CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Coming off the third most wins in program history and its sixth NCAA appearance in 10 years, the Boston University softball team has been unanimously selected to repeat as the Patriot League champions, the conference announced Thursday morning.
Led by reigning PL and ECAC Coach of the Year Ashley Waters, the Terriers collected all 12 available first-place votes to finish with 72 points. 2018 PL runner-up Lehigh and Bucknell tied for second in the poll at 56 points with the Mountain Hawks collecting the other two first-place votes. Army West Point (44 pts.), Holy Cross (30 pts.), Colgate (23 pts.) and Lafayette (11 pts.) rounded out the list.
BU also had three Terriers earn Preseason All-Conference accolades with reigning PL Player of the Year Alex Heinen, Pitcher & Rookie of the Year Ali DuBois and PL Tournament MVP Madi Killebrew named to the list. The preseason poll and individual awards were voted on by the softball coaches and sports information directors from each institution, with restrictions on voting for their own team and student-athletes.
A native of San Clemente, California, Heinen batted a team-high .355 while catching every pitch in 59 games. Her 71 hits ranked tied-for-fourth all-time at BU and tied-for-seventh most ever in the PL. She also tallied 50 RBIs, second most in PL and No. 3 in the BU season record book en route to her first NFCA All-Region and ECAC All-Star award. In one highlight performance, she went for the cycle in a doubleheader sweep at UMass Lowell by hitting a combined 7-of-8 with a homer, triple, double, four singles, four RBIs and four runs scored.
DuBois became the first Terrier in program history to earn both a conference's Pitcher and Rookie of the Year award in the same while also collecting BU's first-ever and the PL's second ECAC Rookie of the Year award. The Torrington, Connecticut, native made 39 starts in 49 appearances, posting a 28-8 record, 2.02 ERA and .209 opposing batting average with 192 strikeouts against 56 walks in 225.2 innings of work. Her 28 victories were a school-record and ranked No. 9 in the NCAAs, while her 11 shutouts tied Army's Morgan Lashley for most ever in the PL.
Killebrew was one of six Terriers to start all 59 games. She finished fourth on the team hitting .310 with 34 RBIs and 15 doubles, which tied-for-third most in BU history. The Dana Point, California, native made her mark during the PL tournament by batting 5-of-10 with two doubles, a homer, a triple, two runs scored and a tournament-record 10 RBIs. In another highlight performance, she went a combined 4-of-7 with eight RBIs, two homers and four runs scored in a doubleheader sweep over Central Connecticut State.
The Terriers will open their 32nd season at the Coastal Carolina's Kickin' Chicken Classic on Feb. 8-10. They will first face Illinois-Chicago at 11:45 a.m. and then Rider at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8.
Softball Preseason All-Patriot League Team*
Emily Ballesteros, Army West Point, Jr., 3B
Taylor Drayton, Army West Point, So., D/DP
Carrie Reilly, Army West Point, Sr., 1B
Ali DuBois, Boston U., So., P
Alex Heinen, Boston U., Sr., C
Madi Killebrew, Boston U., Sr., 3B
Raeanne Geffert, Bucknell, Jr., P
Lauren Hadley, Bucknell, Sr., IF
Virginia Irby, Colgate, Jr., C/UTL
Jackie Brewster, Holy Cross, Sr., OF
Parker Boyd, Lehigh, Jr., P
Mary-Hannah Smith, Lehigh, Jr., 2B
*Players are listed alphabetically by institution
Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year: Alex Heinen, Boston U., Sr., C
Patriot League Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Ali DuBois, Boston U., So., P
Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll
1) Boston U. – 72 (12 first-place votes)
t-2) Lehigh – 56 (2 first-place votes)
t-2) Bucknell – 56
4) Army West Point – 44
5) Holy Cross – 30
6) Colgate – 23
7) Lafayette – 11
