Softball 5/13/2026 12:00:00 AM

Abington Trio Earn All-United East Honors

Click for Complete All-United East teams and Major Awards

Latham, N.Y. – The Penn State Abington softball team had three players earn All-United East Conference (UEC) honors after the announcement made by the conference office on this year's All-Conference teams and Major Award winners. Junior Marlena Hacker, sophomore Jess Dinardo and freshman Candice Peck all were selected to the All-United East third team.

Hacker, 2024 United East Rookie of the Year, is earning all-conference honors for the second time in her career after earning first team recognition during her freshman. Hacker put together a career season as she batted a career-high .385 to go along with career numbers in doubles (12), runs (44) and hits (50).

During the course of the season Hacker had a team-best 15-game hitting streak that extended from March 25 through April 11. She also led the team with 15 multi-hit games, including five three-hit games during the season. Hacker had two career milestones as she became the eighth player in program history to reach the 100-hit milestone. She'll enter next season with 110 career hits; seventh most in the team's record book. Furthermore, Hacker became the programs all-time leader in triples with 17. She broke the record with a triple in game two of a doubleheader sweep at the University of Valley Forge.

Dinardo is earning All-United East honors for the first time in her career after a stellar sophomore season in the pitching circle. She finished with a career-high 10 victories and struck out a career-high 83 batters; seventh most in a single season in the program's record book.

Dinardo struck out a career-high eight batters in the game one win against Cedar Crest College. She went on to pitch three innings of relief in game two to get the win and finished with four strikeouts to recorded 12 for the doubleheader. Dinardo also recorded her first career shutout in a 1-0 victory against Vermont State Castleton down in Myrtle Beach. She struck six batters, which at the time tied her old career-high, and held the Spartans to just four hits without issuing a walk. Dinardo also tossed a shutout victory against the University of Valley Forge.

Dinardo also reached the 100-career strikeout milestone in the regular season finale at Neumann University. She pitched the first two innings of the game and finished with four strikeouts to reach the 100-K mark. She'll enter next season ranked seventh all-time with 104 career strikeouts.

Peck, in her first year of collegiate action, started every game splitting time behind the plate and in the outfield. She finished second on the team with a .349 batting average to go along with 44 hits, seven doubles, three triples, 25 runs and 15 RBI.

During the season, Peck registered a 12-game hitting streak from March 28 through April 15 and also had 14 multiple hit games, including a perfect 5-for-5 performance against Hilbert College. Her five hits marked the second-most in a single game in program history. Peck also scored five runs in that game which also was the second-most in a single game.

Defensively, Peck was solid behind the plate throwing out half the runners that attempted to steal with eight caught stealing. She finished the season with an overall fielding percentage of .962.

Abington (18-23, 7-9 UEC) earned the sixth seed in the United East tournament and qualified for the postseason for the 13^th time.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Jess Dinardo: P; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#12 Marlena Hacker: Utl.; 5' 4"; Junior; R/R

#8 Candice Peck: C/OF; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#5 Jess Dinardo
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#12 Marlena Hacker
: 5' 4"; Junior; R/R
: Utl.

#8 Candice Peck
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: C/OF

Players Mentioned

#5 Jess Dinardo

#12 Marlena Hacker

#8 Candice Peck

Players Mentioned

#5 Jess Dinardo

#12 Marlena Hacker

#8 Candice Peck