Wyckoff Junior Earns Prestigious Athletic Award

Carly Piccinich plays second base and bats lefty for the Blue Eagles softball team and was recently rewarded for her outstanding play.

Piccinich won the National Fastpitch Coaches Association MaxPreps Award for the the week that ended April 18. Each region of the country had an award given out and Piccinich won the east and was shocked and proud.

“I couldn't be more honored to have been chosen NFCA Maxpreps Athlete of the Week,” said Piccinich. “I was completely surprised when Coach LaRezza had texted me and informed me of this accolade. It was a great accomplishment and I know I still have to keep working hard.”

Head coach Anthony LaRezza has been proud to have the junior from Wyckoff on board.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to coach Carly, she has done everything we have asked from her and then some,” said Larezza. “Carly has a number of strong points to her game. She is an exceptional defensive player, she can run, she can hit, she can beat you in every facet of the game.”

This year’s Blue Eagles team is young but Piccinich is happy with the way the season has gone thus far and credits a lot of people for their success.

“We are a young team but we have come together real well. Having Coach LaRezza, Coach Fasano and Coach Shraer there to guide us through everything helps. When we have coaches like them to make we realize what we do wrong and improve from our mistakes we can only move forward,” she said. “The team is really close and there’s no stopping us when we put our game face on. With returning players being myself, Lauryn Currens and Ally Vergona we realized we had to step up to the plate and lead by example for the younger lower classmen and we have been doing just that and more.”

The Blue Eagles are starting four freshmen and Piccinich knows that leadership is very important.

Coach LaRezza has been noticing that from day one.

“She has been a leader almost immediately. She is always early to practice and often the last to leave,” LaRezz said. “She will do whatever it takes. She is a leader by her actions.”

When Piccinich isn’t playing softball she plays piano, hangs out with her family and helps her 11-year-old brother with his tennis skills.