BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Boston University Terriers softball team swept the Patriot League’s five major softball awards when the League office announced All-League honors on Tuesday.
 
Terriers’ junior shortstop Kayla Roncin was named the 2023 Patriot League Softball Player of the Year, while teammate senior Allison Boaz received League Pitcher of the Year honors. Both student-athletes earned their respective awards for the second-straight year.
 
Boston University senior shortstop Caitlin Coker was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, and freshman pitcher Kasey Ricard claimed League Rookie of the Year honors.
 
BU head coach Ashley Waters earned Patriot League Coach of the Year for the third-straight season. 

Five of the seven League programs were represented on the two All-League teams consisting of 25 members. Boston University earned 10 selections, followed by Lehigh placing seven on the teams. Army West Point (4), Bucknell (3) and Colgate (1) rounded out the two All-League squads.

The 2023 Patriot League Championship begins on Thursday, May 11 at the Boston University Softball Field. Top-seed BU will host No. 4 Bucknell at noon followed by No. 2 Lehigh versus 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.
 
2023 Patriot League Softball Player of the Year
Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Jr., SS, Toms River, N.J./Donovan Catholic
* Roncin, the two-time player of the year, registered a League-leading .434 batting average and a .676 slugging percentage.
* The junior ranks first in the League in hits (85), RBIs (51), runs scored (53) and home runs (9). Her 85 hits are good for third in the NCAA this season.
* Roncin has tied the Patriot League record for total bases in a season (133) and hits in a season (85).
* On the defense, she recorded 76 putouts and 90 assists.
 
2023 Patriot League Softball Defensive Player of the Year
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr., 3B, Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown STEM Academy
* Coker, a three-time Patriot League Player of the Week honoree this season, finished the regular season with 29 putouts and 93 assists.
* The senior recorded a .996 fielding percentage and four double plays.
* She scored 49 runs to go along with a .366 batting average this season.
* In her four seasons in Boston, she has 115 putouts and 311 assists.
 
2023 Patriot League Softball Pitcher of the Year
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr., P, San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo
* Boaz, the two-time pitcher of the year, went 22-4 with a League-leading 1.38 ERA, the 20th-best mark in NCAA DI.
* Boaz’s ERA ranks 20th nationally while her 22 victories rank ninth.
* Her seven shutouts rank 16th in NCAA DI, tied with freshman teammate Kasey Ricard.
* The four-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Week threw 157.1 innings and struck out 141 batters.

2023 Patriot League Softball Rookie of the Year
Kasey Ricard, Boston University, Fr., P, Littleton, Mass./Littleton
* Ricard recorded 19 wins and four saves while tossing 14 complete games for Boston University.
* She finished the regular season leading the Patriot League and ranking 22nd in NCAA DI with 187 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .171 batting average.
* Her seven shutouts rank 16th in the nation, tied with teammate senior Allison Boaz.
* Ricard was named Patriot League Pitcher of the Week five times and Rookie of the Week four times this year.

2023 Patriot League Softball Coach of the Year
Ashley Waters, Boston University
* For the fifth consecutive year, Waters led the Terriers to the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Softball Championship.
* The Terriers enter the postseason ranked No. 25 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll to mark the team's first
USA Today/NFCA ranking since 1996.
* In her eighth year as the BU head coach, she guided the team to a 48-8 overall record and a 17-1 mark in League play.
* The Terriers broke the Patriot League record for victories in a season with 48.
* BU recorded a Patriot League and program record 28 straight victories.
* Waters, the four-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, has four Patriot League postseason titles under her belt (2016, ‘18, ‘19, ‘21).
 
2023 Softball All-Patriot League and Major Awards
Player of the Year: Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Jr., SS
Pitcher of the Year: Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr., P
Defensive Player of the Year: Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr., 3B
Rookie of the Year: Kasey Ricard, Boston University, P
Coach of the Year: Ashley Waters, Boston University

All-Patriot League First Team
1B – Nicole Amodio, Boston University, Gr.
2B – Angelina Bebek, Army West Point, Sr.
3B – Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr.
SS – Kayla Roncin, Boston University, Jr.
C   – Zoie Smith, Bucknell, Sr.
DP – Emily Gant, Boston University, Sr.
OF – Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Jr.
OF – Emily Cimino, Lehigh, Sr.
OF – Josie Charles, Lehigh, Sr.
P – Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr.
P – Kasey Ricard, Boston University, Fr.
At-large – Carley Barjaktarovich, Lehigh, Gr., SS

All-Patriot League Second Team*
1B – Kara Fusco, Colgate, Jr.
2B – Brooke Deppiesse, Boston University, Fr.
3B – Sydney Parlett, Lehigh, Fr.
SS – Chase Knapp, Bucknell, Sr.
C  – Audrey Sellers, Boston University, Sr.
DP – Taylor Brown, Army West Point, Fr.
OF – Kayla Edwards, Army West Point, Jr.
OF – Brook Mitchell, Army West Point Sr.
OF – Lauren Nett, Boston University, Jr.
OF – Brooke Cannon, Lehigh, Jr.
P – Katelyn Young, Lehigh, Jr.
P – Chloe Hess, Lehigh, Fr.
At-large – Savannah Jones, Bucknell, So., P
* Due to a tie-in voting, there are four outfielders on the second team.

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.