By Dylan Butler
Over the span of three years, there’s been one constant in the Fairfield softball team’s lineup: No. 4 Ellen Sarosy.
The former Mary Louis standout has started every game for the Stags three years running, all 175 of them. And after a pair of solid seasons, the Howard Beach native enjoyed a record-breaking season this year.
The junior centerfielder was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year, batting .408 with a school record 86 hits in 211 at-bats. Her 35 stolen bases, also a school record, is good for 19th in the nation.
Sarosy, whose 186 career hits is five shy of the all-time Fairfield record, was also named All-Northeast Region first team.
Burlacu one of nine to sign with St. John’s
Newcomers girls’ soccer standout Laura Burlacu is one of nine players signed by St. John’s women’s coach Ian Stone to play next season.
The native of Romania is one of the top players in the city and has played just about every position for the Lions this season, including goalkeeper.
After scoring 27 goals in 12 games last year, Burlacu netted 12 goals in 15 games, missing a significant portion of the regular season due to injury. She also made 42 saves and allowed just four goals. Burlacu plays club ball with the Manhattan Redlegs.
Burlacu, who also led Newcomers to the girls’ volleyball city championship in 1999 and 2000, is a leading candidate for the Heisman PSAL Wingate award, which is presented to the top player in the city for girls’ soccer.
Also signed by the Red Storm is Kaitlin Schmidt, a forward from St. Anthony’s, which defeated St. Francis Prep to win the CHSAA girls soccer title. The Friars also won the New York State CHSAA title and Schmidt was named All-League and All-Long Island.
Krysten Skinner, a goalkeeper from Yorba Linda, Calif., will join St. John’s after transferring from North Carolina State. As a freshman, Skinner was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week during the 2000 season.
Andrea Coukoulis, a defender from Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. will also play for St. John’s in the fall. She earned All-City and All-Desert Valley Region first-team honors as captain and MVP of the state runner-up squad at Horizon.
The Red Storm inked another goalkeeper in Tracey Rollins from Paignton, Devon, England. She played for the English Under-19 international team as well as Somerset County Youth F.A. and the Devon County Senior team.
Erin Henderson, a midfielder at Watervliet High School, will also play at St. John’s next year. As a senior, Henderson was named Section II Class C Player of the Year while also receiving first-team All-League, All-Area and All-Section honors.
Alicia Hartley, a defender from Mater Dei High School in Westminster, Calif., has also signed a national letter of intent. She served as team captain for CIF Division III finalist Mater Dei and was named All-CIF Division III first-team.
Mallory DiMaio, a midfielder from Parkland High School in Orefield, Pa., will join the Red Storm in the fall. She was a member of the 2001 Mountain Valley Conference championship team and was named MVC first-team. A regional All-American nominee, DiMaio ranked fourth on Parkland’s all-time scoring lost.
Rounding out the signees is Stephanie Ramia from Salisbury, Md. A midfielder/forward from James M. Bennett High School, Ramia scored 16 goals and dished out 13 assists as a senior. She was named to the conference first-team and given All-State Honorable Mention.
The Red Storm opens its season Tuesday, Aug. 27, at home against Hofstra.
SJU Men’s Golf finish 23rd at NCAA Central Regional
The St. John’s men’s golf team finished 23rd at the NCAA Central Regional in Little Rock, Ark. this weekend. The Red Storm posted a three-round score of 59-over par, not good enough to advance the squad to the NCAA Championships.
St. John’s was led by senior Jesse Fitzgerald, who finished tied for 50th place with an eight-over par 224. The Sayville native finishes his collegiate career with three individual titles and seven top-five finishes in just two years with the program.
Junior Andrew Svoboda carded a nine-over par 225 to earn a tie for 55th place. Senior Joe Saladino scored a 17-over par 233 to put him in a tie for 101st place and sophomores John DeForest and Kyle Sleasman finished in a tie for 127th place at 27-over par 243.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
