Cobleskill, NY – First-year two-sport standout Sammy Fausti (Clayton, WA/Deer Park) of the Fighting Tiger women's soccer and softball teams was named the 2025-26 SUNY Cobleskill Female Rookie of the Year during the Athletic Department's annual awards ceremony.

The Female Rookie of the Year award is presented annually to a first-year female student-athlete who makes an immediate and meaningful impact during her debut season.

Fausti wasted little time making her presence felt for the Fighting Tigers, delivering strong rookie campaigns in both softball and women's soccer. Her versatility, competitiveness and ability to contribute in different roles made her one of Cobleskill's top first-year performers.

On the diamond, Fausti was an immediate impact player for the softball program, earning First Team All-North Atlantic Conference honors for her standout debut season. She finished with 42 hits, a team-high 41 runs scored and 21 RBIs while batting .333 with an .864 OPS and .475 on-base percentage. Her ability to get on base, score runs and produce throughout the lineup made her a key piece of the Tigers' offense.

On the pitch, Fausti appeared in all 12 games for the women's soccer team and stepped into goal after making a position change during the season. In 11 games between the posts, she finished third in the conference with 7.67 saves per game and sixth in total saves with 92. She also recorded one clean sheet while continuing to grow into the goalkeeper position throughout the year.

Head Softball Coach Morgan Flamholtz praised Fausti for her outstanding rookie campaign and two-sport impact.

"Sammy being recognized as female rookie of the year is not just because of her dominance on the softball field, but her versatility as a dual-sport athlete. I am excited to see where Sammy's career takes her and see her grow as a student-athlete over the rest of her career."

Head Women's Soccer Coach Lucia Liverio echoed that statement.

"As a first-year player, she quickly became one of the most dependable members of our team. Her determination, growth, and impact in goal throughout the season truly set her apart as our Rookie of the Year."

Fausti's immediate production, versatility and ability to make an impact across two programs made her a deserving recipient of the 2025-26 SUNY Cobleskill Female Rookie of the Year award.