Suffolk University Senior Monica Cioffi, an East Boston resident and graduate of East Boston High School, recently wrapped up her four year career with Suffolk’s girls softball team during the 2011 season.
Cioffi finishes a four-year career with a .318 batting average in 149 games played, stealing 79 bases for the Rams, while serving as a team captain in both a junior and senior.
Cioffi finished the 2011 season with a .269 batting average (28-for-105) as she stole 15 bases in 16 attempts. She also earned Suffolk’s Gold Glove honors as she finished with a team best in fielding percentage at .965 appearing in 34 games at second base for the Rams.
The Suffolk infielder had her best year as a sophomore in 2009 when she was a second team All-Conference selection by the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC).
That season Cioffi earned honors by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) as was named to ESPN the Magazine’s Academic All-District team. In 40 games that season Cioffi batted .369 (52-for-141) and also led the GNAC stealing 39 bases. As a junior Cioffi also led the GNAC with 24 steals.
“Monica was a great player for us over the past four years,” said Head Softball Coach Keri Lemasters about Cioffi’s accomplishments. “She has a tremendous skill set that not only helped her on the softball diamond but will help her excel in whatever she does in her future. She was a tremendous player and leader for us, and her contributions throughout our Athletics department were appreciated and will be missed.”
Cioffi also earned recognition for her efforts away from the field as she was awarded with Suffolk University’s “Charles Melanson Unsung Hero Award” by the Athletics Department.
Cioffi has been an integral member of the Suffolk University Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) for her four year career. As member of the SAAC, Cioffi and other student-athletes have done numerous community work, highlighted by the annual Breakfast With Santa. During that event the Rams host children from the local Chinatown YMCA during Christmas time for a chance to meet Santa Claus and hand out presents to the youngsters as well as serving them a meal.
Cioffi graduated in May with a degree in Sociology and boasted a 3.8 cumulative grade point average.
She was recently accepted into Boston College’s Lynch School of Education.