Photo by: Robert Branning
Softball Tabbed Patriot League Preseason Favorites
February 1, 2023 | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Coming off a historic year that included a fourth straight regular season title, the Boston University softball team has claimed the top spot in the Patriot League preseason poll, the conference office announced Wednesday morning.
The Terriers received half of the spots on the 12-member All-PL preseason team with junior shortstop Kayla Roncin and senior pitcher Allison Boaz selected to repeat as PL Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. They were joined on the squad by graduate student infielder Nicole Amodio, graduate student outfielder Emily Gant, senior pitcher Lizzy Avery and junior outfielder Lauren Keleher. All six not only earned 2022 All-PL accolades last May but also NFCA All-Region recognition.
Also returning two other 2022 All-PL members in graduate student infielder Nicole Amodio and senior catcher Audrey Sellers, BU collected 68 points in the poll and eight first-place votes to edge defending PL tournament champion Lehigh, who finished with 66 points and six first-place votes. Army West Point (48), Colgate (42), Holy Cross (34), Bucknell (24) and Lafayette (12) rounded out the list that was determined by the seven head coaches and sports information directors.
Led by 2022 NFCA Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honorees head coach Ashley Waters and associate head coach Becca Carden, BU broke a program and Patriot League record last spring with a 27-game win streak and eight Terriers earning NFCA All-Region honors. BU was just one of four programs alongside Oklahoma, Arkansas and Virginia Tech to have the maximum allowed students recognized. Roncin finished the regular season No. 2 nationally with 78 hits and No. 9 with a .443 batting average before collecting a program-best 81st hit during the conference tournament. Boaz ranked 17th in ERA (1.40), 22nd in shutouts (7) and 22nd in victories (20) while Avery ranked 39th in strikeouts (185) with the help of two no-hitters. As a team, BU finished the regular season sixth in triples (0.40), 18th in doubles (81), 18th in shutouts (14), 20th in ERA (2.11), 27th in batting average (.310) and 33rd in fielding percentage (0.972).
BU rolled to victory at Mountain West Conference regular season champion San Diego State, Big West regular season champion Cal State Fullerton, Big East regular season champion UConn and CAA regular season champion Delaware alongside a neutral victory against NEC regular season champion Saint Francis (Pa.). The Terriers also went 13-0 against New England schools with notable in-state wins over Boston College, Harvard (2x) and UMass. Most impressively though, BU defeated two different Power 5 programs on the same day for the first time in program history with a 5-2 win against Big 10 member Purdue and 6-1 victory at No. 13 Georgia during the Red & Black Showcase. The win in Athens marked the Terriers' first against the SEC since 2009.
Welcoming five freshmen, BU will open the 2023 campaign on Thursday, Feb. 9, against Saint Joseph's and Illinois State at the USF-Rawlings Invitational.
Kayla Edwards, Army West Point, Jr., OF
Lizzy Avery, Boston University, Sr., P
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr., P
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr., 3B
Emily Gant, Boston University, Gr., OF
Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Jr., OF
Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Jr., SS
Jillian Herbst, Colgate, So., 2B
Megan Yurchick, Holy Cross, Jr., P/1B
Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Gr., SS
Emily Cimino, Lehigh, Sr., OF
Katelyn Young, Lehigh, Jr., P
The Terriers received half of the spots on the 12-member All-PL preseason team with junior shortstop Kayla Roncin and senior pitcher Allison Boaz selected to repeat as PL Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. They were joined on the squad by graduate student infielder Nicole Amodio, graduate student outfielder Emily Gant, senior pitcher Lizzy Avery and junior outfielder Lauren Keleher. All six not only earned 2022 All-PL accolades last May but also NFCA All-Region recognition.
Also returning two other 2022 All-PL members in graduate student infielder Nicole Amodio and senior catcher Audrey Sellers, BU collected 68 points in the poll and eight first-place votes to edge defending PL tournament champion Lehigh, who finished with 66 points and six first-place votes. Army West Point (48), Colgate (42), Holy Cross (34), Bucknell (24) and Lafayette (12) rounded out the list that was determined by the seven head coaches and sports information directors.
Led by 2022 NFCA Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honorees head coach Ashley Waters and associate head coach Becca Carden, BU broke a program and Patriot League record last spring with a 27-game win streak and eight Terriers earning NFCA All-Region honors. BU was just one of four programs alongside Oklahoma, Arkansas and Virginia Tech to have the maximum allowed students recognized. Roncin finished the regular season No. 2 nationally with 78 hits and No. 9 with a .443 batting average before collecting a program-best 81st hit during the conference tournament. Boaz ranked 17th in ERA (1.40), 22nd in shutouts (7) and 22nd in victories (20) while Avery ranked 39th in strikeouts (185) with the help of two no-hitters. As a team, BU finished the regular season sixth in triples (0.40), 18th in doubles (81), 18th in shutouts (14), 20th in ERA (2.11), 27th in batting average (.310) and 33rd in fielding percentage (0.972).
BU rolled to victory at Mountain West Conference regular season champion San Diego State, Big West regular season champion Cal State Fullerton, Big East regular season champion UConn and CAA regular season champion Delaware alongside a neutral victory against NEC regular season champion Saint Francis (Pa.). The Terriers also went 13-0 against New England schools with notable in-state wins over Boston College, Harvard (2x) and UMass. Most impressively though, BU defeated two different Power 5 programs on the same day for the first time in program history with a 5-2 win against Big 10 member Purdue and 6-1 victory at No. 13 Georgia during the Red & Black Showcase. The win in Athens marked the Terriers' first against the SEC since 2009.
Welcoming five freshmen, BU will open the 2023 campaign on Thursday, Feb. 9, against Saint Joseph's and Illinois State at the USF-Rawlings Invitational.
Patriot League Preseason Poll
1) Boston University – 68 (8 first-place votes)
2) Lehigh – 66 (6)
3) Army West Point – 48
4) Colgate – 42
5) Holy Cross – 34
6) Bucknell – 24
7) Lafayette – 12
2023 Patriot League Softball Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Jr., SS
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Gr., SS
Preseason Pitcher of the Year – Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr., P
Kayla Edwards, Army West Point, Jr., OF
Lizzy Avery, Boston University, Sr., P
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr., P
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr., 3B
Emily Gant, Boston University, Gr., OF
Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Jr., OF
Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Jr., SS
Jillian Herbst, Colgate, So., 2B
Megan Yurchick, Holy Cross, Jr., P/1B
Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Gr., SS
Emily Cimino, Lehigh, Sr., OF
Katelyn Young, Lehigh, Jr., P
Players Mentioned
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/ Softball
P/UT
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INF
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P/OF
/ Softball
OF
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INF
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C/UT
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