Manth, Simone earn Region III honors

Two SUNY Niagara softball players were named to the 2026 NJCAA All-Region III team Saturday.

Sophomore Quinn Manth (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) and freshman Gianna Simone (Grand Island, N.Y.) were both selected to the all-region second team. This marked the Thunderwolves’ first all-regional selections overall and the first season they had multiple honorees since 2023.

Manth led the region with a team-high 40 stolen bases in 33 games this season. The total was also fourth-best in NJCAA Division III, behind only North Dakota State College of Science’s Izzi Parsons (60), Joliet’s Lauren Pell (50) and St. Cloud Technical’s Kenzie Hill (43). 

The D’Youville commit also finished in the top 10 in the region with a .527 on-base percentage (seventh), a .774 slugging percentage (seventh) and a .443 batting average (tied for eighth). Her 29 runs batted in were second on SUNY Niagara and tied for 19th-most in the region, along with two home runs, 11 doubles, and nine triples. 

This season, Manth recorded both of her home runs with SUNY Niagara during a contest against Finger Lakes April 15, where she also posted a single-game high of six runs batted in. She also had 16 multi-hit games, seven multi-RBI games, and 10 multi-stolen-base games, including a career-high six swipes against Onondaga April 19. 

Manth also had a .943 fielding percentage and recorded 57 assists in the infield. Manth also walked away as SUNY Niagara’s new stolen bases leader in the modern era (since 2013) with 80 in 64 career games, along with a .451 career average and 43 RBI. 

Simone appeared in 31 games for the Thunderwolves and recorded a .388 batting average, one home run and 15 runs batted in. Simone also recorded a .425 on-base percentage and a .522 slugging percentage.

Simone also recorded a hit in 17 games, including in nine of her last 11 contests, dating back to SUNY Niagara’s matchup against Monroe April 21. Simone posted eight multi-hit games, including a season-high three-hit, three-RBI performance versus SUNY Adirondack April 4.

The outfielder also recorded three multi-RBI games, including a season-high four versus Finger Lakes April 15. Simone was one of nine SUNY Niagara players to deliver at least 10 runs this season. 

Simone also scored 14 runs and stole nine bases this season and recorded her only home run versus Tompkins Cortland March 24. 

SUNY Niagara finished 14-20 overall (12-10 Region III) and advanced to the NJCAA Region III Division II B sub-regionals, its first postseason appearance since 2023 (26-16). This was the Thunderwolves’ fourth season with double-digit wins this decade and their best finish in regular-season regional play since going 25-4 in 2023.

SUNY NIAGARA ALL-REGION III SELECTIONS IN MODERN ERA (SINCE 2013):

2013 Breanna Norworyta, First Team

2017 Kelsi Palistrant, First Team

2018 Ana Bryer, Second Team

2019 Alisah Scroger, Second Team

2021 Jordan Dixon, Second Team

2022 Mackenzie Gozdziak, Maggiemay Murrins, Mariah Semple, Lydia Serrano, Second Team

2023 Maggiemay Murrins, Mariah Semple, Shelby Wolf, 1st Team; Sydney Sexton, Second Team

2026 Quinn Manth, Gianna Simone, Second Team