BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Boston University Terriers softball team claimed three of the Patriot League’s five major awards, while Colgate and Lehigh earned one when the League office announced All-League honors on Tuesday.
Terriers’ sophomore shortstop Kayla Roncin was named the 2022 Patriot League Softball Player of the Year, while teammate junior Allison Boaz received the pitcher of the year honors. BU head coach Ashley Waters earned coach of the year for the second-straight year.
Lehigh senior shortstop Carley Barjaktarovich was named the defensive player of the year for the second-straight year.
Colgate freshman second baseman Jillian Herbst rounded out the major award recipients as the rookie of the year.
Six of the seven League teams were represented on the 24-member All-League teams. Boston University earned nine overall selections, followed by Lehigh placing five on the teams and Army West Point earning four spots. Holy Cross (3), Colgate (2) and Lafayette (1) rounded out the All-League squads.
The 2022 Patriot League Championship begins on Thursday, May 12 at Boston University’s softball field. Top-seed BU will host No. 4 Colgate at Noon with No. 2 Lehigh taking on No. 3 Army at 2:30 p.m. to begin the three-day, double-elimination tournament. All games will be streamed on
ESPN+.
The Major Awards and All-League teams were voted on by the seven Patriot League head coaches who could not vote for their student-athletes or themselves.
2022 Patriot League Softball Player of the Year
Kayla Roncin, Boston University, So., SS, Toms River, N.J./Donovan Catholic
* Roncin registered a team-leading .443 batting average that ranks ninth nationally to go with a .636 slugging percentage.
* The sophomore increased her batting average to a .492 batting average against conference opponents with a .522 on-base percentage.
* Her hits tally (78) ranks first in the Patriot League and second in the NCAA this season while 35 RBIs are fourth in the League.
* On the defensive end, she recorded 75 putouts and 102 assists.
2022 Patriot League Softball Defensive Player of the Year
Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Sr., INF, Richmond, Minn./Richmond
* The League’s two-time defensive player of the year, Barjaktarovich finished the regular season with 68 putouts and 70 assists.
* The senior recorded a .974 fielding percentage and six double plays.
* She scored 33 runs to go along with a .393 batting average.
* In her four seasons at Lehigh, she has 225 putouts and 258 assists.
2022 Patriot League Softball Pitcher of the Year
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Jr., P, San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo
* Boaz went 20-4 with a League-leading 1.40 ERA and held opponents to a .225 batting average during the 2022 regular season, and limited League with conference opponents batting .161.
* Boaz’s ERA ranks 17th nationally, while her seven shutouts rank 21st and her 20 wins rank 22nd.
* The four-time pitcher of the week pitched 164.2 innings and struck out 108 batters while earning two saves this season.
2022 Patriot League Softball Rookie of the Year
Jillian Herbst, Colgate, Fr., 2B, Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch
* Herbst finished the regular season with a team-leading .371 batting average (56-for-151) and a .523 slugging percentage.
* She finished seventh in the League with 56 hits, and tied for fifth with 34 runs. The freshman also drove in 19 runs and hit two home runs.
* Herbst was named rookie of the week six times this year.
2022 Patriot League Softball Coach of the Year
Ashley Waters, Boston University
* For the fourth consecutive year, Waters led the Terriers to the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Softball Championship.
* In her seventh year as the BU head coach, she guided the team to a 38-15 overall record and 16-2 mark in conference play.
* After earning a 6-1 win at then-No. 13 Georgia and a 7-2 victory at current No. 24 San Diego State, BU broke its League record of 18 straight wins set in 2021 with 27 consecutive victories.
* The Terriers went a perfect 13-0 against New England schools with notable wins over 2022 Big East regular-season champion UConn and ACC member Boston College.
* Waters, the three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, has four Patriot League postseason titles under her belt (2016, ‘18, ‘19, ‘21).
2022 Softball All-Patriot League and Major Awards
Player of the Year: Kayla Roncin, Boston University, So., SS
Pitcher of the Year: Allison Boaz, Boston University, Jr., P
Defensive Player of the Year: Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Sr., SS
Rookie of the Year: Jillian Herbst, Colgate, Fr., 2B
Coach of the Year: Ashley Waters, Boston University
First team
1B – Nicole Amodio, Boston University, Sr.
2B – Jillian Herbst, Colgate, Fr.
3B – Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Jr.
SS – Kayla Roncin, Boston University, So.
C – Maddie Wilkes, Army West Point, Jr.
DP – Addie Kittel, Lehigh, Sr.
OF – Kayla Edwards, Army West Point, So.
OF – Emily Gant, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Jaelyn Chesson, Lehigh, Sr.
P – Allison Boaz, Boston University, Jr.
P – Kelly Nelson, Holy Cross, Sr.
At-large – Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Sr., SS
Second team
1B – Leila Hurst, Army West Point, Jr.
2B – Karsen O’Rourke, Lehigh, Sr.
3B – Jessica Mott, Holy Cross, So.
SS – Harlie Bickett, Lafayette, Fr
C – Audrey Sellers, Boston University, Jr.
DP – Adrienne Nardone, Colgate, Jr.
OF – Jen Horita, Boston University, Gr.
OF – Lauren Keleher, Boston University, So.
OF – Emily Cimino, Lehigh, Jr.
P – Jolie Doung, Army West Point, Sr.
P – Lizzy Avery, Boston University, Jr.
At-large – Megan Yurchick, Holy Cross, So., P/OF
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.