FARMINGTON, Maine – The University of Maine at Farmington softball team was well represented in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) postseason awards, with three student-athletes earning All-Conference recognition, two more honored for their performances in the NAC Tournament, and one receiving All-Sportsmanship honors.
Olivia Paradis (Saco, Maine) capped off her five-year career by earning a spot on the NAC All-Conference East Division Team at second base. The senior was one of UMF's most consistent hitters, batting .362 on the season with 25 hits and 15 RBIs in 29 games. She also finished the season with a .404 on-base percentage, the third-best mark on the team. In NAC play, Paradis elevated her performance, hitting an eye-popping .550 (11-for-20) with a 1.171 OPS—ranking second in the conference for batting average. In addition to her ability to get on base, Paradis was one of the toughest hitters in the conference to strike out, finishing the season with just four strikeouts. She also had a knack for rising to the occasion, delivering in key moments, including a 3-for-3, two-RBI performance in a must-win 10-2 victory over Lesley on April 27. This All-Conference honor is the first of her career, closing the book on her time as a Beaver on a high note.
Paradis was also a key contributor during the Beavers' run through the North Atlantic Conference Tournament. In the four tournament games played over the weekend, she went 6-for-12, recording two hits in three of the four games. Paradis also scored three runs and drove in five during Farmington's playoff run.
Joining Paradis on the NAC East All-Conference Team is Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine), who continued her strong collegiate career as a sophomore outfielder. Dow batted .388 overall—eighth-best in the NAC—with 33 hits, 19 RBIs, and 25 runs scored across 29 games. She also finished the year with a team-high .413 on-base percentage and a .907 OPS, second-best on the roster. A great athlete, Dow impacted the game on the base paths as well, stealing seven bases—tied for the second-highest total on the team. In conference play, she posted a .400 average and a 1.064 OPS while playing flawless defense in the outfield. Her highlight moment came against Lesley, when she crushed an inside-the-park home run to help lift the Beavers to a playoff-clinching win.
This honor marks the second consecutive season Dow has received NAC All-Conference recognition. As a first-year, she hit .453 with three home runs and 20 RBIs. So far in her career, Dow has hit .416 with four home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .442 on-base percentage.
Christa Allen (Harrison, Maine) also earned NAC East All-Conference recognition as a designated player after another productive season at the plate. The senior hit .370 overall with 34 hits, 20 RBIs, and a .915 OPS. Allen pounded out seven doubles and two home runs for a total of 47 total bases—a team high. She was equally impressive in NAC play, hitting .385. Allen's impact was especially felt during a dominant doubleheader sweep over UMPI on April 18, where she went 5-for-8 with a double, a home run, three runs scored, and seven RBIs. This is the second All-Conference honor of Allen's collegiate career and her first since her first-year season.
Though honored as a designated player, Allen also served as one of the Beavers' two catchers. She finished the season with a .929 fielding percentage, committing just five errors.
Allen concluded her career as one of the best hitters in recent program memory. Across her four-year career, she hit .318 with 101 hits, a .385 OBP, seven home runs, 72 RBIs, and 19 doubles.
In addition to the All-Conference accolades, Allen and sophomore shortstop Abby Wrinn (Wolcott, Conn.) were named to the NAC All-Tournament Team for their standout efforts during the postseason. Their performances helped lead UMF through a competitive tournament run.
Allen hit safely in three out of four games last week for the Beavers, including a monster 4-for-4 performance with a run scored and an RBI against VTSU Lyndon. In an offensive shootout in an elimination game against SUNY Cobleskill, Allen went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs to help pace the Beavers.
Wrinn was also instrumental in the Beavers' success during the NAC playoff tournament in New York. The sophomore shortstop went 6-for-16 at the plate with a double, a triple, five runs scored, and four RBIs to help Farmington to a pair of playoff victories—the first time the team has won multiple playoff games since 2011.
Senior pitcher Carleigh Schievink (Charlestown, Mass.) was named to the NAC All-Sportsmanship Team after a strong final campaign in the circle. Schievink went 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts to just one walk in 16 innings. She threw two complete games, including a shutout, and opened her season with a stellar five-inning, scoreless start featuring six strikeouts.
