Newcomer Campbell Collects Major Hardware in CAA Softball Postseason Honors
Hunter Peters
RICHMOND, Va. (May 7, 2024) – The newcomer, Campbell, took home four of five major awards during its inaugural CAA season as voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
A historic season for the Camels saw redshirt junior
Isabella Smith named unanimous CAA Pitcher of the Year, and junior second baseman
Alyssa Henault garnered CAA Player of the Year honors. Freshman first baseman
Lindsay Lumsden received CAA Rookie of the Year accolades, while Campbell’s head coach,
Trena Prater, was tabbed CAA Coach of the Year by her peers. In addition, Delaware senior outfielder
Julz Garber received CAA Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
Henault is ninth in the CAA with a .356 batting average, ranking second in the league by hitting .421 against conference opponents. The junior posted a .445 on-base percentage, improving the mark to .489 in league play, ranking fourth and second in the conference. Henault tallied 52 hits with 30 runs scored and 24 RBIs while ranking third in the CAA with 20 stolen bases. She reached base in 24 conference games, hitting safely in 21, including 13 of her 16 multi-hit efforts this spring.
Smith is 23-6 in the circle with two saves, including a 17-2 mark in CAA play. Her 23 wins rank sixth in the NCAA this spring. The redshirt junior right-hander boasts a 1.73 ERA, which she bettered to 1.13 against conference competition. A workhorse in the circle, she tallied the second-most innings in the conference and ranked 20th nationally with 178.0 innings pitched. Smith was undoubtedly the most challenging arm to hit, ranking first in the CAA and seventh in the country with 208 while limiting the opposition to a league-best .178 batting average.
Garber is the third straight CAA Defensive Player of the Year for the Blue Hens and the second in the family to win the award. Her older sister, Hanna, was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, followed by Kiara Mills last season. Garber has an unblemished fielding percentage this season, recording 56 putouts in the outfield without an error. In addition to her stellar glovework, Garber is hitting .347, ranking third in the CAA with 59 hits and leads the conference with 40 runs scored.
Lumsden batted .322 with 22 runs scored and 21 runs batted in during her rookie campaign. The freshman first baseman recorded 43 hits, including 18 for extra bases, slugging .523, and ranked fifth in the CAA with 13 doubles. A two-time CAA Rookie of the Week, she posted a .367 on-base percentage, reaching safely in 36 games this season. She also performed well in the field, recording 282 putouts and
10 assists in 296 chances, posting a .986 fielding percentage.
Prater guided Campbell to the CAA Regular Season title during the Camels’ inaugural season in the conference. After a 1-9 start, Campbell went 33-10-1 over its final 44 games, including a 22-5 mark in league play. The 22 CAA regular season wins are the most by a team in conference history. In conference play, the Camels led the CAA in team batting average (.330), ERA (1.58) and fielding percentage (.975). Additionally, Campbell posted a +81-run differential against conference opponents, with four of five losses in league play coming by one run.
Seven teams had representation on the First Team All-CAA. Around the horn, Delaware’s
Julia Boyet occupied third base, with Stony Brook’s
Kyra McFarland at shortstop, joining Henault at second and Lumsden at first. In the outfield, Drexel’s
Grace Abbonizio – who earned the second First Team honors in her career – accompanied Elon’s
Mauri Murray, Campbell’s
Tyra Parker and UNCW’s
Skylar Stockton.
Tristin Doster from Campbell was the designated player/utility, and
Morgan Hess from Delaware was the utility/pitcher. The battery consisted of Hofstra’s
Becca Vaillancourt behind the plate, with Smith and Delaware’s
Emily Winburn as pitchers. It marks the third straight First Team All-CAA honors for Winburn.
First Team All-CAA
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Becca Vaillancourt |
Hofstra |
Sr. |
C |
Tiverton, R.I. |
| Lindsay Lumsden |
Campbell |
Fr. |
1B |
Loganville, Ga. |
| Alyssa Henault |
Campbell |
Jr. |
2B |
Wake Forest, N.C. |
| Julia Boyet |
Delaware |
Sr. |
3B |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Kyra McFarland |
Stony Brook |
Sr. |
SS |
Greeley, Colo. |
| Grace Abbonizio |
Drexel |
Sr. |
OF |
West Chester, Pa. |
| Mauri Murray |
Elon |
So. |
OF |
Marvin, N.C. |
| Tyra Parker |
Campbell |
Jr. |
OF |
Humble, Texas |
| Skylar Stockton |
UNCW |
Gr. |
OF |
The Woodlands, Texas |
| Tristin Doster |
Campbell |
Jr. |
DP/UTL |
Fort Dodge, Iowa |
| Morgan Hess |
Delaware |
Jr. |
UTL/P |
South Riding, Va. |
| Isabella Smith |
Campbell |
R-Jr. |
P |
Raleigh, N.C. |
| Emily Winburn |
Delaware |
Gr. |
P |
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
Second Team All-CAA
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Carley Davis |
Elon |
Fifth |
C |
Bridgewater, Va. |
| Gabi Schaal |
Elon |
R-Jr. |
1B |
Lakeland, Fla. |
| Tayler Vitola |
UNCW |
Sr. |
2B |
Middletown, Del. |
| Allee Seering |
Elon |
Jr. |
3B |
Waxhaw, N.C. |
| Brooke Marquez |
Charleston |
Gr. |
SS |
Valencia, Calif. |
| Alyssa Costello |
Stony Brook |
Jr. |
OF |
Lanoka Harbor, N.J. |
| Julz Garber |
Delaware |
Sr. |
OF |
Lancaster, Pa. |
| Catherine Anne Kupinski |
Stony Brook |
Sr. |
OF |
Clarks Summit, Pa. |
| Olivia Malinowski |
Hofstra |
Jr. |
DP/UTL |
Mount Ephraim, N.J. |
| Sydney Schaffer |
Delaware |
So. |
DP/UTL |
Ashland, Va. |
| Joey Barkhimer |
N.C. A&T |
Jr. |
UTL/P |
Santee, Calif |
| Julia Apsel |
Hofstra |
Sr. |
P |
Glen Gardner, N.J. |
| Kara Hammock |
UNCW |
Jr. |
P |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
Player of the Year: Alyssa Henault, Campbell
Pitcher of the Year: Isabella Smith, Campbell
Defensive Player of the Year: Julz Garber, Delaware
Rookie of the Year: Lindsay Lumsden, Campbell
Coach of the Year: Trena Prater, Campbell
CAA All-Rookie Team
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Taryn Bennett |
Hampton |
Fr. |
P |
Bothell, Wash. |
| Brooke Carey |
Campbell |
Fr. |
DP/UTL |
Castle Rock, Colo. |
| Gianna Costaro |
Delaware |
Fr. |
1B |
Bellmore, N.Y. |
| Jenna Giattino |
Delaware |
Fr. |
OF |
Jackson, N.J. |
| Greta Hessenthaler |
Elon |
Fr. |
2B |
Liberty, N.C. |
| Hannah Leierer |
Campbell |
Fr. |
P |
Kingwood, Texas |
| Lindsay Lumsden |
Campbell |
Fr. |
1B |
Loganville, Ga. |
| Jamari Moss |
N.C. A&T |
Fr. |
C |
Warrenton, N.C. |
| Cassidy Relay |
UNCW |
Fr. |
OF |
Colts Neck, N.J. |
| Kaytlin Stacey |
Charleston |
Fr. |
OF |
Woodstock, Ga. |
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