WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons College's Lauren Del Vacchio (Murrieta, Calif.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Softball Co-Rookie of the Week for the week of April 3-9, it was announced today by the league. Del Vacchio shares the honor with University of Saint Joseph's (Conn.) Amaria Sharon (Tolland, Conn.), who was also named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week. Del Vacchio is the second Simmons player to be honored with the top rookie award, following classmate Molly Hennessey (Charlton, Mass.), who was tabbed for the week of March 6-12. 

Del Vacchio put the Sharks in position to score in every game she played, reaching base at least twice in all eight games she played in, while batting a robust .636 (14-22) with seven walks to contribute to a staggering .724 on-base percentage. The leadoff hitter showed some pop at the plate as well with three triples and a double to help produce a .955 slugging percentage. The infielder/outfielder also scored nine runs and knocked in a run to go with three stolen bases. A graduate of Vista Murrieta High School, Del Vacchio found her way on base six times with a pair of hits and four walks to open the week in a twinbill vs. Lasell College on April 3. She also tripled and scored during the day. Del Vacchio continued her success at the collegiate level, going 3-7 with a walk, a double and a run batted in to go with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases on April 5 vs. Eastern Nazarene College. The Communications major capped the week with four games over the weekend. The versatile player saw action at second base in a double-header vs. Anna Maria College on April 8 and was 4-6 with a walk, a triple and two runs scored. She put on her outfielder's glove to patrol left field for the Sunday twinbill vs. Norwich University and brought her bat too, collecting five hits in eight at-bats, including a 4-4 effort in game two of the set with the Cadets. She also scored three times, drew a walk, stole a base and cracked her third triple of the week. 

For the season, the rookie is just one of two players in the GNAC to rank among the league's top 15 in batting average (.397/23-58 – 11^th), walks (13 – 3^rd), doubles (6 – 4^th), on base percentage (.447 – 3^rd), slugging percentage (.561 – 9^th), hits (23 – 10^th), runs scored (14 – 15^th) and leads the conference with three triples on the season. She currently owns a team-high and season-long seven-game hitting streak and has reached base via a hit or a walk in 11 straight contests. She's already recorded eight multi-hit efforts in 21 games for her career and scored two or more runs on four occasions. The right-handed hitter notched her first collegiate hits with a single and double in five at-bats in game two of a twinbill with Emerson College on March 6. 

Simmons is currently 9-12 on the season, including 4-4 in league play. The Sharks return to action on Wednesday, April 12 when they head to East Boston, Mass. to take on conference foe Suffolk University for a 6:00 p.m. twinbill.