NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Throughout the course of the week, Gael Nation and Iona College softball fans voted for those that they believe belong on the 2010s All-Decade Team. These student-athletes competed in the 2010 through 2019 softball seasons.
Fans were asked to vote for one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders and three pitchers. Here are the representatives that were selected as members of the Iona College Softball 2010s All-Decade Team.
KATIE JANSSON '14
A four-year standout behind the plate for Iona, Jansson was a part of three MAAC softball championships (2011, 2012 and 2014) during her time in New Rochelle. In 2014, she was a MAAC All-Tournament Team selection.
Currently, Jansson ranks top-10 in program history with 199 career games played, 517 career plate appearances and 79 runs batted in. Jansson's 16 home runs are the second most by a Gael catcher and just outside the top-10 all-time.
Academically, she was a three-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree and NFCA Scholar-Athlete All-American. Jansson returned to Iona as an assistant coach and now serves as head coach of the program. As an assistant, Jansson was a part of Iona's first-ever national postseason victory at the NISC in 2017.
KATIE NEWTON '17
Newton was a four-year regular for the Gaels at shortstop, starting in 185 of the 187 games she appeared in for the Maroon & Gold.
Newton's 539 at-bats are tied for fifth-most in program history and her 156 career hits are eighth-most. Her 32 career stolen bases are the second-best mark in Iona's record books. Newton swiped 11 bases in 2016 and 10 in 2017, the sixth and eighth best single-season totals in program history.
Off of the field, Newton was a three-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree and served as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President during her senior year.
BRIANNA SCHAUER '15
A two-time MAAC Champion in 2012 and 2014, Schauer played in 179 career games for Iona, ranking just outside the top-10 in program history.
As a freshman, Schauer appeared in every single game, helping Iona to a third consecutive MAAC Championship. The rookie had 10 hits and two runs batted in during the conference's postseason, earning a spot on the 2012 MAAC Championship All-Tournament Team. Schauer had her best statistical season in her junior year, batting .315 with seven doubles, three home runs and 20 RBI. That season, she was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and the Gaels won their sixth MAAC Championship.
For her career, Schauer slashed .290/.352/.367 with 20 doubles and six home runs.
CHELSEA SHEEHAN '12
Sheehan is a three-time MAAC Champion, winning with the Maroon & Gold in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
Sheehan was a MAAC Championship All-Tournament Team selection in both 2010 and 2011, and in 2012 was named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Sheehan ranks inside Iona's top-five in career games played (191) and at-bats in a single season (173 in 2012).
Outside of competition on the diamond, Sheehan was a three-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree.
KRISTEN TURNER '17
Turner is the owner of the program-best marks in career hits (208), home runs (44), RBIs (159), doubles (42) and slugging percentage (.648). She is also the only Gael to earn All-MAAC First Team distinction in every season of her playing career.
In her freshman season, Turner led the league with 50 RBI (a single-season Iona record) and her 11 round-trippers tied an Iona rookie record and were second most in the conference. Turner was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year and was a key component in Iona winning its sixth MAAC Championship in 2014.
As a junior, Turner set the program's homerun record with her 34th career big fly and ended the season with 116 career RBIs to her credit, another new all-time record for Iona. Turner would end her Iona career inside the top-10 of four more categories.
Her other career accolades included ECAC Division I Softball All-Star Second Team, Senior CLASS Award candidate and NCAA Women of the Year nominee. Turner was also a pivotal piece in Iona's first-ever national postseason win over Campbell at the National Invitational Softball Championship in 2017.
ALLISON HAND '15
A two-time MAAC Champion and All-MAAC Second Team honoree, Hand also etched her name into the Iona record book throughout her four-year career.
Hand's 160 career hits are the sixth most in program history. She played in 188 career games for the Maroon & Gold (eighth most) and amassed 546 at-bats, the fourth-most in Iona softball history. Hand also owns the sixth-most home runs (19), seventh-most runs scored (95) and 10th-most runs batted in (78).
Hand was selected to the All-MAAC Second Team in back-to-back seasons (2014 and 2015) and also helped the Gaels win their fifth and sixth MAAC titles in 2012 and 2014. Hand was a part of a three-way tie in the final voting with Ashlyn Morris and Jodi Petersen, therefore all four are being honored as part of the All-Decade Team.
EILEEN MCCANN '14
McCann is the only player in program history with four MAAC Championships. She is Iona softball's most recent MAAC Player of the Year, earning the honor in her redshirt senior season in 2014.
McCann's Iona career began with a record-setting campaign. Her 11 home runs in her rookie season back in 2010 set a new program record for freshmen. Her performance helped the Gaels to their first MAAC Championship since 1985 and first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.
The Maroon & Gold won titles in 2011 and 2012 as well, during which McCann helped herself to a spot on the MAAC All-Tournament Team in '11 and an All-MAAC First Team selection in '12.
McCann's senior season was cut short just 16 games in, but she returned in 2014 and went on to win the MAAC Player of the Year and her fourth conference title. McCann also became the third player in program history to register a batting average above .400 in a single season, joining Alison Higgs '05 and Maureen Shea '92. Her .432 batting average in 2014 still stands as the program's best mark for a single season.
Other career accolades for McCann include ECAC Division I Softball All-Star First Team, CoSIDA All-Academic District 1 First Team, NFCA All-Region Second Team and NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete.
ASHLYN MORRIS '17
Morris' Iona career began with a MAAC Championship in 2014, a season in which she played in 34 games and hit over .300.
Morris would go on to play four seasons for the Gaels, finishing her career inside the top-10 in at-bats (517), hits (147) and runs scored (83). During her senior season, Morris registered 169 at-bats, the sixth-highest total in program history.
Inside the classroom, Morris was a three-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection.
JODI PETERSEN '13
Iona's all-time leader in games played and at-bats, Petersen earned all-conference honors in three of her four seasons, won three league titles and was the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2010.
Petersen finished with 199 hits in her four-year career, third most in program history, and finished top-three in runs scored (112) and stolen bases (30). Her 17 career round trippers and 80 runs batted in are both tied for seventh most in Iona history.
Petersen's rookie season concluded with rookie of the year honors, along with an All-MAAC First Team and All-Tournament Team selection. She set Iona freshmen records in at-bats (159), runs (31), hits (57), and triples (4). One of Petersen's three hits during the 2010 MAAC postseason was a walk-off, two-run home run against the Niagara Purple Eagles. Petersen registered 60 hits in her junior season, tying the Iona single-season record that Alison Higgs set back in 2004.
Off the diamond, Petersen was a three-time MAAC All-Academic honoree.
CARLY ARGYLE '16
Argyle was a two-time conference champion and the MAAC Championship Most Outstanding Player in 2014, her second title as a member of the Maroon & Gold. As of today, Argyle sits inside the program top-10 in wins (30), strikeouts (307), strikeout ratio (0.71), games pitched (93) and innings pitched (432.0).
Along with her MAAC Championship title and MOP in 2014, Argyle was a NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Third Team and All-MAAC Second Team selection. She finished the season with a team-best 3.71 earned run average and 135 strikeouts, posting a 15-9 record inside the circle. At the plate, she hit .301 with two bombs and 13 RBI.
SARAH JACKSON '12
Jackson is a two-time MAAC Pitcher of the Year and a three-time All-MAAC First Team selection. She was an integral part of Iona winning three straight conference tournament championships from 2010 through 2012. Jackson earned Tournament MVP honors twice and MAAC All-Tournament Team recognition all three years, en route to three NCAA Regional appearances. She is just one of six players in league history to be named the MAAC Softball Championship MVP twice.
Jackson began her career with the Maroon & Gold by recording the fourth-most strikeouts (138) in the MAAC and pitching to the lowest ERA in the league (1.62). She was named the Co-MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2009 and a voted to the All-MAAC Second Team. Jackson earned the first of two MAAC Pitcher of the Year awards and two MAAC Championship Most Outstanding Performer honors in 2010, a season in which she hurled two no-hitters and a perfect game.
Currently, Jackson still owns program records in wins (62), strikeouts (802), complete games (81), shutouts (26), strikeout ratio (1.18/IP), games started (106) and innings pitched (677). She also holds single-season program records for games started, strikeouts and shutouts.
ALYSSA MAIESE '12
One of the program's best two-way players of all time, Maiese transferred to Iona in 2010 and was a major component in the Gaels' three-peat. She was a two-time All-MAAC First Teamer and All-Tournament selection, as well as the MAAC Player of the Year and MAAC Championship Most Outstanding Player in 2012.
At the plate, Maiese is top-10 in four different categories despite playing in just three seasons with the program. Her 33 homers are the third-best mark, while her career .614 slugging percentage is fourth, 85 runs batted in are sixth and career .330 batting average is ninth highest.
Maiese wrapped up her career inside the top-10 in 10 different pitching categories. She made 86 appearances (eighth most) and started 57 games in three years (10th most), racking up 36 victories (sixth most) and 415 strikeouts (fourth most) in program history. Maiese's .545 winning percentage and 0.91 strikeout ratio are the fifth-best marks in Iona's history and her 2.17 earned run average is tied for eighth lowest.
At the plate, Maiese owns Iona's single-season home run record, clobbering 13 in 2011. Her 43 RBIs in 2012 were a single-season program record until Kristen Turner surpassed her total in 2014 and 2017. Inside the circle, Maiese's 225 punchouts and 17 wins in the 2012 season are the third and fourth-best marks, respectively, in a single-season.
Be sure to follow Iona College athletics on all social media platforms:
ICGaels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (E-Mail Updates)
Iona Softball: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (E-Mail Updates)
