BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Two-time defending Patriot League softball champion Boston University finished atop the League’s preseason poll with 70 points and 10 first-place votes, as announced Friday. Army West Point, Bucknell and Boston University each earned a preseason major award.
Lehigh placed second in the poll with 64 points and four first-place votes, while Army West Point finished third with 47 points. Bucknell ranked fourth with 46 points, followed by Colgate (33), Holy Cross (22) and Lafayette (12).
Army West Point junior infielder Ashton White was named the 2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason Player of the Year. Bucknell junior outfielder Haley Speicher earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while Boston University junior Kasey Ricard received Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors.
Boston University led all teams with three preseason All-League selections. Army West Point, Bucknell, Colgate and Lehigh had two, while Holy Cross had one.
Joining White and Ricard on the preseason All-League team are Army West Point junior infielder Taylor Brown, Boston University junior infielders Megan Coyle and Brooke Deppiesse, Bucknell senior pitcher/utility Savannah Jones and senior pitcher Madison Roukey, Colgate senior infielder Jillian Herbst and senior catcher Quinn Livesay, Holy Cross junior outfielder Ali Sniegocki and Lehigh infielders senior Rory Dudley and sophomore Peyton Sward.
The preseason poll and individual awards were voted on by the softball coaches and sports information directors from each institution, with restrictions on voting for their team and student-athletes.
2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason Player of the Year
Ashton White, Army West Point, Jr., INF, Dothan, Ala./ Wicksburg
Career Stats: 101 GP, .315 BA, 39 R, 95 H, 17 2B, 12 HR, 71 RBI, .497 SLG, .369 OBP., .989 FLD
*In the 2024 season, White started all 53 games for the Black Knights, finishing with a .380 batting average, 40 RBIs and a 1.017 OPS. She led the team in all three categories, helping Army West Point reach the Patriot League Tournament.
*Defensively, White recorded 400 putouts, 21 assists and a .987 fielding percentage on 426 chances, turning 11 double plays.
*In her career, White has been named to the 2024 Patriot League All-League team, earned All-Tournament honors and received NFCA All-Region second-team recognition.
2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Haley Speicher, Bucknell, Jr., OF, Birdsboro, Pa./ Exeter Township
Career Stats: 78 GP, .276 BA, 41 R, 63 H, 1 2B, 7 RBI, .979 FLD
*Speicher recorded 87 putouts, one assist and a .979 fielding percentage as an outfielder for the Bison last season.
*The junior started 38 out of 43 games for Bucknell, highlighted by a four-hit, three-RBI, five-stolen base performance against Lafayette and scoring the lone run in Bucknell’s 1-0 win over Lehigh in the 2024 Patriot League Tournament.
*In her career, Speicher has been named to the 2023 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors as a freshman.
2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Kasey Ricard, Boston University, Jr., P, Littleton, Mass./ Littleton
Career Stats: 82 APP, 49 GS, 359.0 IP, 48-7, 1.50 ERA, 36 CG, 23 SHO, 106 H, 40 R, 37 ER, 86BB, 457 SO, .160 OPP BA
*Ricard ended the 2024 season with a 28-4 record, 1.23 ERA and 16 shutouts in 211.0 innings, leading the Terriers to the 2024 Patriot League Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.
*The junior led the League in ERA (1.23), opposing batting average (.146), strikeouts (265), wins (28) and innings pitched (211.0).
*Ricard capped her season by pitching a complete game against Army West Point and Bucknell in the Patriot League quarterfinal and semifinal. She earned a save with four strikeouts in the championship game.
*In her career, Ricard has earned multiple honors, including 2024 College Sports Evaluation First Team All-American, 2024 D1Softball Second Team All-American, two-time NFCA All-Region First Team (2023, 24), 2023 College Sports Evaluation Freshman All-American, ECAC Pitcher of the Year (2023, 24) and two-time All-ECAC Team (2023, 24).
*She was also named 2024 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, 2023 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Patriot League First Team (2023, 24), 2024 Patriot League Tournament MVP, 2024 All-Patriot League Tournament Team, 2024 Academic All-Patriot League Team and two-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete (2023, 24).
2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Player of the Year- Ashton White, Army West Point
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year- Haley Speicher, Bucknell
Preseason Pitcher of the Year- Kasey Ricard, Boston University
2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Taylor Brown, Army West Point, Jr., INF
Ashton White, Army West Point, Jr., INF
Megan Coyle, Boston University, Jr., INF
Brooke Deppiesse, Boston University, Jr., INF
Kasey Ricard, Boston University, Jr., P
Savannah Jones, Bucknell, Sr., P/U
Madison Roukey, Bucknell, Sr., P
Jillian Herbst, Colgate, Sr., INF
Quinn Livesay, Colgate, Sr., C
Ali Sniegocki, Holy Cross, Jr., OF
Rory Dudley, Lehigh, Sr., INF
Peyton Sward, Lehigh, So., INF
2025 Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll
Boston University – 70 (10 first-place votes)
Lehigh - 64 (4)
Army West Point – 47
Bucknell – 46
Colgate – 33
Holy Cross – 22
Lafayette – 12
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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.