Setterlund Headlines America East Year-End Awards
May 11, 2011 | Softball
May 11, 2011
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Boston University softball team won four year-end America East awards, highlighted by senior April Setterlund's second consecutive Player of the Year nod. The conference office made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.
Setterlund shared Player of the Year honors with Binghamton's Jessica Phillips, while freshman Holli Floetker earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Redshirt freshman Chelsea Kehr was named the Rookie of the Year and head coach Shawn Rychcik garnered Coach of the Year honors.
Setterlund and Floetker were also named to the AE All-Conference First Team, making Setterlund league's 11th four-time first-team honoree.
Joining Kehr on the AE All-Conference Second Team was sophomore Erin Schuppert, redshirt freshman Jayme Mask and freshmen Amy Ekart and Megan Volpano. BU also dominated the All-Rookie Team as Ekart, Floekter, Kehr, Volpano and Brittany Clendenny were selected.
Rychcik won Coach of the Year distinction for the third time (2007, 2010, 2011) and is the just the second coach in conference history to win in consecutive years. Albany's Chris Cannata took home the hardware from 2003-2005. In his seventh year at the helm, Rychcik led a team that lost five starters off last season's championship squad and has five freshmen in its everyday lineup to its second consecutive regular-season title. BU leads America East in team hitting (.298), runs per game (5.3 rpg) and team ERA (2.40).
Setterlund is the first two-time Player of the Year since Jamie Haas ('05) earned it in both 2002 and 2003. One of the program's all-time greats, she currently boasts five career records and six single-season records, while closing in on a three more career marks. The Torrance, Calif., native is the program's all-time leader in batting average, hits, doubles, RBI, runs and slugging percentage. In 2011, Setterlund leads the America East in doubles (13) and walks (39), and has two grand slams on the season. Nationally, ranks sixth in on-base percentage (.574) and 29th in stolen bases (27).
Floetker has made a splash in her rookie campaign, becoming just the second freshman ever to win Pitcher of the Year honors since BU's Megan Currier picked up the award back in 2007. Second in the conference in ERA (1.87), she has earned a 12-4 record in the circle and 7-1 mark in conference action. She has held opposing offenses to a .229 batting average and struck out a team-high 95 batters. She has thrown three shutouts in 23 appearances.
Playing in her first season in the scarlet & white, Kehr was forced to watch from the sidelines in 2010 after a preseason injury kept her from the diamond. Since returning, she has earned a starting position at first base and has hit in the four spot for most of the season. With that prime spot in the batting lineup, she has been an RBI machine, driving in 44 runs, which is tied for second all-time at BU for a single season. She has hit 10 home runs and leads the nation with three grand slams. In conference action, she batted .500, and hit at least one home run off each America East team.
Schuppert is a part of the Terriers' regular pitching rotation and has amassed a 10-5 record in the circle. She has thrown three shutouts and struck out 90 batters. She has held opposing offenses to a team-best .216 batting average.
Mask, a Grafton, Mass., native, is also in her first full campaign as a Terrier after suffering a season-ending in 2010. The speedy outfielder has scored a team-high 44 times, which ranks fifth all-time at BU for a single season, and has swiped 23 bases - second only to Setterlund.
Ekart earned the starting catcher's position at the beginning of the season and has been a mainstay behind the plate. With her quick delivery, opposing teams have only attempted 30 steals - a conference low - and have been successful just 22 times. She is currently batting .273 with nine doubles, five homers and 27 RBIs.
Volpano, the team's starting third baseman, is batting .324 with nine doubles, four home runs and 29 RBIs. Over the last month of the season, she has hit at a .375 clip with 15 RBIs. Right next to Volpano all season long has been Clendenny at shortstop. She has hit .252 with 11 doubles and 17 RBIs. The duo of Volpano and Clendenny has helped the Terriers' turn a conference-high 17 double plays this season.
BU enters Thursday's (May 12) America East Softball Championship as the top-seeded squad for the third time in five years. The Terriers will serve as hosts to the four-squad tourney. BU faces fourth-seeded UMBC on Thursday at 1 p.m. on BU Softball Field.
