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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo softball team announced its 2001 team awards at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held at Samuel's Grande Manor on Tuesday, May 1. Senior Kim Lawrence (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg/Erie CC) was named Most Valuable Player, and freshman Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/ Baldwin) earned Newcomer of the Year honors. Freshman Jessica Labella (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) was named Most Improved Player, while sophomore Andrea Sage (Depew, NY/ Depew) received the team's Coach's Award.

Lawrence finished her senior season with a .242 batting average, 31 hits, including two doubles and two triples, and nine RBIs. Possibly more important than her performance at the plate, however, was her performance on the field where she displayed leadership and gave the Bulls a sense of stability while filling key positions. Lawrence began the season at third base and then moved to catcher in early April when the Bulls were plagued by injuries. She posted a .938 fielding percentage during the year, committing just 14 errors in 225 chances.

Nasti led the Bulls in hitting throughout the season, finishing with a .373 batting average in her first season of collegiate competition. Nasti set UB single-season records for hits (59), doubles (18), home runs (10) and RBIs (43). Her 18 doubles, 10 home runs and 43 RBIs are also UB career records, and her 59 hits on the year tied the school career mark. Nasti also posted a .690 slugging percentage and a .435 on-base percentage, both tops on the team. Nasti, a lefty, also finished the year with a respectable .908 fielding percentage after moving from her natural position in center field to shortstop out of necessity prior to the start of the conference season.

Labella took over the starting duties at third base after Lawrence moved to catcher, and she showed improvement in every game she played. Labella had 13 hits this season, including two doubles, and she drove in her first career run in an 8-0 win over Niagara on Wednesday, May 2. Labella also finished the year with a .920 fielding percentage with just six errors in 75 chances.

Sage did an excellent job on the mound for the Bulls this season, pitching 21 complete games and allowing just 63 earned runs in 155.1 innings for a 2.84 ERA. She picked up her first win of the year on February 9, a 12-2 victory over Texas Southern in the Sam Houston State Invitational, and she threw a complete-game three- hitter on April 11 in a 4-1 win over St. Bonaventure. Sage had four victories on the year and struck out 91 batters, giving her a UB career record 132 strikeouts.

The Bulls finished the 2001 season with a 7-1 win at Miami (OH) on Saturday, May 5, giving them a 12-40 overall record and a 4-20 MAC record for the season.