Posted: May 11, 2026
Browne Named Rookie of the Year, Headlines USJ Softball All-GNAC Honorees
WINTHROP, Mass. – Freshman infielder Gracie Browne (Bristol, Conn.) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team headlined a group of Blue Jays who received Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference accolades, as announced Monday by the league office.
Browne was named GNAC Rookie of the Year, leading a contingent that also included sophomore outfielder Lorynes Suriel (Lynn, Mass.), who earned All-GNAC First Team honors; junior infielder Jennifer Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.), who was selected to the All-GNAC Second Team; and sophomore catcher Sadie Girgasky (Bethlehem, Conn.) and junior outfielder Rachel Brewer-Karimi (Torrington, Conn.), who were both named to the All-GNAC Third Team. Junior Sydney Robison (Clinton, Conn.) rounded out the honorees after being selected to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team. The awards are voted on by the league's 14 head coaches.
Browne becomes the first player in program history to receive a major award since Patti Sciglimpaglia was named GNAC Pitcher and Player of the Year in 2016. She also becomes the third player in USJ softball history to earn Rookie of the Year honors, joining Sciglimpaglia (2013) and Val Gasparino (2000). The freshman shortstop finished the season slashing .342/.467/.411 with 25 hits, 25 runs, three doubles, one triple, nine RBI, and 16 walks. Defensively, she posted a .929 fielding percentage with 66 assists and 51 putouts.
Suriel earned All-GNAC First Team honors after an outstanding performance in conference play. The center fielder recorded a .429/.450/.657 slash line in GNAC games, finishing sixth in slugging percentage and 10th in batting average. Overall, she tallied 30 hits, five doubles, 12 RBI, 24 runs, and three walks. Suriel also excelled defensively, posting a .936 fielding percentage with 69 putouts and four assists. The honor marks the first all-conference recognition of her career.
Antonowicz continued her strong career in 2026, earning All-GNAC Second Team honors after leading the Blue Jays with a .392 batting average. She also posted a team-best .477 on-base percentage and totaled a team-high 51 hits to go along with 22 RBI, four doubles, 22 walks, and a conference-best 42 runs scored. Her 51 hits ranked fourth in the GNAC, while her 22 walks were tied for sixth. The second baseman recorded a .935 fielding percentage with 79 putouts and 65 assists. The honor marks her first career all-conference selection.
Girgasky earned All-GNAC Third Team honors after emerging as one of the top defensive catchers in the conference. She finished with a .993 fielding percentage—the best among GNAC catchers—while throwing out a league-best 38.7 percent of attempted base stealers (12 total). Girgasky also recorded 106 putouts and 27 assists. At the plate, she posted a .235 batting average with 19 hits, two doubles, 12 runs, and 11 RBI. The honor marks the first all-conference selection of her career.
Brewer-Karimi earned All-GNAC Third Team honors following an impressive debut season with the Blue Jays. After transferring from Westfield State, she posted a .386 batting average (second-best on the team) while also recording a team-high .505 slugging percentage, 39 hits, a team-best 10 doubles, 25 runs, and 28 RBI. Defensively, she registered a .955 fielding percentage with 61 putouts and three assists.
For the complete list of all-conference honorees, major award winners, and all-sportsmanship selections, see below.
MAJOR AWARDS
Coach of the Year – Lou Bunosso, Albertus Magnus
Player of the Year – Madison DeCota, Norwich
Pitcher of the Year – Piper Kinney, Simmons
Rookie of the Year – Gracie Browne, USJ
Institutional Sportsmanship Award – Elms College
Player of the Year – Madison DeCota, Norwich
Pitcher of the Year – Piper Kinney, Simmons
Rookie of the Year – Gracie Browne, USJ
Institutional Sportsmanship Award – Elms College
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
P – Piper Kinney, Simmons
P – Annabelle Jabs, Albertus Magnus
C – Emma Lopez, New England College
1B – Reilly Austin, Albertus Magnus
2B – Mikaela Schwippert, Albertus Magnus
3B – Kryslin Stearns, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
SS – Madison DeCota, Norwich
OF – Karla Carangelo, Albertus Magnus
OF – Lorynes Suriel, USJ
OF – Olivia Couto, Rivier
DP – Mekayla Poisson, Emmanuel
UTIL – Abigail Fortin, Lasell
P – Annabelle Jabs, Albertus Magnus
C – Emma Lopez, New England College
1B – Reilly Austin, Albertus Magnus
2B – Mikaela Schwippert, Albertus Magnus
3B – Kryslin Stearns, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
SS – Madison DeCota, Norwich
OF – Karla Carangelo, Albertus Magnus
OF – Lorynes Suriel, USJ
OF – Olivia Couto, Rivier
DP – Mekayla Poisson, Emmanuel
UTIL – Abigail Fortin, Lasell
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
P – Olivia DeCicco, Mitchell
P – Hailey Berube, Rivier
C – Emery Kreidel-Reimer, Simmons
1B – Abigail Grimes, New England College
2B – Jennifer Antonowicz, USJ
3B – Sydnee Ramos, Dean
SS – Kylee Caetano, Rivier
OF – Zoe Soule, Simmons
OF – Zoe Battersby, Mitchell
OF – Sadie Tirrell, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
DP – Chantelle Bouchard, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
UTIL – Piper Kinney, Simmons
P – Hailey Berube, Rivier
C – Emery Kreidel-Reimer, Simmons
1B – Abigail Grimes, New England College
2B – Jennifer Antonowicz, USJ
3B – Sydnee Ramos, Dean
SS – Kylee Caetano, Rivier
OF – Zoe Soule, Simmons
OF – Zoe Battersby, Mitchell
OF – Sadie Tirrell, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
DP – Chantelle Bouchard, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
UTIL – Piper Kinney, Simmons
ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
P – Kate Julian, Regis
P – Abigail Fortin, Lasell
C – Sadie Girgasky, USJ
1B – Kaylee Scott, Colby-Sawyer
2B – Emma Politz, Rivier
3B – Mel Rees, Regis
SS – Mia Fernandes, Emmanuel
OF – Teagan Buckley, Simmons
OF – Grace Giesler, New England College
OF – Rachel Brewer-Karimi, USJ
DP – Liv Harnish, Rivier
UTIL – Hayley Rapgalia, Rivier
P – Abigail Fortin, Lasell
C – Sadie Girgasky, USJ
1B – Kaylee Scott, Colby-Sawyer
2B – Emma Politz, Rivier
3B – Mel Rees, Regis
SS – Mia Fernandes, Emmanuel
OF – Teagan Buckley, Simmons
OF – Grace Giesler, New England College
OF – Rachel Brewer-Karimi, USJ
DP – Liv Harnish, Rivier
UTIL – Hayley Rapgalia, Rivier
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Megan Cross – Albertus Magnus
Molly Smith – Colby-Sawyer
Ashley Lester – Dean
Amanda Raymond – Elms
Olivia DeMacedo – Emmanuel
Brianna Francis – Lasell
Kaylee Drago – Mitchell
Wren Anhalt – New England College
Grace Richardson – Norwich
Francesca Licata – Regis
Kyleigh Guerette – Rivier
Sadie Tirrell – Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Lauren Stenmon – Simmons
Sydney Robison – USJ
Molly Smith – Colby-Sawyer
Ashley Lester – Dean
Amanda Raymond – Elms
Olivia DeMacedo – Emmanuel
Brianna Francis – Lasell
Kaylee Drago – Mitchell
Wren Anhalt – New England College
Grace Richardson – Norwich
Francesca Licata – Regis
Kyleigh Guerette – Rivier
Sadie Tirrell – Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Lauren Stenmon – Simmons
Sydney Robison – USJ
About The GNAC
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 16 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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