NEW HAVEN, Conn. (April 28, 2025) – Caldwell University senior shortstop Ashleigh Tavaska has been voted the 2025 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Player of the Year. Graduate left-hander Kaite Burawski of the University of Bridgeport was selected the 2025 CACC Pitcher of the Year. Tavaska and Burawski, who were also both named to the All-CACC First Team, top the all-conference teams and major award winners announced today by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the conference’s 12 head coaches.
Thomas Jefferson University freshman pitcher Delaney Alix was chosen as the 2024-25 CACC Softball Rookie of the Year. Alix was also elected to the All-CACC First Team. Bridgeport head coach Dawn Stearns is the Coach of the Year, while Bloomfield College will receive the 2024-25 Softball Team Sportsmanship Award.
Tavaska, from Jackson, N.J., batted .442 over 48 games with 17 doubles, seven triples, 10 home runs, 44 runs scored, and a CACC-best 59 runs batted in. She also stole 11 bases in 12 attempts. Her .838 slugging percentage leads the conference. She shares the CACC home run lead and is second in triples and base hits (68). She helped lead the Cougars to the No. 5 seed in the CACC playoffs.
Burawski, of Hartly, Del., owns a 17-4 record, a 1.73 earned-run average, and six shutouts -- including a no-hitter and two one-hitters -- heading into today’s CACC first-round playoff series against Dominican University New York. In 137 2/3 innings, she has allowed 90 hits and 48 walks while striking out 160 batters. Her strikeout and shutout totals lead the CACC, as does her .185 batting average against. Burawski, who was 9-0 in conference play, helped UB to the CACC regular-season title.
Alix, a right-hander from Temecula, Calif., is 8-9 with a league-leading 1.45 ERA and four shutouts. Opponents are hitting .205 off of her. Alix has worked 120 2/3 innings, given up 91 hits, struck out 130 batters and walked 21. The Rams have reached the double-elimination segment of the CACC Championship tournament, which begins on Thursday.
Stearns, selected by the league’s directors of athletics communications, has guided the Purple Knights (32-12, 19-3 CACC) to the No. 1 seed for this week’s conference championship tournament. Bridgeport reached the 2024 NCAA Tournament on an at-large basis and is currently ranked sixth in the Division II East Region.
Bloomfield, led by head coach Delanie Cruz, was the coaches’ choice for demonstrating class and character throughout the regular season.
The 2025 CACC softball major award winners and all-conference teams are listed below.
2025 CACC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ashleigh Tavaska (Caldwell University)
2025 CACC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Kaite Burawski (University of Bridgeport)
2025 CACC SOFTBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Delaney Alix (Thomas Jefferson University)
2025 CACC SOFTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Dawn Stearns (University of Bridgeport)
2025 CACC SOFTBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Bloomfield College
2025 CACC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
C – Emma Zimmerman (Wilmington University)
1B – Sydney Hatch (Wilmington University)
2B – Grace Vondracek (Caldwell University)
3B – Mya Jones (University of Bridgeport)
SS – Ashleigh Tavaska (Caldwell University)
OF – McKenzie Nazionale (Caldwell University)
OF – Tristyn Stewart (Wilmington University)
OF – Maddie Vollmar (Wilmington University)
P – Delaney Alix (Thomas Jefferson University)
P – Kaite Burawski (University of Bridgeport)
P – Caitlyn Burch (Goldey-Beacom College)
DP – Wynter Radcliffe (Goldey-Beacom College)
UT-PLAYER – Ariana Mirenda (Goldey-Beacom College)
UT-PITCHER – Delani Sheehan (Wilmington University)
2025 CACC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
C – Alexis Letizia (Holy Family University)
1B – Bryn Bohmann (Goldey-Beacom College)
2B – Angela Oros (University of Bridgeport)
3B – Lindsay Oller (Caldwell University)
SS – Madison D’Amato (University of Bridgeport)
OF – Rylee Hobel (Holy Family University)
OF – Ella Moore (Georgian Court University)
OF – Sydnee Perreault (University of Bridgeport)
P – Emily Baxter (Dominican University)
P – Kylee Gunkel (Wilmington University)
P – Morgan McLane (Goldey-Beacom College)
DP – Kimberly Torres (Felician University)
UT-PLAYER – Adriana Barnes (Dominican University)
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.