Waters Signs Multi-Year Extension
September 22, 2017 | Softball
BOSTON – After leading Boston University to back-to-back Patriot League tournament final appearances and an automatic NCAA berth in her first two seasons at the helm, softball head coach Ashley Waters has agreed to a multi-year contract extension, director of athletics Drew Marrochello announced today.
The 2008 America East Player of the Year and recent Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee has coached a major Patriot League award winner in each of her two years and guided the Terriers to a combined 25-9 (.735) conference mark following BU's 7-11 (.389) performance in 2015.
"For a first-time head coach, Ashley has exceeded our high expectations and put our softball program on an impressive trajectory," said Marrochello. "In a short time, she has built meaningful relationships with her players, fellow department staff, alumni and donors. Her commitment to helping her student-athletes excel in all aspects of life is admirable, and we look forward to seeing all she will accomplish as a Terrier in the years to come."
Under Waters' watch, BU has claimed a combined 12 all-conference awards with senior outfielder Jilee Schanda earning Player of the Year honors this past May and Melanie Russell ('16) capturing Pitcher of the Year accolades in 2016. Off the field last season, the team set program records for Patriot League All-Academic Team honorees (3) and conference Academic Honor Roll members (14).
"Boston University's level of academic and athletic excellence is something I am proud to be a part of," said Waters, a native of Amesbury, Massachusetts. "I am honored to coach dedicated, passionate student-athletes who strive for greatness and am grateful for the opportunity to work with top-notch colleagues, administrators and an athletic director who has created a winning culture on and off the field. I cannot wait to continue the wonderful tradition of this softball program at one of the best institutions in the entire world."
Last spring, the Terriers opened with a thrilling come-from-behind 3-1 win at No. 23 Florida Atlantic for the program's first victory over a ranked team since 2012 and later beat defending Big West champion Cal State Fullerton on the road as well. They finished the regular season on an impressive 14-game conference-win streak and came up just one run short of a second NCAA appearance at top-seed Lehigh. The PL Player of the Year Schanda hit a league-high .436 during conference play and was a unanimous All-PL First Team honoree alongside Moriah Connolly ('17), who posted a conference-record 41 stolen bases.
In Waters' first year, BU experienced a major turnaround after failing to reach the conference tournament in 2015 by sweeping through three games by a combined score of 18-4 to reach the NCAAs. One season removed from posting a 5.99 ERA, the PL Pitcher of the Year Russell was nearly unstoppable, as she recorded a 13-4 record over the final 24 games with a 1.43 ERA and 115 strikeouts against 23 walks in 108.0 innings of work. As a team, the Terriers improved their batting average by 20 points to .300 and increased the previous year's fielding percentage from .958 to .970.
Waters joined BU in the summer of 2015 after spending three seasons as an assistant at Harvard and batting a career .352 over a four-year period at Maine.
Fans in the area will have their first opportunity to get a look at the newest edition of the program when the Terriers host Harvard in a doubleheader slated for Saturday (Sept. 23) at 12 p.m.
The 2008 America East Player of the Year and recent Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee has coached a major Patriot League award winner in each of her two years and guided the Terriers to a combined 25-9 (.735) conference mark following BU's 7-11 (.389) performance in 2015.
"For a first-time head coach, Ashley has exceeded our high expectations and put our softball program on an impressive trajectory," said Marrochello. "In a short time, she has built meaningful relationships with her players, fellow department staff, alumni and donors. Her commitment to helping her student-athletes excel in all aspects of life is admirable, and we look forward to seeing all she will accomplish as a Terrier in the years to come."
Under Waters' watch, BU has claimed a combined 12 all-conference awards with senior outfielder Jilee Schanda earning Player of the Year honors this past May and Melanie Russell ('16) capturing Pitcher of the Year accolades in 2016. Off the field last season, the team set program records for Patriot League All-Academic Team honorees (3) and conference Academic Honor Roll members (14).
"Boston University's level of academic and athletic excellence is something I am proud to be a part of," said Waters, a native of Amesbury, Massachusetts. "I am honored to coach dedicated, passionate student-athletes who strive for greatness and am grateful for the opportunity to work with top-notch colleagues, administrators and an athletic director who has created a winning culture on and off the field. I cannot wait to continue the wonderful tradition of this softball program at one of the best institutions in the entire world."
Last spring, the Terriers opened with a thrilling come-from-behind 3-1 win at No. 23 Florida Atlantic for the program's first victory over a ranked team since 2012 and later beat defending Big West champion Cal State Fullerton on the road as well. They finished the regular season on an impressive 14-game conference-win streak and came up just one run short of a second NCAA appearance at top-seed Lehigh. The PL Player of the Year Schanda hit a league-high .436 during conference play and was a unanimous All-PL First Team honoree alongside Moriah Connolly ('17), who posted a conference-record 41 stolen bases.
In Waters' first year, BU experienced a major turnaround after failing to reach the conference tournament in 2015 by sweeping through three games by a combined score of 18-4 to reach the NCAAs. One season removed from posting a 5.99 ERA, the PL Pitcher of the Year Russell was nearly unstoppable, as she recorded a 13-4 record over the final 24 games with a 1.43 ERA and 115 strikeouts against 23 walks in 108.0 innings of work. As a team, the Terriers improved their batting average by 20 points to .300 and increased the previous year's fielding percentage from .958 to .970.
Waters joined BU in the summer of 2015 after spending three seasons as an assistant at Harvard and batting a career .352 over a four-year period at Maine.
Fans in the area will have their first opportunity to get a look at the newest edition of the program when the Terriers host Harvard in a doubleheader slated for Saturday (Sept. 23) at 12 p.m.
Players Mentioned
Rhett's Holiday Card - Boston University Athletics Holiday Video 2025
Tuesday, December 16
Boston University Athletics - 2025 Holiday Reading Program
Saturday, December 13
Terrier Twelve #4 - Softball
Monday, August 04
BU Terriers Unleashed - Season 6 - Episode 5
Thursday, June 05
