FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2003

Rhode Island College Announces 2003 Spring Sports MVPs

Providence, RI--The Rhode Island College Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation held its annual Spring Banquet at RIC’s Donovan Dining Center on Monday, May 6 to honor those student-athletes who participate in varsity spring athletics. Each sport gave out their Most Valuable Player Award.

Baseball

Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Matt Brannon (Cranston, RI) was named the baseball team’s Most Valuable Player. Brannon has played in 38 games, starting all of them. He is batting .359 with 25 runs, 52 hits, seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, 41 RBI and one stolen base. As a pitcher, he has appeared in nine games, starting six of them. He is 5-2 with a 2.50 ERA, three complete games and 36 strikeouts in 54.0 innings.

Brannon is a physical education major and 2001 graduate of Cranston High School West.

Men’s Golf

Junior Ken Ferrara (North Providence, RI) was named the men’s golf team’s Most Valuable Player. He averaged a score of 85.0, firing a season-best 79 in a match vs. Roger Williams.

He is a management major and a 2000 graduate of North Providence High School.

Women’s Lacrosse

Sophomore defenseman Erika Babat (North Kingstown, RI) was named the women’s lacrosse team’s Most Valuable Player. She played in nine games, starting all of them. She had 28 ground balls, three pass interceptions and 13 draw controls.

She is an elementary education major and a 2001 graduate of North Kingstown High School.

Softball

Senior first baseman Michele Fanelli (Pembroke Pines, FL) was named the softball team’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season. Fanelli was named the Little East Conference's Co-Player of the Year and earned First Team All-LEC honors for the third straight season. She has played in 33 games, starting all of them. She is batting .390 with 16 runs, 39 hits, 12 doubles and 23 RBI. Fanelli is also the school’s all-time leader in hits, RBI, total bases and ranks in the top ten in numerous other offensive categories.

She is a communications major and 1999 graduate of Cooper City High School.

Men’s Tennis

Junior co-captain Julio Andrade (Cranston, RI) was named the men’s tennis team’s Most Valuable Player. Andrade was 7-7 (.500) in singles and 2-9 (.182) in doubles for 8.0 points on the season. He fell in the first round of both the number four singles and number one doubles flights at the Little East Conference Championships.

He is an elementary education major and 1999 graduate of Cranston East High School.

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field

Senior Chris Puleo (Barrington, RI) was named the men’s outdoor track and field team's Most Valuable Performer. Puleo earned All-New England honors in the 400 meters, placing second with a time of 49.44. Puleo also placed 13th as part of the 4 x 100 meters relay with a time of 45.64 and 11th as part of the 4 x 400 meter relay with a time of 3:32.13. He earned All-Alliance/Little East honors in the 200 and 400 meters, as well as the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays. He placed first overall in the 400 meters with a time of school-record 48.83, third in the 200 meters with a time of 22.49 and first as part of the 4 x 400 meter relay team with a time of 3:28.26. He placed third as part of the 4 x 100 relay with a time of 44.65 at the 2003 Little East Conference/MASCAC Alliance Championships.

He is a criminal justice major and 1998 graduate of Barrington High School.

Women’s Indoor Track and Field

Sophomore Kate McCalligett (Warwick, RI)  was named the women's outdoor track and field team's Most Valuable Performer for the second consecutive season. McCalligett placed 12th in the 400 meters with a time of 1:01.19 at the Div. III New England Championships. She earned All-Alliance/Little East honors in four events. She placed second in the 400 meters and third in the 200 meters with times of 1:00.51 and 26.25 respectively. McCalligett placed third as part of the 4 x 100 meter relay and second as part of the 4 x 400 meter relay with times of 52.34 and 4:16.15 respectively at the 2003 Little East Conference/MASCAC Alliance Championships.

She is a nursing major and a 2001 graduate of Pilgrim High School.