COLLEGE: NEB GRAD SUSANJ EARNS CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS AT MISERICORDIA (2025-05-14)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
Northeast Bradford Emily Susanj finished off her college softball career at Misericordia on about a high note as it can get by

“It is truly so exciting,” Susanj said. “It was a bit unexpected. I was just enjoying my last season and trying not to think too much about every little thing and it ended up being my best year yet! It’s such an incredible honor and it the pinnacle of my career. Every second that I put into the sport has come down to my performance this year. It is something that is so remarkable so I always thought it was out of reach! But being able to achieve it, while also being recognized as Athlete of the Week and Athlete of the Month is such an exciting honor. I am just so happy and proud and still cannot believe that I received such an honor earning Conference Player of the Year honors.”

Along with being named Player of the Year for the All-MAC Freedom team Susanj was named as the first team catcher.

She was fourth in the league in batting average at .405 and slugging at .595, while placing fifth in on-base percentage at .464.

“It is so so exciting to have a season hitting over .400,” Susanj said. “I hit over .400 for the entire season and over .600 for conference games. It is such a great feeling and I was so happy that I was able to help my team. A major aspect of my high average was my perspective this past year. I just told myself to have fun and enjoy my last year and everything seamlessly fell into place.”

They also had a strong season team wise, with the Cougars taking second in the Freedom Conference Tournament at the end of the year.

“Finishing second in the conference was such a huge achievement,” Susanj said. “We fought so hard to be in playoffs and fought incredibly hard once we got there, so to make the championship game and even take a game from Lebanon Valley was so awesome. Had a couple more things gone our way, we would have won the title game, but it was an incredible fight and I’m so proud of what we accomplished this year.”

This bookmarks a long and successful softball career for Susanj going all the way back to Little League.

“Now that my college career is over, I must say I am a bit sad,” she said. “It’s been a major aspect of my life for the past 15 years and I am not truly sure what I am going to do without it! I definitely plan on coaching in the future so hopefully I can stay involved with the sport. Looking back at it all, I am so immensely proud of myself. I am proud of the goals that I have met, the relationships that I have built, and the person that I have become! I’m so lucky to have been able to experience such a great thing. It has been a great run and I am so happy to look back on all of the fond memories that I have of the sport. I will certainly miss playing at such a high level in college, but I know I will still be involved with it someway or somehow.”

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PHOTO BY MISERICORDIA  

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