University of Delaware Athletics
Kerwood, Hess, Shaffer Ranked Among D1 Softball's 2025 Top-100 Mid-Major Player Rankings
7/7/2025 11:00:00 AM | Softball
NEWARK, Del. - Former University of Delaware's Billie Kerwood and Morgan Hess and rising senior Sydney Shaffer were named to D1Softball's Top 100 Mid-Major Player Rankings, the outlet announced on Monday, July 7. The trio were the only players from the CAA this past season to be included in the rankings.Â
 Kerwood was ranked 24th, the highest among Delaware's three players. Kerwood had a historic year in her lone season as Blue Hen, as she was named CAA Pitcher of the Year, ECAC Pitcher of the Year, and was a First-Team All-Region selection after setting single-season program records for wins (23) and strikeouts (250). Kerwood also threw the fourth most innings (194), had the 11th-best BAA (.190), and was 15th in WHIP (1.00) in program history while pitching to a 1.59 ERA. Her season included a no-hitter on April 18 against Hampton, the first of her career, and a program record-tying 15 strikeouts in a conference game on April 25 against Monmouth. Kerwood became the first CAA pitcher to lead the conference in ERA, wins, and strikeouts since 2017, and also led the conference in innings pitched, complete games, and BAA and was second in shutouts. Nationally, she ranked eighth in strikeouts, ninth in ERA, 16th in hits allowed per seven innings, 18th in wins, 19th in innings pitched and WHIP, 26th in strikeout-to-walk rate, and 54th in shutouts. Kerwood signed with the Atlanta Smoke of Women's Professional Fastpitch upon graduation.Â
Hess was rated 40th in the rankings. Hess earned her second consecutive First-Team All-Region selection at the utility/pitcher spot - the eighth player in program history with multiple All-Region honors and the third player in program history with two First-Team All-Region honors. Hess was also a First-Team All-CAA selection for the second straight-straight year. As a two-way player, Hess hit .346/.411/.608 with 36 runs scored, 53 hits, 12 doubles, eight home runs, and 39 RBIs. In the circle, she went 11-5 with a 2.53 ERA, 73 strikeouts, a .207 BAA, seven complete games, and six shutouts. Nationally, ranked 13th in shutouts (6), 57th in WHIP (1.16), 65th in hits allowed per seven innings (5.51), and 99th in ERA (2.53). Hess had three CAA Player of the Week honors, tied for most in the league. Nationally, her six shutouts are the 11th most in the country. On April 26 against Monmouth, she threw her second career no-hitter, becoming the third player in program history with multiple no-hitters. She has earned an All-Conference selection in every season of her collegiate career - two at Presbyterian and two at Delaware. Hess was also a Third-Team Academic All-American selection.Â
Shaffer was ranked 51st. The CAA Player of the Year, she was also First-Team All-Region selection, an All-ECAC selection, and a First-Team Academic All-American - the first in program history. Shaffer hit .421/.540/.888 with 14 doubles, 19 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 49 runs scored and set single-season program records for home runs, RBI, batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, extra base hits, and total bases. Nationally, she ranked 16th in slugging percentage, 24th in on base percentage, 32nd in home runs, 36th in total bases, 52nd in batting average, and 62nd in RBIs. Her overall OPS and OPS in conference-only games were the best by a CAA player since 2021. On May 1 against Towson, Shaffer had her second career six-RBI game, becoming the first player in program history with multiple career games of at least six RBIs. She also had three-different stretches of reaching base in eight-consecutive plate appearances (April 6-9, April 27-May 2, May 2-9). From March 18-April 6, she hit nine home runs in an 11-game stretch, including an overlapping stretch of eight home runs in eight games and seven home runs in six games.Â
Delaware was one of 11 teams with three players selected in the top-100, joining Binghamton, Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Grand Canyon, Liberty, Marist, Nevada, San Diego State, South Florida, and UConn. Delaware was also one of five programs with three players ranked in the top 51, joining Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Liberty, and Marist.Â
Delaware had a historic season in 2025 that led to its third CAA Regular Season Championship in four seasons. The Blue Hens broke numerous program records during the year including home runs, doubles, strikeouts, conference wins, consecutive conference wins, run-rule victories, consecutive run-rule victories, and postseason honors in a season. The 23 conference wins were the most ever by a CAA team. Delaware is one of eight Division I teams with at least 20 conference wins in the last two seasons. UD will compete as a member of Conference USA starting in 2026.Â
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 Kerwood was ranked 24th, the highest among Delaware's three players. Kerwood had a historic year in her lone season as Blue Hen, as she was named CAA Pitcher of the Year, ECAC Pitcher of the Year, and was a First-Team All-Region selection after setting single-season program records for wins (23) and strikeouts (250). Kerwood also threw the fourth most innings (194), had the 11th-best BAA (.190), and was 15th in WHIP (1.00) in program history while pitching to a 1.59 ERA. Her season included a no-hitter on April 18 against Hampton, the first of her career, and a program record-tying 15 strikeouts in a conference game on April 25 against Monmouth. Kerwood became the first CAA pitcher to lead the conference in ERA, wins, and strikeouts since 2017, and also led the conference in innings pitched, complete games, and BAA and was second in shutouts. Nationally, she ranked eighth in strikeouts, ninth in ERA, 16th in hits allowed per seven innings, 18th in wins, 19th in innings pitched and WHIP, 26th in strikeout-to-walk rate, and 54th in shutouts. Kerwood signed with the Atlanta Smoke of Women's Professional Fastpitch upon graduation.Â
Hess was rated 40th in the rankings. Hess earned her second consecutive First-Team All-Region selection at the utility/pitcher spot - the eighth player in program history with multiple All-Region honors and the third player in program history with two First-Team All-Region honors. Hess was also a First-Team All-CAA selection for the second straight-straight year. As a two-way player, Hess hit .346/.411/.608 with 36 runs scored, 53 hits, 12 doubles, eight home runs, and 39 RBIs. In the circle, she went 11-5 with a 2.53 ERA, 73 strikeouts, a .207 BAA, seven complete games, and six shutouts. Nationally, ranked 13th in shutouts (6), 57th in WHIP (1.16), 65th in hits allowed per seven innings (5.51), and 99th in ERA (2.53). Hess had three CAA Player of the Week honors, tied for most in the league. Nationally, her six shutouts are the 11th most in the country. On April 26 against Monmouth, she threw her second career no-hitter, becoming the third player in program history with multiple no-hitters. She has earned an All-Conference selection in every season of her collegiate career - two at Presbyterian and two at Delaware. Hess was also a Third-Team Academic All-American selection.Â
Shaffer was ranked 51st. The CAA Player of the Year, she was also First-Team All-Region selection, an All-ECAC selection, and a First-Team Academic All-American - the first in program history. Shaffer hit .421/.540/.888 with 14 doubles, 19 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 49 runs scored and set single-season program records for home runs, RBI, batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, extra base hits, and total bases. Nationally, she ranked 16th in slugging percentage, 24th in on base percentage, 32nd in home runs, 36th in total bases, 52nd in batting average, and 62nd in RBIs. Her overall OPS and OPS in conference-only games were the best by a CAA player since 2021. On May 1 against Towson, Shaffer had her second career six-RBI game, becoming the first player in program history with multiple career games of at least six RBIs. She also had three-different stretches of reaching base in eight-consecutive plate appearances (April 6-9, April 27-May 2, May 2-9). From March 18-April 6, she hit nine home runs in an 11-game stretch, including an overlapping stretch of eight home runs in eight games and seven home runs in six games.Â
Delaware was one of 11 teams with three players selected in the top-100, joining Binghamton, Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Grand Canyon, Liberty, Marist, Nevada, San Diego State, South Florida, and UConn. Delaware was also one of five programs with three players ranked in the top 51, joining Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Liberty, and Marist.Â
Delaware had a historic season in 2025 that led to its third CAA Regular Season Championship in four seasons. The Blue Hens broke numerous program records during the year including home runs, doubles, strikeouts, conference wins, consecutive conference wins, run-rule victories, consecutive run-rule victories, and postseason honors in a season. The 23 conference wins were the most ever by a CAA team. Delaware is one of eight Division I teams with at least 20 conference wins in the last two seasons. UD will compete as a member of Conference USA starting in 2026.Â
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware softball, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.Â
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