University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Open 2017 Season This Weekend vs. National Powers at USF Tournament
2/9/2017 1:25:00 PM | Softball
John Seneca, returns eight letterwinners and five starters for the 2017 season. The Blue Hens went 30-21 last year, their second consecutive 30-win season, and advanced to the CAA Tournament with a 9-9 league mark. UD was picked sixth in this year's CAA Preseason Poll.
Delaware set a school record with 101 stolen bases last season, which led the CAA and ranked 15th in the nation. Additionally, the Blue Hens' 255 runs scored and 33 homers were both second most in program history.
Junior Mariah Kondravy, who earned first team All-CAA and second team All-Northeast Region honors a year ago, tied for third in the CAA with 14 doubles, ranked fourth with a .382 batting average, and was fifth with 63 hits and 46 RBI, all team-highs. She will be joined by fellow junior and starting shortstop Leanna Gearhart, who stole 44 bases a season ago, shattering the UD record and ranking eighth in the nation. Gearhart, a second team All-CAA selection last year, set a UD single season mark and led the CAA with 54 runs scored.
Sophomore catcher Anna Steinmetz will look to build on her stellar freshman campaign in which she was named the CAA Rookie of the Year. Steinmetz belted 15 home runs, which tied for the CAA lead and tied the Delaware single season record, en route to earning second team All-CAA and third team All-Northeast Region accolades.
Juniors Alyshia Dellatore and Mattie Nuccio also figure to return to the starting lineup, while redshirt junior Giovanna Kolofer is also back after suffering an elbow injury early last season. Jordan Cargile and Taylor Curran return to the Blue Hen pitching staff, and will be joined in the circle by freshmen Maddi Marsh and Kat Morris.
Michigan is coming off a 52-7 season in which the Wolverines captured the Big Ten regular season title and reached the NCAA Women's College World Series for the second straight year. The Wolverines return three All-Americans from last year's squad, including two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Megan Betsa, pitcher/first baseman Tera Blanco, and outfielder Kelly Christner.
USF, which went 45-16 last season, won the American Athletic Conference title, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, returns nine starters from a year ago. Senior outfielder Juli Weber, who was named the 2016 AAC Player of the Year after batting .406 at the plate, was named to the Top 50 “Watch List” for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
St. John's, which finished 29-20 a year ago and advanced to its third straight Big East title game, was picked to win the league this season. The Red Storm returns eight starters and its entire pitching staff, and will be led by 2016 All-Big East selections Brittany Garcia and Savannah Warren.
Illinois State finished 20-33 last season, and the Redbirds tied for seventh place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a 10-14 league mark. The Redbirds were picked fifth in this year's MVC Preseason Poll, while catcher Jordan de los Reyes and shortstop Riley Strandgard were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Florida went 56-7 a year ago, and entered the NCAA Tournament as the overall top seed before falling in the Super Regionals. The Gators return four NFCA All-Americans in Delanie Gourley, Aleshia Ocasio, Kavli Kvistad and Amanda Lorenz, the most by any Division I program in the nation. Florida also welcomes back all three pitchers from last year's squad that led the nation in ERA.
The Blue Hens have never defeated a ranked team in 16 tries in school history, while the fourth-ranked Gators will be the second highest ranked opponent in UD history behind only No. 3 Washington, which defeated UD twice during the 2012 season.
Delaware will be facing Michigan, USF, Illinois State and Florida for the first time in school history, while the Blue Hens are 2-4 in six all-time meetings with St. John's.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
Delaware set a school record with 101 stolen bases last season, which led the CAA and ranked 15th in the nation. Additionally, the Blue Hens' 255 runs scored and 33 homers were both second most in program history.
Junior Mariah Kondravy, who earned first team All-CAA and second team All-Northeast Region honors a year ago, tied for third in the CAA with 14 doubles, ranked fourth with a .382 batting average, and was fifth with 63 hits and 46 RBI, all team-highs. She will be joined by fellow junior and starting shortstop Leanna Gearhart, who stole 44 bases a season ago, shattering the UD record and ranking eighth in the nation. Gearhart, a second team All-CAA selection last year, set a UD single season mark and led the CAA with 54 runs scored.
Sophomore catcher Anna Steinmetz will look to build on her stellar freshman campaign in which she was named the CAA Rookie of the Year. Steinmetz belted 15 home runs, which tied for the CAA lead and tied the Delaware single season record, en route to earning second team All-CAA and third team All-Northeast Region accolades.
Juniors Alyshia Dellatore and Mattie Nuccio also figure to return to the starting lineup, while redshirt junior Giovanna Kolofer is also back after suffering an elbow injury early last season. Jordan Cargile and Taylor Curran return to the Blue Hen pitching staff, and will be joined in the circle by freshmen Maddi Marsh and Kat Morris.
Michigan is coming off a 52-7 season in which the Wolverines captured the Big Ten regular season title and reached the NCAA Women's College World Series for the second straight year. The Wolverines return three All-Americans from last year's squad, including two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Megan Betsa, pitcher/first baseman Tera Blanco, and outfielder Kelly Christner.
USF, which went 45-16 last season, won the American Athletic Conference title, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, returns nine starters from a year ago. Senior outfielder Juli Weber, who was named the 2016 AAC Player of the Year after batting .406 at the plate, was named to the Top 50 “Watch List” for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
St. John's, which finished 29-20 a year ago and advanced to its third straight Big East title game, was picked to win the league this season. The Red Storm returns eight starters and its entire pitching staff, and will be led by 2016 All-Big East selections Brittany Garcia and Savannah Warren.
Illinois State finished 20-33 last season, and the Redbirds tied for seventh place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a 10-14 league mark. The Redbirds were picked fifth in this year's MVC Preseason Poll, while catcher Jordan de los Reyes and shortstop Riley Strandgard were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Florida went 56-7 a year ago, and entered the NCAA Tournament as the overall top seed before falling in the Super Regionals. The Gators return four NFCA All-Americans in Delanie Gourley, Aleshia Ocasio, Kavli Kvistad and Amanda Lorenz, the most by any Division I program in the nation. Florida also welcomes back all three pitchers from last year's squad that led the nation in ERA.
The Blue Hens have never defeated a ranked team in 16 tries in school history, while the fourth-ranked Gators will be the second highest ranked opponent in UD history behind only No. 3 Washington, which defeated UD twice during the 2012 season.
Delaware will be facing Michigan, USF, Illinois State and Florida for the first time in school history, while the Blue Hens are 2-4 in six all-time meetings with St. John's.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Utl
/ Softball
Utl
/ Softball
Utl
/ Softball
Utl
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Utl
/ Softball
Utl
/ SoftballHighlight: Softball 2024 Season Highlight
Monday, June 03
Highlight: Softball Senior Day - 5/5/24
Monday, May 06
Highlight: Softball vs. DSU - 4/10/24
Monday, April 15
Highlight: Softball vs. Drexel - 4/29/24
Saturday, March 30
