Historic Regular Season Leads to Major Patriot League Softball Awards Sweep

May 8, 2018

2018 PL Softball Awards release

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Following a historic regular season in which it shocked two-time defending national champion Oklahoma and earned the opportunity to host its first Patriot League tournament, the Boston University softball team has swept all five major athletic conference year-end awards, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.

Freshman Ali DuBois became the first in program and second in PL history to be recognized as both a Pitcher and Rookie of the Year in the same season by a conference. Starting all 54 contests, junior Alex Heinen became the second catcher in both BU and PL history to claim Player of the Year accolades, while senior shortstop Brittany Younan earned the Terriers' first PL Defensive Player of the Year award.

For her efforts in her third season at the helm, Ashley Waters was named the Coach of the Year, as seven total Terriers earned All-Conference honors. Senior outfielder Emma Wong joined DuBois, Heinen and Younan on the first team, while senior outfielder Jilee Schanda, senior infielder Kaitlin Sahlinger and junior infielder Emily Morrow were placed on the second team.

"To sweep every award is something that you dream of as a coach," said Waters. "We prepare as hard as we can from September until now, and to see these kids go through highs and lows and continue to chase their goals and dreams and then to have that effort rewarded by other people is absolutely incredible. I couldn't be prouder. We've had some some incredible moments this year with some big-time wins and coming in first. Now with these awards, win or lose the tournament, this year is one to remember, and this group is incredibly special."

The major award recipients will all be recognized prior to the first pitch of Thursday's Patriot League tournament opener against Army West Point. The start time is slated for 12 p.m. at the BU Softball Field.

Team and Coach Waters' Highlights

BU is the first team to sweep all five major PL honors since Defensive Player of the Year was introduced in 2014.
The seven All-PL awards are the most for BU, topping the previous high of six set in 2017 and 2014.
The Terriers won their first Patriot League regular season title since joining the conference in the summer of 2013 with a program-best 15 victories.
They enter the Patriot League tournament with a 36-18 record, marking their most regular season wins since they went 37-14 in 2012 ... During the year, they tied the 2015 Lehigh squad for most consecutive wins (15) as a member of the PL.
BU earned impressive non-conference victories against then-No. 1 Oklahoma, Duke (ACC) and Michigan State (Big 10).
BU ranks in the top 65 in the following NCAA categories: triples per game (1st), earned run average (34th), fielding percentage (49th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (52nd), batting average (58th), double plays per game (58th) and scoring (62nd).
Waters claimed BU's sixth-ever Coach of the Year award and first in the PL.

Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year
Ali DuBois (Fr., P, Torrington, Conn.) – All-PL First Team
25-7, 1.77 ERA, 44 GP-34 GS, 17 CG, 9/1 SHO, 205.2 IP, 175 K

Second in PL and first in BU history to earn both Pitcher and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season.
Claimed BU's 13th overall Pitcher of the Year award and second in the PL after Melanie Russell ('16) was recognized in 2016.
Earned BU's 10th overall Rookie of the Year award and second in the PL after Younan was recognized in 2014.
Ranks fourth nationally with 25 wins, 11th with nine shutouts, 53rd in strikeouts and 63rd in ERA (1.77).
Held PL batters to .146 average in 16 starts and 17 appearances with the help of 95 strikeouts in 97.1 innings.
Recorded the Terriers' 24th no-hitter and the Patriot League's second-ever extra-inning no-hitter with a 3-0 (8 inn.) win at Army West Point.
Collected non-conference wins against Duke and Michigan State while holding BC to one run in seven innings.

Player of the Year
Alex Heinen (Jr., C, San Clemente, Calif.) – All-PL First Team
.373 avg., .402 ob%, .519 slg%, 69 H, 49 RBI, 22 R, 12 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR

Second catcher in PL history to earn Player of the Year honors.
Claimed BU's 12th overall Player of the Year award and second in the PL after Schanda was recognized in 2017.
Earned her third overall All-PL honor and first on the first team.
Ranks 23rd nationally with 69 hits and 78th in RBIs per game (0.91).
Leads the PL with a .373 batting average and 49 RBIs, eight more than the nearest hitter
Started every game as catcher for the PL's best pitching rotation and has thrown out 17 base runners
Owns 16 multi-RBI performances and and 21 multi-hit performances, including four-hit contests against UMass Lowell and CSUN.

Defensive Player of the Year
Brittany Younan (Sr., SS, Chico, Calif.) – All-PL First Team
.306 avg., .373 ob%, .464 slg%, 56 H, 44 R, 21 RBI, 15 SB, 6 2B, 10 3B, 1 HR,

Claimed BU's first PL Defensive Player of the Year award and her second overall major year-end honor after being named Rookie of the Year in 2014.
Earned her third overall All-PL honor and second on the first team (2016 - 1st, 2014 - 2nd).
Owns a .967 fielding percentage at shortstop and has helped BU rank 58th nationally in double plays per game (0.39).
Leads the nation with a PL-record 10 triples this season.
Batted .345 in league play with 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored while committing just two errors in 18 PL games.

Emma Wong (Sr., OF, Solana Beach, Calif.) – All-PL First Team
.335 avg., .401 ob%, .387 slg%, 58 H,48 R, 22 RBI, 17 SB, 5 2B, 2 3B

Earned her third overall All-PL award and second on the first team (2016 - 1st, 2015 - 2nd).
Finished second on the team and sixth in the PL in batting average (.335) while ranking first in runs scored (48).
Had an earlier streak of successfully reaching base in 22 straight contests.
Only has two errors this year in the outfield for a .976 fielding percentage.

Jilee Schanda (Sr., OF, Fresno, Calif.) – All-PL Second Team
.315 avg., .323 ob%, .492 slg%, 57 H, 34 RBI, 34 R, 10 2B, 10 SB, 8 3B, 2 HR

Earned her third overall All-PL award after being recognized in both 2016 and 2017 (1st team).
Batted a team-high .350 during conference play with 14 runs scored, four doubles and four triples.
Owned an earlier 15-game hitting streak, seven games longer than the nearest teammate.
Only has one error this year in the outfield for a .988 fielding percentage.

Kaitlin Sahlinger (Sr., 1B, Bellevue, Wash.) – All-PL Second Team
.252 avg., .340 ob%, .381 slg%, 35 H, 25 R, 22 RBI, 5 2B, 5 SB, 2 3B, 3 HR

Earned her first career All-PL award with a .277 batting average and 11 RBIs in league play.
Batted a personal-best .252 with three homers this year after totaling just one her first three seasons.
Recorded two RBIs, one off a single and the go-ahead run on a sac fly, in the 4-3 win over Oklahoma.
Owns a .981 fielding percentage at first base.

Emily Morrow (Jr., 2B, Lakewood, Calif.) – All-PL Second Team
.283 avg., .346 ob%, .386 slg%, 41 H, 26 R, 14 RBI, 4 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR

Earned her first career All-PL award with a .283 batting average and eight RBIs in league play.
Recorded four triples this year after totaling one her first two seasons while adding a homer.
Collected a season-high three hits against Central Connecticut State and hit a walk-off homer in a critical win against Bucknell.
Owns a .956 fielding percentage at second base.

2018 Softball All-Patriot League and Major Awards
Player of the Year: Alex Heinen, Boston University, Jr.
Pitcher of the Year: Ali DuBois, Boston University, Fr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Younan, Boston University, Sr.
Rookie of the Year: Ali DuBois, Boston University, Fr.
Coach of the Year: Ashley Waters, Boston University

First Team
1B – Meghan Kovac, Bucknell, Sr.
2B – Lauren Hadley, Bucknell, Jr.
3B – Holly Geranen, Colgate, Sr.
SS – Brittany Younan, Boston University, Sr.
C – Alex Heinen, Boston University, Jr.
DP – Taylor Drayton, Army West Point, Fr.
OF – Emma Wong, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Jackie Brewster, Holy Cross, Jr.
OF – Nicole Yozzo, Lehigh, Sr.
P – Ali DuBois, Boston University, Fr.
P – Courtney Springman, Army West Point, Fr.*
P – Raeanne Geffert, Bucknell, So.*
At-large – Carrie Reilly, Army West Point, Jr.

Second Team
1B – Kaitlin Sahlinger, Boston University, Sr.
2B – Mary-Hannah Smith, Lehigh, So.
3B – Emily Ballesteros, Army West Point, So.
SS – Brooke Wensel, Lafayette, So.
C – Virginia Irby, Colgate, So.
DP – Julienne Egofske, Bucknell, So.
OF – Kristen McPeek, Army West Point, Sr.
OF – Amelia Trotter, Army West Point, So.
OF – Jilee Schanda, Boston University, Sr.
P – Parker Boyd, Lehigh, So.
At-large – Emily Morrow, Boston University, Jr.
*Due to a tie on first-team, only one pitcher is named to second-team

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