FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2008

RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE ANNOUCES
SPRING MVPS

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College held its Spring Athletic Banquet at Quonset Point Officer’s Club on Wednesday May, 21. Each sport honored its Most Valuable Player.

 Left to Right: Dante Lopardo, Stephanie Bucci,
Sydney Culbertson, Christie Lotti, Chris O'Connors

BASEBALL

Junior right fielder Chris O’Connors (North Kingstown, RI) was named the baseball team’s MVP. The First Team All-Little East and Third Team All-New England selection played in 39 games, starting 38 of them, batting .417 (58-for-139) with 34 runs scored, 17 doubles, three home runs, 34 RBI and three stolen bases. He owned a .604 slugging percentage, a .512 on-base percentage and a .966 fielding percentage. O’Connors was second in the Little East in batting, doubles and on-base percentage. He led RIC in batting, runs scored, hits and doubles, while ranking second in RBI.

MEN’S GOLF

Freshman Derek Jensen (Cumberland, RI) was named the men’s golf team’s MVP. He averaged a score of 81.4 in the team’s 14 matches throughout the fall and spring seasons. He posted a season-low score of 72 (day one) en route to capturing the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC)/Little East Conference Alliance Championship on Oct. 26-27; the first RIC golfer ever to claim the title. Jensen placed first among a field of 39 golfers.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Senior midfielder Sydney Culbertson (North Kingstown, RI) was named the women’s lacrosse team’s MVP. She played in 15 games, starting all of them. Culbertson had 37 goals and 22 assists for 59 points to go along with 29 ground balls, 30 draw controls and seven caused turnovers. She led the team in goals, assists, points and shots (76), while ranking second in draw controls. Culbertson scored the game-winning goal in two of the Anchorwomen’s three wins this spring.

SOFTBALL

Senior first baseman Christie Lotti (Waterford, CT) was named the softball team’s MVP. Lotti was named Second Team All-American and First Team All-New England. She also garnered her third consecutive Little East Conference Player of the Year award and fourth straight First Team All-LEC selection. She played in 45 games, starting all of them, batting  .440 (66-for-150) with 56 runs scored (a new RIC record), 10 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 30 RBI and 23 stolen bases. Lotti walked a team-leading 27 times. She owned a .587 slugging percentage, a .525 on-base percentage and a .982 fielding percentage. Lotti holds 13 Rhode Island College career records and eight single-season marks.

MEN’S TENNIS

Freshman Nate Rebello (Pawtucket, RI) was named the men’s tennis team’s MVP. He was 5-10 (.333) at No. 2 singles and 11-4 (.733) at No. 2 doubles for 10.5 points on the season. He was tied for the team lead in doubles wins, was third in points and fourth in singles victories.

MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Junior Dante Lopardo (Johnston, RI) was named the men’s outdoor track and field team’s MVP. He earned All-New England honors in the high jump, placing third with a 1.90-meter effort, at the N.E. Div. III Championships. He was the Alliance/Little East champion in the high jump, placing first with a leap of 1.98 meters, at the Alliance Championships. He also earned All-Alliance/Little East honors in the long and triple jumps, placing fourth with efforts of 6.27 and 12.71 meters, respectively.

WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Sophomore Stephanie Bucci (Smithfield, RI) was named the women’s outdoor track and field team’s MVP. She earned All-New England honors in the weight throw, placing eighth at 40.39 meters, at the N.E. Div. III Championships. She narrowly missed All-N.E. honors in the discus, placing ninth at 33.55 meters. Bucci was the Alliance/Little East Champion in the discus, placing first with a distance of 33.92 meters, at the Alliance Championships. She also earned All-Alliance/Little East honors in the hammer, placing second with a 41.62-meter effort, and the shot, placing seventh at 10.16 meters.

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