Preparing for the 2024 Season With a Look Back at 2023 (America East, American Athletic, ASUN, A10, ACC)

The start of the softball season at the Division I level is just over two months away.

Extra Inning Softball is providing a look forward to the 2024 season by first providing a final look back on the 2023 season.

This is the first of a five-part series beginning with the America East Conference, American Athletic Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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America East Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-America East Conference: Courtney Coopersmith (UMBC), Ashley Della Guardia (UMBC), Brianna Santos (Binghamton), Grace McGouldrick (Maine), Kya Matter (UMBC), Alli Richmond (Binghamton), Madison Wilson (UMBC), Caitlyn Mitros (UAlbany), Morgan Fisher (UMass Lowell), Karly Keating (UMBC), Lindsey Walter (Binghamton), Morgan Petty (UAlbany)

America East Tournament:
Game 1 – No. 4 UMass Lowell 11, No. 5 Bryant 3
Game 2 – No. 3 UAlbany 7, No. 6 Maine 3
Game 3 – No. 6 Maine 11, No. 5 Bryant 1
Game 4 – No. 1 UMBC 7, No. 4 UMass Lowell 0
Game 5 – No. 3 UAlbany 6, No. 2 Binghamton 0
Game 6 – No. 6 Maine 1, No. 4 UMass Lowell 0
Game 7 – No. 1 UMBC 1, No. 3 UAlbany 0
Game 8 – No. 6 Maine 6, No. 2 Binghamton 4
Game 9 – No. 3 UAlbany 5, No. 6 Maine 3
Game 10 – No. 1 UMBC 9, No. 3 UAlbany 3

BALTIMORE, Md. – The UMBC bats came alive early while the pitching and defense took care of the rest in the final innings as the Retrievers held off UAlbany 9-3 for the program’s fourth consecutive America East Title on Saturday afternoon.

UMBC is just the second program in conference history to win four consecutive #AESB Championships, joining Hofstra, which won four straight from 1998-2001. The Retrievers have earned the America East’s automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Softball Championship and will learn its draw during the NCAA Selection Show, which takes place Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2.

Senior Madison Wilson was selected as the Championship’s Most Outstanding Player for her work at the plate over her team’s three wins. Wilson totaled four hits, including a solo home run on Friday to lift UMBC to a 1-0 victory. She reached base safely in seven of ten at bats to go with four RBI.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): UMBC

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American Athletic Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-American Athletic Conference: Sarah Willis (UCF), Gabriella Nori (South Florida), Jada Cody (UCF), Zoe Jones (Wichita State), Shannon Doherty (UCF), Micaela Macario (UCF), Turiya Coleman (Houston), Sydney McKinney (Wichita State), Imani Edwards (Tulsa), Kennedy Searcy (UCF), Haley Morgan (Tulsa), Addison Barnard (Wichita State), Lauren Lucas (Wichita State), Vivian Ponn (South Florida), Bree Cantu (Houston)

American Athletic Tournament:
Game 1 – No. 4 Tulsa 3, No. 5 Houston 2
Game 2 – No. 2 UCF 7, No. 7 Memphis 4
Game 3 – No. 3 South Florida 7, No. 6 East Carolina 0
Game 4 – No. 4 Tulsa 2,No. 1 Wichita State 1
Game 5 – No. 2 UCF 2, No. 3 South Florida 0
Game 6 – No. 2 UCF 9, No. 4 Tulsa 1

TAMPA, Fla. – Sarah Willis struck out six and allowed only one unearned run in five innings to pick up her third win of the tournament and lead UCF to its second straight American Athletic Conference Championship title with a 9-1 victory against Tulsa Saturday at the USF Softball Stadium.

Willis was chosen as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after she went 3-0 and did not allow an earned run in 17 innings during the Knights’ three wins. UCF (39-19) earned The American’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship after the Knights claimed their third American title (2015, 2022).

UCF ripped 13 hits, including four extra-base hits, to power its way to Saturday’s victory. The Knights scored runs in four of the first five innings, ending the game via the eight-run rule on Aubrey Evans‘ bases-loaded single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): UCF, Wichita State

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Atlantic Sun Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Atlantic Sun Conference: Kayla Beaver (Central Arkansas), Jordan Johnson (Central Arkansas), Caroline Hudson (Liberty), Kylie Griffin (Central Arkansas), Mary Kate Brown (Central Arkansas), Madi Young (Central Arkansas), Lindsey Richardson (Jacksonville State), Tremere Harris (Central Arkansas), KK Madrey (Liberty), Rachel Roupe (Liberty), Lou Bowers (Eastern Kentucky), Meagan Ricks (FGCU), Kari Holzrichter (Jacksonville)

Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament
No. 7 Austin Peay 2, No. 6 Stetson 1 (8)
No. 5 North Alabama 4, No. 8 Jacksonville 4 (10)
No. 3 Jacksonville State 10, No. 7 Austin Peay 4
No. 5 North Alabama 6, No. 4 FGCU 5
No. 2 Liberty 4, No. 3 Jacksonville State 2
No. 5 North Alabama 2, No. 1 Central Arkansas 0
No. 1 Central Arkansas 10, No. 7 Austin Peay 1
No. 4 FGCU 6, No. 3 Jacksonville State 4
No. 5 North Alabama 3, No. 2 Liberty 1
No. 1 Central Arkansas 3, No. 4 FGCU 1
No. 1 Central Arkansas 2, No. 2 Liberty 1
No. 1 Central Arkansas 3, No. 5 North Alabama 1
No. 1 Central Arkansas 6, No. 5 North Alabama 0

DELAND, Fla. – After falling in the first game of the ASUN Championships, the No. 1 seed Central Arkansas Bears gutted out five-straight wins to claim the ASUN’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, with the last two on Saturday against the No. 5 seed North Alabama Lions. After battling through a four-hour rain delay in game one, the Bears dominated the rematch to claim their second conference tournament title in program history, and the first as members of the ASUN.

The five-game run lifted the Bears to 44-10 on the year, with the Championship streak being completed in 52 hours, including a four-hour rain delay. Central Arkansas’s run saw the Bears outscore their opponents 19-6, with two games in extra innings and one run-rule. But neither game on Saturday went short or long, two seven inning games in which the Bears outscored the Lions 9-1 to avenge the opening game loss.

On the day, Madi Young hit 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, reaching base seven out of eight times. Kayla Beaver and Jordan Johnson combined for a 0.50 ERA, allowing just the one run across 14.0 innings.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): Central Arkansas, Liberty

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