Ryan Lapierre Named WSU Male Athlete of the Year

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior pitcher Ryan Lapierre (Pittsfield, Mass.) delivered an historic season on the mound for the Owls, earning Westfield State University's Male Athlete of the Year, awarded to the male student-athlete judged to have had the best athletic performance in their senior-year season.

Lapierre was named the MASCAC Pitcher of the Year after posting a perfect 9-0 record in ten starts this season, the best single-season record in Owls program history. He registered a conference-leading 1.63 earned-run average across a team-high 66.1 innings pitched, striking out the second-most batters in the league after racking up 72 strikeouts compared to just 20 walks on the year.

In each of his ten starts, Lapierre completed at least six frames and allowed three runs or less in every outing. He started strong in the Owls first game of the season where he would give up just two hits over seven innings of work, striking out seven to secure the Owls first of 27 wins on the season with a victory at Saint Joseph (Conn.).

Lapierre dialed up his swing-and-miss pitches during conference play, compiling a 10.24 strikeouts per nine innings in six league games. He punched out a season-high 11 hitters in a 2-1 victory over Framingham, tossing 7.1 innings and allowing just one run.

The two-time MASCAC All-Conference First Teamer closed his 2024 campaign by tossing a season-high eight innings, allowing two runs while striking out nine in a MASCAC first round win over Mass. Maritime to avoid elimination.

In two seasons with the Owls after transferring from Division I Hartford University, Lapierre started in 20 games for Westfield, recording a 13-4 record with a 2.77 ERA and 173 strikeouts over 130.0 innings pitched.

Lapierre was presented with the award by Westfield State University Athletics Director Richard Lenfest during Westfield State Athletics' annual athletic awards night.