WEEKLY HONORS:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Hanna Garber, Delaware

Senior | Third Base | Lancaster, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg

Garber batted .625 (10-16) with a 1.563 slugging percentage, leading Delaware to a 3-1 week, including a win over its second Power Five team in as many weeks. The senior third basemen recorded seven extra-base hits, with three home runs, eight RBIs and eight runs scored. Garber was twice one hit short of a cycle, nearly completing the feat against NC State and Bowling Green. Against the Wolfpack, Garber was 3-for-5 with a single, double and triple, scoring two runs and knocking in one as Delaware downed NC State 12-4. The game prior, she finished a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in a 5-3 win over Bowling Green. The Lancaster, Pa. native also recorded a gram slam in Delaware’s five-inning victory over Central Connecticut State. She had two hits in four plate appearances, producing five RBIs and scoring two runs. Garber recorded at least two hits in all four games to extend her hitting streak to eight games.  

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Emily Winburn, Delaware 

Junior | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Chaminade Madonna

Winburn appeared in all four games in the circle, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.15 ERA. The junior righty struck out 16 strikeouts over 13.0 innings of work. In two relief appearances against Bowling Green, she held the Falcons scoreless, surrendering just two hits and striking out 10 in 6.0 innings. Winburn picked up a win in her start against Central Connecticut State, throwing 4.0 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out four.   

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Jackie Masone, Drexel

Freshman | Shortstop | East Windsor, N.J. / Hightstown HS

Masone made an immediate impact on Drexel's lineup in her first weekend of collegiate action. She hit .462 (6-13) with five RBIs and four runs scored over five games. The freshman shortstop recorded hits in four of five games, including her first two career home runs. Masone was 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs, and two runs scored, accounting for all three Drexel runs in a 5-3 setback to Stony Brook. She also picked up two hits and a pair of walks in the weekend finale against FIU and recorded two RBIs with one run scored. In the top of the seventh, Masone tied the game on a two-out double, scoring two, although the Dragons would eventually fall to the Panthers 6-5.  

NOTES:

Charleston (5-10, 0-0 CAA): The Cougars went 2-3 at their home invitational last weekend. Charleston picked up a win over App State in its opening game and defeated Western Carolina. Noel Dominguez and Kelli Anne Carter recorded hits in four of the Cougars’ five games. Dominguez had a team-best five hits and scored four runs, while Carter tallied four hits, two RBIs and one run scored. McKenna Kelly picked up her second win in the circle this season, throwing 4.2 innings of one-run ball in relief against Western Carolina on Saturday. Drayton Siegling factored into a pair of decisions, going 1-1, and earned her first win of the season against App State. She shut the door on the Mountaineers, allowing just one hit in 2.0 innings of work. Next, Charleston heads to Nashville for the Purple & Gold Challenge hosted by Lipscomb Friday through Sunday.          

Delaware (8-5, 0-0 CAA): The Blue Hens went 3-1 at the NC State Invitational, spitting games with Bowling Green and defeating Central Connecticut State and NC State. Hanna Garber continued her tear at the plate, hitting .625 (10-16) for the weekend. She recorded seven extra-base hits, including three home runs, with eight RBIs and eight runs scored. She also extended her hitting streak to eight games, recording two or more in all four contests. Grace Hrustich also swung the bat well, posting a .545 batting average (6-11). Hurstich recorded home runs in all three games she appeared in, adding six RBIs and four runs scored. In the circle, Emily Winburn made appearances in all four games, posting a 2-0 record and a 2.15 ERA. Winburn totaled 13.0 innings of work, collecting 16 strikeouts in the process. Delaware remains on the road, traveling to FAU for a tournament this weekend.     

Drexel (1-4, 0-0 CAA): Drexel opened the season at the FIU Invitational as head coach Katie Jansson picked up her first win at the helm of the Dragons program. After winning the opening game against Brown, Drexel suffered losses to Stony Brook, South Dakota and FIU. Jackie Masone made an instant impact in her first weekend of collegiate softball. She led Drexel in the batter’s box, hitting .462 (6-13) and posted a team-high .563 on-base percentage. Masone recorded two home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored over the weekend. Kristi DiMeo matched Masone’s .462 batting average, while four of her six hits went for doubles. In the circle, Brooklyn Daly picked up Drexel’s lone win, tossing a complete game in the season opener. For the weekend, Daly went 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA. Drexel will head to Hampton this weekend for the Pirate Invitational Friday through Sunday.  

Elon (9-4, 0-0 CAA): The Phoenix dropped a pair of games to nationally-ranked opponents and earned a doubleheader sweep over St. Bonaventure to go 2-2 last week. Elon’s setbacks came in a one-run loss to No. 13/13 Duke and a five-inning contest with No. 19/16 Michigan. At the plate, Gabi Schaal paced the Phoenix hitting .500 (6-12). Schaal recorded two home runs, nine RBIs and six runs over the four games. Megan Grant also had a solid week at the plate, recording five hits in 12 at-bats with three RBIs and three runs scored. In the circle, Isley Duggins (4.0), McKenzie Webber (3.0) and McKenna McCard (2.0) all pitched at least two innings of no-hit ball in the doubleheader versus St. Bonaventure. Webber has yet to allow an earned run in 16.0 innings this spring. Elon will host NC State on Wednesday before entertaining the Elon Cardinal Classic this weekend. 

Hofstra (0-9, 0-0 CAA): Hofstra played a pair of Power Five opponents, dropping three games to Indiana and two to No. 3/3 Florida State in Tallahassee. Chelsea Manto recorded a team-high four hits, collecting them in four different games. Meghan Giordano tallied a team-best four RBIs and hit her first home run of the season. Giordano also drew four walks, posting a .429 on-base percentage over the weekend. In the circle, Julia Apsel pitched a team-high 17.0 innings, appearing in four of the five contests. The Pride will continue a rigid non-conference schedule, traveling to the Cardinal Classic to face the field of Illinois, Western Michigan and host Louisville Friday through Sunday. 

James Madison (3-5, 0-0 CAA): JMU dropped four games in Orlando at the UCF Knights Invitational last weekend. The Dukes faced a pair of SEC teams and battled with No. 4/4 Florida in a two-run setback. Hannah Shifflett tallied a team-high four hits and was the lone Duke to record a hit in all four games. Shifflett added two runs and two RBIs throughout the weekend. Hannah Hennessy had the only multi-hit game of the tournament as she went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in JMU’s opening game. Alissa Humphrey tossed a team-high 14.1 innings for the Dukes, picking up seven strikeouts. JMU returns to the commonwealth to participate in the Liberty Classic this weekend. The Dukes will face the field of George Washington, Notre Dame, Lehigh and the Flames. 

UNCW (12-3, 0-0 CAA): The Seahawks went 4-2 last week, splitting four games with Canisius and picking up a pair of wins over NC Central. Tayler Vitola paced the Seahawks lineup, hitting .474 for the week. She recorded a team-high nine hits and had three multi-hit games while adding six stolen bases, three runs scored and two RBIs. Vitola now has seven games this season with two or more hits. Janel Gamache continued her impressive start as a two-way player for UNCW. She tossed 12.0 innings in the circle, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.75 ERA and eight strikeouts. Her win came in a complete-game effort against Canisius. Gamache also recorded hits in five of the six games, and four of her five hits went for extra bases. She added four RBIs, three runs scored and three stolen bases. UNCW will remain in Wilmington, hosting St. Bonaventure for a three-game series this weekend.  

Towson (1-11, 0-0 CAA): The Tigers dropped three games at the UNCG Invitational, falling to Virginia twice and UNCG. The Tigers’ final two games were canceled due to inclement weather. Sydni Byers went 4-for-8 to lead Towson at the plate and recorded one run. Byers leads the CAA through the first three weeks with a .482 batting average this season. Madyson Peters recorded a hit in all three games, leading Towson with three RBIs while scoring one run. Peters also recorded her first home run of the season in the Tigers’ final contest. This weekend Towson will play on its home diamond for the first time this season. The Tigers will host the TU Demarini Invite Friday through Sunday.  

BIG WINS FOR THE BIRDS 

• Delaware and Elon picked up wins over Power Five opponents early this season. On Feb. 16, the Phoenix earned a walk-off win over in-state, ACC foe North Carolina, defeating the Tar Heels 4-3. The Blue Hens defeated Big Ten adversary Purdue 6-5 in extra innings two weeks ago and earned a convincing 12-4 win over NC State last week.  

HOT STARTS DOWN SOUTH

• UNCW and Elon have jumped out to impressive starts in 2022, combining for 21 of the league’s 39 non-conference victories while only accounting for seven losses.

• UNCW has posted an 8-1 record through its first nine games, marking the best start for the Seahawks in program history. The Seahawks sit 12-3 after three weeks of the season.

• Elon went 7-2 record through the first two weeks of the season for the second time in the past three years. The Phoenix also started the 2020 season 7-2 before it was shut down. The Phoenix currently maintains a 9-4 record heading into this week’s competition.

NEW FACES AROUND THE LEAGUE 

• Three CAA teams enter 2022 under new leadership in their head coach position.

• Tracey Lynch takes over at Charleston, where she was an assistant coach during the 2013 season. For the past six years, Lynch served as an Assistant Coach at UNCG.

• The Katie Jansson era of Drexel softball starts in 2022. Jansson arrives at Drexel after three seasons of head coaching duties at her alma matter Iona.

• Adrienne Clark returns to Hofstra after an illustrious career as a student-athlete and assistant coach. During her time as a player and Assistant Coach, Clark won five CAA Championships and 14 NCAA Tournament games.

NEW MEMBERS COMING 2023

• The Colonial Athletic Association announced Hampton, Monmouth, and Stony Brook will join the conference as full members in 2023. Subsequently, CAA Softball will grow from eight teams to ten.  

• Half the league will get a 2023 preview facing the newest members of the CAA this spring. Drexel will face Hampton twice at Hampton’s Pirate Invitational, and see Stony Brook at the Rutgers tournament. Towson will host Monmouth for a pair of games at Towson’s TU Tiger Clash. Hofstra will face Long Island rival Stony Brook in a home-and-home, while Delaware will host Monmouth in a mid-week non-conference matchup.  

2021 SEASON IN REVIEW 

• 2021 was a historic year in CAA Softball as James Madison become the first team in conference history to win an NCAA Super Regional, advance to the WCWS and win a game at the WCWS. 

• JMU won its second consecutive CAA Tournament title following a 17-1 CAA regular season. 

• James Madison’s Odicci Alexander was named the Softball America Player of the Year, in addition to the D1 Softball Women of the Year and was a second-team All-American.

• The JMU coaching staff earned NFCA and D1 Softball Coaching Staff of the Year accolades, while Associate Head Coach Jennifer Herzig was named NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year. 

YEAR FOR THE RECORDS 

• Two of the most storied athletes in CAA Softball history battled each other in the CAA record books throughout the 2021 season.

• Drexel’s Linda Rush finished her career ranked first in the CAA record books in batting average (.426), runs scored (210) and RBIs (245), while she was second in home runs (68) and hits (269). 

• JMU’s Kate Gordan, a three-time conference champion, ended her career as the conference’s all-time leader in home runs (71). Additionally, Gordon ranks second in CAA history in batting average (.407), runs scored (201) and RBIs (200).  

• Rush and Gordon are the only two players in CAA history that have recorded over 200 runs scored, 200 RBIs and 65 home runs. 

2022 PRESEASON RUNDOWN

• We return to a traditional 21-game round-robin format in conference play, with each team playing one three-game series against all conferences teams throughout the season.  

• James Madison was picked atop the CAA preseason poll with six first-place votes and 48 total points. Delaware received one first-place vote and 42 points, while Elon collected the final first-place vote and 35 points to finish second and third, respectively. Fourth through sixth were separated by just six points, as Hofstra tallied 28, Drexel totaled 24, and UNCW accumulated 22. Charleston and Towson rounded out the field with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

• The 2022 CAA Softball Championship is set to take place May 12-14 at Hunt Softball Park on the campus of Elon.