NEW YORK | Payton Walker’s sequel was better than the award-winning original.

The St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn sophomore followed up her Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year campaign from a season ago by being named Skyline Player of the Year for 2025.

The Skyline's 10 head softball coaches have voted on this year's edition of the All-Conference team and major awards, selecting Walker and this year’s phenom, Madison DeMaio of Farmingdale State, as both the Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

The top two seeds in the conference tournament, which begins today, will also have head coaches that have been named Coach of the Year as FSC’s Liz Pennino repeats and is joined by Dale Martin of Manhattanville in voting conducted by their peers.

Walker (below) headlines as a three-time Skyline Player of the Week and the Bears’ team leader in RBI (49), home runs (6), slugging (.863) and on-base (.570). She only struck out four times throughout entire season and 24 of her 50 hits went for extra bases. She totaled 12 RBI in games against SLC and thusly broke single-season RBI program record in the twin bill.
 
Her standout performance was an encore to a rookie season in 2024, where she led the team in batting average (.411), OPS (1.204), RBI (28) and slugging (.744), lifting the Bears to the playoffs.  

Just like Walker burst onto the scene last spring, DeMaio (below) did the same this season. The three-time Pitcher of the Week selection, and one-time Rookie of the Week choice leads the conference in overall strikeouts, innings pitched, shutouts (six) and victories (20 – tied for FSC single-season record), while ranking second in ERA and third in batting average against. The Rams are the No. 2 seed in the tournament with DeMaio shining in the circle.
 
FSC went 26-14 overall, including 15-3 in conference play under Pennino. This is Pennino’s third Skyline Coach of the Year honor. She previously won the award in voting conducted by her peers in 2021 and last spring. She was promoted to head coach at FSC in 2019. She had been the assistant since 2012.  
 
Pennino (below) is the founder and President of LI Surge Fastpitch, a girls softball organization with a strong footprint in the Long Island community. Pennino graduated with her bachelor's degree from Manhattan College. She was on scholarship for the Division I softball program and a four-year starting pitcher and letter winner.  
 
Meantime, Martin did as his typically does every spring: win. The Valiants went 29-9, going 17-1 in league play to capture the top seed and host next weekend’s double-elimination bracket.

The most successful coach in Valiant softball history and the winningest coach in Manhattanville history, Martin (below) is finishing up his 13th season of his second stint in Purchase and 19th season overall at the helm of the Manhattanville softball program in 2025.
 
Now, a 10-time conference Coach of the Year, Martin is arguably the most successful bench boss in Manhattanville history. He is the softball program's all-time leader in wins, games coached and winning percentage and is one of only four coaches in department history to lead a team for at least 14 seasons.

In addition to the major awards, the full First Team and Second Team selections are outlined below. The head coaches also announced their respective recipients for the All-Sportsmanship Team. The conference recognizes All-Sportsmanship Team members in all 19 of its championship sports, with each program announcing one recipient for his or her sportsmanlike demeanor – both in and out of competition.
   
First Team

C - Angelina Cruz, Manhattanville
C - Rebecca Bronzi, Purchase
1B - Ashley Pierce, Old Westbury
2B - Samantha Walsh, Manhattanville
SS - Angelina Capuano, Farmingdale State
SS - Samantha Reyer, Manhattanville 
3B - Alaina Reilly, Old Westbury
OF - Aaliyah Dejesus, Mount Saint Vincent)
OF - Isabella Tansey, Manhattanville
OF - Ashley Toro, Farmingdale State
OF - Payton Walker, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn
DP - Samantha Stolfi, Farmingdale State
UT - Arielle Reddick, Purchase
P - Madison DeMaio, Farmingdale State
P - Emily Mottoshiski, Manhattanville
P - Grace MacDonald, Mount Saint Mary

Second Team

C – Kaysee Mojo, Farmingdale State
C – Madison Muehling, Old Westbury
1B - Rachel Coleman, Manhattanville
1B - Madison Sturtz, Farmingdale State
2B - Brooke Bove, St. Joseph’s-Long Island
2B - Alyssa Cowen, Farmingdale State
2B - Autumn Strobach, Mount Saint Mary
SS - Samantha Aviles, Mount Saint Vincent
3B - Bailey Hammock, Farmingdale State
OF - Olivia Fasce, Manhattanville
OF - Jacqueline Flannery, St. Joseph's-Long Island
OF - Grace Reich, Mount Saint Mary
OF - Zoe Rivera, Old Westbury
DP - Madison Danin, Old Westbury
UT - Antonia Busa, St. Joseph’s-Long Island
P - Gracie Laukkanen, Mount Saint Vincent
P - Hailey Ragozine, Old Westbury

Player of the Year: Payton Walker, St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn
Pitcher of the Year: Madison DeMaio, Farmingdale State
Rookie of the Year: Madison DeMaio, Farmingdale State
Coach of the Year: Dale Martin, Manhattanville (13th Season); Liz Pennino, Farmingdale State (Sixth Season)

All-Sportsmanship Team

Alyssa Cowen, Farmingdale State
Jori Wilkendorf, Manhattanville
Allison Kenney, Mount Saint Mary
Savannah Autobee, Mount Saint Vincent
Juliana Vasquez, Old Westbury
Mel Harper, Purchase
Emily Leonard, Sarah Lawrence
Lauren Van Der Kamp, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn
Mariah Salvatto, St. Joseph's-Long Island
Talia Finn, Yeshiva