Historic Regular Season Leads Softball to Four Major PL Awards, Nine All-Conference Honorees
May 12, 2021 | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a historic regular season in which it posted a program record-breaking .943 winning percentage and earned the opportunity to host its third straight Patriot League tournament, the Boston University softball team has claimed four major athletic conference year-end awards along with nine All-PL honors, the league office announced Wednesday morning.
Currently No. 2 in the nation in earned run average, senior Ali DuBois (22-0, 0.69 ERA) became the second in program history and third in the PL to claim a third Pitcher of the Year award. Starting all 35 contests at third, Caitlin Coker claimed the Terriers' fourth straight Player of the Year honor and became the first sophomore in the PL since 2014 to be recognized with the award. Freshman Lauren Keleher started her career with a home run in her first at-bat and now owns Rookie of the Year accolades alongside the 2018 winner DuBois.
For her efforts in her sixth season at the helm, Ashley Waters was named the Coach of the Year, as nine total Terriers earned All-Conference honors. Junior Nicole Amodio (1B), senior Marina Sylvestri (DP), senior Jen Horita (OF) and junior Emily Gant (At-Large) joined DuBois, Coker and Keleher on the first team, while junior Aliyah Huerta-Leipner (OF) and freshman Lauren Nett (C) were named to the second team.
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
Ali DuBois (Sr., P, Torrington, Conn.) – All-PL First Team
22-0, 0.69 ERA, 1 SV, 24 GP-18 GS, 15 CG, 7/2 SHO, 131.0 IP, 137 K, .156 Opposing Batting Average
Caitlin Coker (So., 3B, Downingtown, Pa.) – All-PL First Team
.431 avg., .523 ob%, .587 slg%, 47 H, 17 RBI, 39 R, 8 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR
Lauren Keleher (Fr., OF, Abington, Mass.) – All-PL First Team
.337 avg., .445 ob%, .469 slg%, 33 H, 15 RBI, 19 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR
5-2, 1.06 ERA, 1 SV, 13 GP-8 GS, 4 CG, 3/2 SHO, 46.1 IP, 45 K, .172 Opposing Batting Average
.390 avg., .427 ob%, .623 slg%, 30 H, 26 R, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 6 SB, 6 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR
.410 avg., .539 ob%, .667 slg%, 32 H, 20 R, 31 RBI, 11 BB, 6 SB, 11 2B, 3 HR
.443 avg., .482 ob%, .519 slg%, 35 H, 17 R, 18 RBI, 6 BB, 8 SB, 4 2B, 1 3B
.356 avg., .483 ob%, .467 slg%, 16 H, 5 R, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 1 SB, 5 2B, 4 SH
.295 avg., .370 ob%, .410 slg%, 31 H, 24 R, 19 RBI, 15 BB, 6 SB, 6 2B, 3 3B
.372 avg., .449 ob%, .488 slg%, 16 H, 8 R, 10 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SB, 5 2B
Player of the Year: Caitlin Coker, Boston University, So., 3B
Pitcher of the Year: Ali DuBois, Boston University, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Jr., SS
Rookie of the Year: Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Fr., OF
Coach of the Year: Ashley Waters, Boston University
First Team
1B – Nicole Amodio, Boston University, Jr.
2B – Angelina Bebek, Army West Point, So.
3B – Caitlin Coker, Boston University, So.
SS – Ally Snelling, Army West Point, Sr.
C – Taylor Wolfgang, Bucknell, Sr.
DP – Marina Sylvestri, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Jen Horita, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Fr.
OF – Jaelynn Chesson, Lehigh, Jr.
P – Ali DuBois, Boston University, Sr.
P – Gabriella Nori, Lehigh, Jr.
At-Large – Emily Gant, Boston University, Jr.
Second Team
1B – Kara Fusco, Colgate, Fr.
2B – Karsen O'Rourke, Lehigh, Jr.
3B – Morgan Farrah, Colgate, Jr.
SS – Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Jr.
C – Lauren Nett, Boston University, Fr.
DP – Adrienne Nardone, Colgate, So.
OF – Taylor Drayton, Army West Point, So.
OF – Aliyah Huerta-Leipner, Boston University, Jr.
OF – Steph Jacoby, Colgate, So.
P – Jolie Duong, Army West Point, Jr.
P – Kelly Nelson, Holy Cross, Jr.
At-Large – Bella Jankowski, Holy Cross, Sr.
Currently No. 2 in the nation in earned run average, senior Ali DuBois (22-0, 0.69 ERA) became the second in program history and third in the PL to claim a third Pitcher of the Year award. Starting all 35 contests at third, Caitlin Coker claimed the Terriers' fourth straight Player of the Year honor and became the first sophomore in the PL since 2014 to be recognized with the award. Freshman Lauren Keleher started her career with a home run in her first at-bat and now owns Rookie of the Year accolades alongside the 2018 winner DuBois.
For her efforts in her sixth season at the helm, Ashley Waters was named the Coach of the Year, as nine total Terriers earned All-Conference honors. Junior Nicole Amodio (1B), senior Marina Sylvestri (DP), senior Jen Horita (OF) and junior Emily Gant (At-Large) joined DuBois, Coker and Keleher on the first team, while junior Aliyah Huerta-Leipner (OF) and freshman Lauren Nett (C) were named to the second team.
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
- The Terriers went 33-2 overall and 21-1 in conference play to earn votes in both the ESPN.com/USA Softball and NFCA/USA Today Top-25 polls
- BU set a PL record with 17 straight wins and will enter the tournament on a 15-game win streak, which is just behind BU''s top streak of 18 games set in 2001
- The 13 combined major and All-Conference awards tie the BU record set in 2019 (three major) and are one more than the 2018 total (five major) when Waters was last named Coach of the Year
- BU won a third straight conference regular season title for the third time in program history (2001-03, 2010-12)
- The Terriers had three pitchers earn Pitcher of the Week honors for the first time since 2012 and watched three players earn multiple Player of the Week awards for the first time since 2007
- BU earned a pair of impressive non-conference victories against both the ACC's Boston College and America East preseason favorite Stony Brook
- BU ranks in the top 60 in the following 13 NCAA team categories: earned run average (1st), win-loss percentage (3rd), shutouts (8th), doubles per game (12th), on-base percentage (13th), triples per game (17th), batting average (18th), scoring (22nd), hit batters (27th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (38th), doubles (47th), stolen bases per game (53rd) and slugging percentage (58th)
Ali DuBois (Sr., P, Torrington, Conn.) – All-PL First Team
22-0, 0.69 ERA, 1 SV, 24 GP-18 GS, 15 CG, 7/2 SHO, 131.0 IP, 137 K, .156 Opposing Batting Average
- Ranks second nationally in ERA (0.69) and eighth in victories as the only NCAA Division I pitcher with 16+ wins and zero losses.
- Ranks second all-time in the PL with 82 wins, 30 shutouts and career 1.47 ERA while also ranking third in strikeouts (625).
- Owns a BU record 14 Pitcher of the Week awards, including five from this season.
- Recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts at Merrimack and finished the regular season with 13 at UMass Lowell.
- Earned her second career shutout against the ACC with a 5-0 win at Boston College.
Caitlin Coker (So., 3B, Downingtown, Pa.) – All-PL First Team
.431 avg., .523 ob%, .587 slg%, 47 H, 17 RBI, 39 R, 8 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR
- Earned BU's first NFCA National Player of the Week award since 2011 by batting 10-for-13 against Lafayette with 13 runs scored in four-game sweep
- Ranks 29th nationally in batting average and owns two PL Player of the Week awards
- Ranks 39th nationally as toughest to strike out (21.8 at-bats) and 13th in runs per game (1.11)
- First BU sophomore to earn Player of the Year honors since BU Hall of Famer Jamie Haas ('05) was recognized a second time in 2003
Lauren Keleher (Fr., OF, Abington, Mass.) – All-PL First Team
.337 avg., .445 ob%, .469 slg%, 33 H, 15 RBI, 19 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR
- Claimed BU's 11th overall Rookie of the Year award
- Posted nine multi-hit games and a pair of multi-RBI performances
- Only freshman this year in the PL to earn All-PL First Team honors
- Earned PL Rookie of the Week honors on March 9 after collecting four hits, three for extra bases, and three walks for a .538 on-base percentage against Providence
5-2, 1.06 ERA, 1 SV, 13 GP-8 GS, 4 CG, 3/2 SHO, 46.1 IP, 45 K, .172 Opposing Batting Average
.390 avg., .427 ob%, .623 slg%, 30 H, 26 R, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 6 SB, 6 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR
- Ranks 12th nationally in ERA (1.06) while ranking fourth on the team with a .390 batting average
- Earned a pair of shutouts against Holy Cross for PL Pitcher of the Week honors after claiming a shutout against Army
- Went 6-for-6 with seven RBIs and four runs in DH sweep over Lafayette
.410 avg., .539 ob%, .667 slg%, 32 H, 20 R, 31 RBI, 11 BB, 6 SB, 11 2B, 3 HR
- Ranks 22nd nationally in on-base percentage with a .539 and top 60 in doubles per game (0.31)
- Batted .449 in conference play with a team-high 18 RBIs to earn her second All-PL First Team award
- Twice named PL Player of the Week and finished with 10 multi-hit games and multi-RBI games
.443 avg., .482 ob%, .519 slg%, 35 H, 17 R, 18 RBI, 6 BB, 8 SB, 4 2B, 1 3B
- Earned her second All-PL award and first All-PL First Team honor
- The two-time PL Player of the Week ranks 20th nationally in batting average (.443)
- Tallied 11 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI performances.
.356 avg., .483 ob%, .467 slg%, 16 H, 5 R, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 1 SB, 5 2B, 4 SH
- Earned her second All-PL award at the designated player position after leading the team this regular season with seven sacrifice bunts
- Recorded five multi-hit games, highlighted by a 4-for-7 performance in a DH sweep over Army .
- Tallied two RBIs apiece in wins over Army, Bucknell, Bucknell and Holy Cross (2x).
.295 avg., .370 ob%, .410 slg%, 31 H, 24 R, 19 RBI, 15 BB, 6 SB, 6 2B, 3 3B
- Earned second All-PL award after finishing fifth on the team in hits (31) and third in RBIs (19)
- Posted a perfect fielding percentage in the outfield while tallying 11 multi-hit games and four multi-RBI performances.
- Went 3-for-4 in win over Bucknell and finished conference play batting .308
.372 avg., .449 ob%, .488 slg%, 16 H, 8 R, 10 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SB, 5 2B
- Just one of three freshman to earn All-Conference honors
- Finished fifth on the team with a .372 batting average
- Earned a pair of RBIs against both UMass Lowell and Lehigh
Player of the Year: Caitlin Coker, Boston University, So., 3B
Pitcher of the Year: Ali DuBois, Boston University, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Jr., SS
Rookie of the Year: Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Fr., OF
Coach of the Year: Ashley Waters, Boston University
First Team
1B – Nicole Amodio, Boston University, Jr.
2B – Angelina Bebek, Army West Point, So.
3B – Caitlin Coker, Boston University, So.
SS – Ally Snelling, Army West Point, Sr.
C – Taylor Wolfgang, Bucknell, Sr.
DP – Marina Sylvestri, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Jen Horita, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Fr.
OF – Jaelynn Chesson, Lehigh, Jr.
P – Ali DuBois, Boston University, Sr.
P – Gabriella Nori, Lehigh, Jr.
At-Large – Emily Gant, Boston University, Jr.
Second Team
1B – Kara Fusco, Colgate, Fr.
2B – Karsen O'Rourke, Lehigh, Jr.
3B – Morgan Farrah, Colgate, Jr.
SS – Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Jr.
C – Lauren Nett, Boston University, Fr.
DP – Adrienne Nardone, Colgate, So.
OF – Taylor Drayton, Army West Point, So.
OF – Aliyah Huerta-Leipner, Boston University, Jr.
OF – Steph Jacoby, Colgate, So.
P – Jolie Duong, Army West Point, Jr.
P – Kelly Nelson, Holy Cross, Jr.
At-Large – Bella Jankowski, Holy Cross, Sr.
Players Mentioned
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Util.
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