LOWELL, MA (May 5, 2007) – Seniors Vikki Guido (Winchester, MA) and Kristen Mahoney (Burlington, MA) led six UMass Lowell softball players named to the Northeast-10 Conference Softball All-Star Teams, released Saturday.

Guido, a centerfielder, earned a spot on the first team while Mahoney, junior 2B Julie Brodie (Chelmsford, MA) and junior RF Laurie Tanguay (Lowell, MA) were each named to the second team.

Sophomore SS Stacey Lajoie (Gardner, MA) and junior LF Jachael Guanci (Everett, MA) were cited to the third team.

Five of the players repeated the honors from last year, led by Mahoney and Tanguay, who earned all-conference status for the third straight year. Brodie, Lajoie and Guido were selected last season while Guanci makes her first appearance.

For Mahoney and Brodie, the honor is the second major award within a week as both were named to the NE-10 Softball All-Academic First Team last week.

The River Hawks are 26-20 on the year and finished in fifth place during the NE-10 regular season. Ranked No. 10 in the latest NCAA Northeast Region poll, UML is currently in the NE-10 Tournament semifinal this weekend with victories over fourth seeded Bryant (8-4) and top-seed Le Moyne (4-2) With a good showing in the Tournament, UML could secure its second straight NCAA Tournament bid.

A second team selection last season, Guido has enjoyed her best year in 2007. The consummate leadoff hitter, Guido is currently among the top 10 conference leaders in several categories, including stolen bases (16, second), total hits (third, 57), batting (eighth, .352) and runs (ninth, 27).

Fifty-six of Guido’s 57 hits have been singles, also a team high.

Mahoney makes her third appearance on the NE-10 all-star teams. On Friday, she pitched UML to two victories in the NE-10 Tournament to improve to 15-8 on the season and is currently maintaining a 1.54 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .208 average.

UML’s all-time leader in victories (65) and strikeouts (561), Mahoney ranks among the top five NE-10 leaders in six categories, including strikeouts by looking (48, first), strikeouts (170, second), innings pitched (159.1, second), ERA (fourth) and opposing batting average (fourth).

Despite playing with a nagging shoulder injury most of the season, Tanguay has remained among the better players in the NE-10, ranking among conference leaders in RBI (28, fifth), home runs (six, tied for fifth) and total bases (65, 10th).

Tanguay is currently hitting .309 and slugging .478.

The 2006 NE-10 Rookie of the Year, Lajoie makes her second all-conference appearance and has resumed from a stellar debut season. She is currently batting .277 while slugging .438 and ranks tied for fifth among NE-10 leaders in doubles (10) and triples (three).

Lajoie is also among leaders in RBI (27, 10th) and walks (15, 14th), making for a .353 on-base rate.

Guanci, who batted 3 for 3 with four RBI in UML’s win over Bryant in the NE-10 Tournament opener, has been an explosive hitter this season. She ranks second in the NE-10 in RBI (36) and home runs (seven), which has led to a team-high .544 slugging percentage.