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The following release information was issued by the Patriot League and information and photo courtesy of the Patriot League…
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Defending Patriot League Softball Champion Boston University finished atop the League’s softball preseason poll with 72 points and 12 first-place votes. The Terriers swept the major awards and placed five student-athletes on the preseason All-Patriot League team.
Lehigh earned the second spot in the poll with 61 points and one first-place vote, and Army West Point finished in the third spot with 52 points and one first-place vote. With 37 points, Bucknell and Colgate tied for the fourth spot in the poll, while Holy Cross (19) and Lafayette (16) rounded out the seven-team poll.
BU senior shortstop Kayla Roncin was named the 2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason Player of the Year, while graduate student third baseman Caitlin Coker nabbed defensive player of the year. Teammate graduate student pitcher Allison Boaz earned preseason pitcher of the year. Roncin and Boaz earned their respective awards for the second straight year.
BU led the way with five players on the preseason all-League team followed by Lehigh with three. Army West Point had two players on the team and Bucknell and Colgate rounded out the preseason team of 12 with one representative apiece.
Boston U’s Roncin, Coker and Boaz were joined by teammates senior outfielder Lauren Keleher and sophomore pitcher Kasey Ricard on the All-League team. Lehigh’s trio of players were graduate student Josie Charles, graduate student outfielder Emily Cimino and senior pitcher Katelyn Young. Army’s duo of sophomore infielder Taylor Brown and senior outfielder Kayla Edwards, Bucknell senior catcher/utility player Zoie Smith and Colgate senior first baseman Kara Fusco all earned spots on the team.
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 team and student-athletes.
2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason Player of the Year
Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Sr., SS, Toms River, NJ/Donovan Catholic
* The two-time player of the year, Roncin finished third nationally with a school and League record 92 hits in 2023.
* She batted .430 with 56 runs scored, to go with a BU record of 55 RBIs, 13 doubles, 11 walks, 11 stolen bases, nine homers and four triples.
* The senior started all 62 games at shortstop to help the Terriers ‘five-peat’ as Patriot League regular-season champions for the first time and set a program and League record with 52 wins.
* She recorded 26 multi-hit performances and 12 multi-RBI games to become the League’s first-ever NFCA All-America.
2023 Season Awards: Patriot League Player of the Year, All-Patriot League First Team member, First Team NFCA All-Region, Third Team NFCA All-American, ECAC Player of the Year, All-ECAC Team, Academic All-Patriot League Team, CSC Academic All-District, NFCA Scholar-Athlete
2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Gr., 3B, Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown STEM Academy
* Coker finished last season with 30 putouts, 104 assists and a .993 fielding percentage.
* The third baseman led the NCAA with 12 triples, as she batted .389 with 75 hits, 53 runs, 48 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, 19 walks, 11 doubles with a .467 on-base percentage.
* She had 19 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI performances in 2023.
* Last year, Coker was the second softball player in Patriot League history and first since 2005 to earn the conference’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award after claiming BU’s second consecutive PL Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor.
2023 Season Awards: Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, All-Patriot League First Team member, First Team NFCA All-Region, Patriot League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Patriot League All-Academic Team, Patriot League Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Patriot League Tournament MVP, Patriot League All-Tournament Team, All-ECAC Team, CSC Academic All-District Team, NFCA Scholar-Athlete
2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Gr., P, San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernando
* Boaz ended the 2023 season with a 25-5 record with a 1.41 ERA and nine solo shutouts. and 163 strikeouts in 183.1 innings.
* The two-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Year was BU’s first ECAC Pitcher of the Year last year.
* The graduate student finished second in the League with 163 strikeouts last season, while holding opponents to a .208 batting average – good for second in the League.
* Boaz heads into the 2024 campaign with 318 career strikeouts and a 52-11 record.
2023 Season Awards: Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, All-Patriot League First Team member, First Team NFCA All-Region, ECAC Pitcher of the Year, Patriot League All-Tournament Team, All-ECAC Team, NFCA Scholar-Athlete
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 team and student-athletes.
2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year – Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Sr., SS
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Gr., 3B
Preseason Pitcher of the Year – Allison Boaz, Boston University, Gr., P
2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Taylor Brown, Army West Point, So., INF
Kayla Edwards, Army West Point, Sr., OF
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Gr., P
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Gr., 3B
Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Sr., OF
Kasey Ricard, Boston University, So., P
Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Sr., SS
Zoie Smith, Bucknell, Sr., C/U
Kara Fusco, Colgate, Sr., 1B
Josie Charles, Lehigh, Gr., OF
Emily Cimino, Lehigh, Gr., OF
Katelyn Young, Lehigh, Sr., P
2024 Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll
Boston University – 72 (12 first-place votes)
Lehigh – 61 (1)
Army West Point – 52 (1)
Bucknell – 37
Colgate – 37
Holy Cross – 19
Lafayette – 16
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