FLUSHING, N.Y.  – The Queens College softball team is restocked, loaded, and ready to compete as the 2022 season gets underway Thursday (Mar. 10) afternoon. 

The Knights finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 4-20 and 4-20 in East Coast Conference play. 

Queens will be looking to improve upon their previous seasons and return to the East Coast Conference tournament for the first time since winning it all in 2015 under head coach Amy Delmore. 

Delmore returns for her eighth season in charge of the dugout and is stocked with 18 players. The Knights have added six new players who will be playing in the Navy & Grey colors for the first time. 

The goals of the 2022 season remain the same as always. But they will have to battle it out in their 40-game schedule.

18 players highlight the 2022 squad including seniors outfielders Marisa Sagona (North Babylon, N.Y.), Danielle D’Angelo (Middle Island, N.Y.), and infielder Ann Grimshaw (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) who return for their final season. After missing the 2021 season, infielders senior Katherine Gallagher (Orlando, Fla) and junior Joy Papagianopoulos (Wading River, N.Y.) rejoin the squad and will look to bolster the lineup with further depth.

Pitchers

Senior righty Emma Wimmer (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) will lead the starting rotation in the circle as she looks to conclude her collegiate career on a high note. Sophomore righty Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) returns with one year under the belt and will look to improve upon her freshman year. 

The Knights will have a third option to rely on with the addition of junior transfer righty Myaisha Kelly (Albany, N.Y.) to the roster. Kelly made nine appearances for Concordia College (N.Y.) in 2021 and earned four wins. Also she will look to provide a helping hand on the offensive end as she batted .317 while belting four home runs, driving in nine runs, and scored eight runs in 21 games played. 

Catchers

Four players will be vying for the starting spot as the main catcher highlighted by returner Gallagher. In the 2020 season cut short by COVID-19, the Orlando native was looking for a breakthrough season and will be looking to make up for lost time this season. 

Sophomores Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y.) and Riley O’Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) have a full year under their belt including a fall ball season to improve their skills. Verruso tallied six hits including four doubles with three RBIs last season. O’Conner saw her season cut short due to an injury and is looking to make up for lost time. 

Newcomer freshman Mariah Salvatto (Manorville, N.Y.) comes to Flushing having played three years of varsity softball at Eastport South Manor High School. In 2021, Salvatto was named to the Newsday Top 100 player as she earned All-County honors to conclude her high school career.

Infielders

The infield is highlighted by returners Grimshaw, juniors Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.), Cyarra Alvarado (Coral Spring, Fla), Papagianopoulos, and freshmen newcomers Jillian Cosme (Franklin Square, N.Y.) Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.).

Last season Grimshaw and Murphy split time at first base. Grimshaw would occupy first and second base and will be looking to conclude her final season on a high note. Last season the New Hyde park native batted .257 with 18 hits and drove in five runs. Murphy split the season at first base and ended the season in right field. Murphy batted .264 her sophomore year with 19 hits, four doubles, a triple, and five RBIs. She would make a spectacular catch to end the 2021 season on a good note as the Knights defeated Mercy College at home. 

Alvarado finished 2021 with 13 hits, tied for first in doubles, and drove in six runs as she started the season at second base before earning the third base spot.

With the early graduation of Noelle Bryggman, the six-hole spot is up for grabs and Cosme and Zumpol will look to compete for the shortstop starting role. A graduate of Valley Stream North High School, Cosme comes to Flushing having played five years of varsity softball. She would finish her high school playing career being named a two-time All-County player and earned All-Conference honors as a freshman.

While Zumpol, a graduate of Patchogue-Medford High School played four years of varsity softball and was named NYSSCOGS’ Third Team 2021 All-State honors. Zumpol earned All-League and All-County honors in her time at Patchogue-Medford. She brings an immense list of honors to Flushing having been named League 1 Player of the Year, Large School Player of the Year, and Athlete of the Year to conclude her high school collegiate career.

After having her freshman season cut short in 2020 and missing last season Papagianopoulos will be looking to lock the starting spot at third base but will have hefty competition with Alvarado and Salvatto. 

Outfielders

It is one last ride for the duo of Sagona and D’Angelo who will be occupying the starting roles at left and center field. The right field will see various players competing for the starting role with Murphy, returner sophomore Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.), and freshmen newcomers Amanda Baez (Smithtown, N.Y.) and Caroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.).

It was a career year for Sagona who batted .299 with 22 hits, two doubles, and seven RBIs. She would steal eight bases in nine attempts While D’Angelo tallied 14 hits, four doubles, a triple, and team-high 10 RBIs and will be looking to find the sweet spot once again. 

Wilkinson tallied 11 hits, two doubles, a triple and was tied for second in RBIs as she drove in seven runs. 

A graduate of North Babylon High School, Pescatore was a five-year starter at North Babylon and part of the National Honor Society. 

Baez comes to Flushing having played four years of varsity softball and earned All-League honors at Newfield High School. She was a four-time Student-Athlete High Honor Roll and earned the President’s Education and Ryan Zinna Memorial Art award. 

East Coast Conference Poll

Top four teams make the 2022 ECC tournament and Queens have been tabbed to finish sixth in the conference preseason poll after going 4-20 in ECC Play last season. The Knights are looking to capture their fourth ECC Crown and first since the 2015 season and return to the NCAA Softball Tournament.

Scouting Georgian Court University

The season opens against a tough regional opponent in the Lions of Georgian Court University. 

In the overall history against the Lions, Queens is 10-13 in the all-time series history, with the Knights on a two-game losing skid against the regional opponent. In their last four games in Lakewood, Queens is 2-2 having earned series split in 2016 and 2018. 

Last season the Lions advanced to the NCAA East Region final before falling to Saint Anselm College. Last week Georgian Court was ranked in the Top 25, but have dropped out of the NFCA Top 25 national rankings. The Lions went 3-3 in their Spring games trip and are 5-7 on the season. 

Offensively, the Lions are led by Taylor Lipkins who is batting a team-high .400 with eight hits, while Kaitlyn Stufft has tallied a team-high 13 RBIs with three home runs in 12 games. While Mikayla Gilgert has earned a 4-3 overall record in the circle with four shutouts on the season.

Watch the Knights in Flushing

All home games will be live-streamed on the QC Sports Network and ECC Network and fans can follow along on live stats

For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), Twitter (@QCKnights), Queens College Softball (@qcsoftball) and Instagram (qcknightsny), qcsoftball (@qcsoftball)