Former Titans Help Lions Become a Top Team in Division II Softball

By Patrick McCormack

One common denominator on the softball field at Molloy College is Holy Trinity High School. The Titans won three consecutive New York State softball titles from 2005-07.

Four players who won at least one title at Trinity are now playing at Molloy, which recently advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament for the second straight year, the first two times in program history.

The Lions were led by Carla Campagna, a 2007 Holy Trinity graduate. The junior first baseman batted .386 with 10 home runs and 59 RBI, this spring, and was named the ECC Player of the Year.  

Campagna was excited about the honor. “Becoming the 2011 Player of the Year is incredible,” Campagna said. “To be recognized by the league coaches and held in such high regard has truly touched me. It proves that all the long hours of my hard work and dedication, starting from the summer of 2010 to the beginning of our season, really paid off. I would do it all over again."

Campagna, Megan Butterworth, Allie Sydor, and Jeana Frey all played at Holy Trinity prior to their arrival at Molloy. Campagna believes the Trinity connection has been a huge factor in the team’s success at Molloy.

“Holy Trinity has been a huge piece of the puzzle in becoming successful in my college softball career,” Campagna said. “Coach Cassidy has something special about her that not only brought me to Molloy, but also my fellow teammates. She led me to come to Molloy. Her knowledge and guidance toward me personally influenced me. The level of softball at Holy Trinity has always been the finest. Holy Trinity has helped me move onto to the next level of softball because of the coaches I crossed paths with. Without Holy Trinity’s softball program, I would not be where I am today."

Butterworth, a 2008 graduate of Holy Trinity, had a terrific year in the circle for the Lions. The sophomore pitcher was named All-ECC first team for the second straight season,  and was named the ECC Tournament MVP. Butterworth posted a 3-0 record with three complete games and 23 strikeouts. Her fine showing at the ECC Tournament enabled her to be named  NFCA Division II National Pitcher of the Week.

Butterworth has enjoyed her two seasons with the Lions. “I am very lucky to have been a part of such a successful team the past two years,” Butterworth said. “After our visit to the College World Series last year, we set high goals for ourselves, one of them being to win the ECC championship. It is so exciting to win the conference title. I feel we have proved ourselves to be worthy of a second NCAA appearance."

Like Campagna, Butterworth enjoyed her time as a Titan. “Trinity has played a big part in my personal success at Molloy,” Butterworth said. “It was at Trinity that I became part of a team that put 110 percent into every practice and game. Alongside Allie Sydor, Carla Campagna and Jeana Frey, we were named CHSAA champions in 2007. This helped us understand what it takes to win at a very competitive level. We are all lucky to be teammates once again here at Molloy, and we are looking forward to success in the future."

Sydor, who graduated from Trinity in 2006 was a member of all three state title teams. She believes the experience at Holy Trinity was a big key. “Trinity was great to me,” Sydor said. “Winning those three titles prepared me for the pressure of playing in the college playoffs."

Frey, the youngest of the Trinity grads to play at Molloy, had an unreal sophomore season. Frey hit an eye-popping .482 and was second in the nation in hits with 96. She also led the team in runs scored with 58.

Frey was greatful for her Trinity experience, "Trinity was a key time for me to boost my athletic ability and to play for great coaches of the time of all the sports I played. It was a key learning tool for me to understand competition and commitment. Winning the title in my sophomore year state and conference champs was my first time achieving a pretty substantial title for high school. All together I feel blessed and proud of what the three of us haves achieved. A bond of a great friendship, and team effort has brought us close throughout the years of all our hard work. I look forward to the many more successful years ahead of us." Frey said

Molloy Athletic Director/softball coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke is a 1982 Holy Trinity graduate. Her coaching record at Trinity is off the charts. Cassidy-Lyke posted a 287-85 record, winning nine CHSAA titles, and four State Titles. She was also named CHSAA coach of the year four times, in 1995 was named Nassau County coach of the year, and was named Newsday coach of the year in 2003.

Cassidy-Lyke enjoyed her time leading the Titans. “The opportunity to coach at Holy Trinity was the start I needed to achieve what I have to this point,” Cassidy-Lyke said. “It gave me the confidence and support to build the softball program and achieve a tradition of excellence and it is something that I brought with me here to Molloy. I always stressed fundamentals at Trinity and I coach the same way here at Molloy. Trinity was a supportive place that developed me as a student, coach and person." 

In 2011, Cassidy-Lyke was named ECC Coach of the year for the third year in a row. "Winning coach of the year accolades three years in a row has been humbling,” she said. “It is always nice to be recognized by your peers for your coaching style and effort."

Cassidy-Lyke was also pleased with her team's success the past two seasons. “It has really been exciting making the NCAA tournament two years straight,” she said. “Obviously last year was amazing since it was the first time in the history of the softball program and this year it is nice to meet the expectations we placed on ourselves after last year's finish. There was a lot of pressure to do as well as last season.”