their careers. Lehigh's Amy Piccinich and Alex Cueva were named Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively. Lafayette's Ali Henry was tabbed the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week.
Patriot League Softball Release - 3.4.08 
Player of the Week
Amy Piccinich, Lehigh
So., SS, Wyckoff, N.J.
Piccinich batted .429 over Lehigh's two victories last week. The sophomore shortstop scored four runs and drove in three against Detroit Mercy and Fairfield at the Rebel Spring Games in Florida. In the win over Detroit Mercy, she had both a RBI double and RBI single in the fourth inning. This is Piccinich's first-career Patriot League Player of the Week award.
Pitcher of the Week
Ali Henry, Lafayette
Fr., Warrington, Pa.
Henry earned the 1-0 win for Lafayette in game two of a doubleheader at Penn to open up the season. The freshman hurler pitched five innings and allowed just two hits. She also recorded five strikeouts in her first collegiate victory.
Rookie of the Week
Alex Cueva, Lehigh
Fr., 3B, Santa Clarita, Calif.
Cueva doubled in each of Lehigh's games on Sunday, including a two-run double versus Detroit Mercy and a bases-clearing three-run double against Fairfield. She also scored a run in the victory over Detroit Mercy. This marks the second week in a row the Patriot League Rookie of the Week award went to a student-athlete from Lehigh.
Honorable Mention
Lisa Sweeney, Lehigh
Jr., P, Lumberton, N.J.
Improved to 3-0 on the season with a win over Detroit-Mercy...Did not allowed any earned runs and limited Detroit-Mercy to three hits...Recorded eight strikeouts.
Patriot League Notebook
All Six Underway
All six of the Patriot League's softball schools have now begun the season. Holy Cross and Lafayette were the last to kick of the 2008 campaign, doing so this past weekend.
Off To A Great Start
At 8-0, Lehigh is off to its best start in school history. Lehigh is one of three Division I schools yet to lose in 2008, not counting eight schools that have not begun play yet this season.
Life On The Road
Bucknell and Lehigh will get used to play on the road as their first 20 games this season will all be away from home. Lafayette will play 15 away from home, Holy Cross 14 and Colgate 11 to start off the year. Army will host Marist on Thursday for the earliest home game among Patriot League schools.
Patriot League Adds One To The Coaching Ranks
Brian Claypool took over as the head coach at Holy Cross in July. Claypool is the eighth head coach in the 28-year history of the softball program. During the 2007 season he served as a volunteer coach for the Crusaders and has held previous head coaching jobs at Hartwick and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
2008 Patriot League Championship
The 2008 Patriot League Softball Championship will take place Thursday-Saturday, May 8-10 at the site of the highest seed. The top four teams in the regular-season standings will advance to the Patriot League tourney. The winner of the championship will represent the Patriot League in the NCAA Tournament as its automatic qualifier. Colgate is the defending Patriot League Champion.
