NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Senior shortstop
Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J.), who leads the CACC in home runs, RBI, slugging and OPS, has been selected as the CACC Player of the Year, the league announced today. Tavaska, who also ranks second in the circuit in hits, doubles and triples and third in runs and batting average, was also named to the All-CACC First Team in voting by the league's 12 coaches.
Tavaska is joined on the First Team by teammates, senior 2B
Grace Vondracek (Odessa, N.Y.) and sophomore LF
McKenzie Nazionale (Ontario, Calif.). Freshman 3B
Lindsay Oller (So. Plainfield, N.J.) was chosen to the Second Team.
Tavaska, now a two-time All-CACC First Team an two-time Second Team selection in her career, slashed .442/.456/.838 for a 1.294 OPS. She swatted 17 doubles, seven triples and 10 home runs, scoring 44 runs and driving in 59.Â
The four-year starter at shortstop is fourth in Caldwell history in hits (259), fifth in home runs (22), eighth in batting average (.389), third in RBI (182), fifth in doubles (60), first in triples (16), sixth in runs (149), ninth in SB (45), first in total bases (417), fifth in slugging (.627). Tavaska was named CACC Player of the Week twice in 2025, and was the league's Student-Athlete of the Month in March.
Vondracek ranks second in the CACC in batting at .456 and first in on-base percentage (.556), runs (56), walks (23) and stolen bases (42). The 2024 NFCA First Team All-Region selection is first in Caldwell history in batting (.475) and third in stolen bases (61).
Nazionale ranks ninth in the CACC in batting (.392) while stealing 21 bases, third best in the circuit. Her 58 hits place her sixth in the league and her 32 runs are 12th.
Oller made a strong impression in her freshman year, taking the starting third base job. She ranks fourth on the team in RBI (20) and on base percentage (.418) while placing second in walks (14) and hit by pitches (eight.)
The Cougars finished at 24-24 overall, 13-9 in league play. They earned the #5 seed in the CACC Tournament, falling in the opening round at Jefferson yesterday, 3-1.
