Brandywine Lands Four USCAA Softball All-Americans

MEDIA, Pa. -- Four members of the Penn State Brandywine softball team were recently named all-Americans by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. Earning first team accolades were sophomore first baseman Alexa Anderson (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) and freshman outfielder Rachel Cherubini (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove), while senior pitcher Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) and junior outfielder Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) were both named all-American honorable mention.

Anderson, who was a First Team All-PSUAC selection, was the national leader in RBI, driving in 59 runs in just 32 games this spring. She also ranked fourth in the USCAA with 55 hits and fifth in home runs with nine, setting new single-season team records in all three categories.

Anderson also ranked among the national leaders in runs scored (47 - T-3rd), triples (6 - T-3rd) and batting average (.500 - T-12th). She hit safely in 18-of-20 games in April and May, including 15-straight, collecting four four-hit games and six three-hit games during that time. She also tallied six games with at least four RBI throughout the season.

After being named as an all-American on Sunday, Anderson made Brandywine history two days later by becoming the first player in program history to hit for the cycle, accomplishing the feat during a USCAA World Series victory over Penn State Beaver. Overall during the tournament, she went 7-for-15 at the plate with two home runs, 10 RBI and nine runs scored, earning honors on the USCAA All-Tournament Team.

Cherubini produced a standout freshman season, recording 53 hits, 46 runs scored and 38 RBI, while playing in all 32 games. She stood among the top 10 nationally in both runs and RBI.

Cherubini batted .486, one of the top marks among USCAA rookies, and stole seven bases. She set a program record by hitting safely in 18-straight games from March 12-April 20, recording multi-hit efforts in 11 of those contests.

Also a first team all-conference selection, Cherubini put the ball in play in 105-of-109 at-bats this spring, striking out just four times.

Segich also reached the 50-hit mark, collecting 54 knocks, tied for fifth in the USCAA, as the team's leadoff hitter. For the third-straight year, Segich ranked in the top five in runs scored, crossing home 51 times, while also standing sixth with 26 stolen bases.

Now a two-time all-American after earning second team laurels in 2017, Segich recorded 12 extra-base hits, seven of which were home runs, while driving in 26 runs.She will enter her senior season in 2019 as Brandywine's all-time hits leader with 155.

DeStefano is Brandywine's fifth student-athlete to earn three all-American awards during a career. She was the team's work horse all season, pitching in 29-of-32 games and going the distance in each contest.

This spring, DeStefano set Brandywine records by winning 22 games and striking out 103 batters. She was the lone USCAA pitcher to reach 20 victories, while ranking fifth in strikeouts nationally.

Also the USCAA leader in innings pitched (163.0) and complete games (29), DeStefano fired five shutouts, upping her career total to 15. She also aided the team at the plate, batting .365 in 52 at-bats with two home runs and 17 RBI.

DeStefano completed her Brandywine career with nearly every team pitching record, winning 41 games and striking out 254 batters in 356.0 innings in the circle during the last four seasons.

Brandywine set a single-season record with 27 victories this spring and finished tied for fifth at the USCAA World Series, its third consecutive top-five finish.