KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For just the second time in program history and the first since the 2014 season, the Kutztown softball team enters this season as defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champions. The 2023 season could turn out to be another historic one for KU, looking to repeat as conference champions and be the PSACs first repeat champ since California (Pa.) won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.
 
The expectations are high and the ability to accomplish it is there, as the Golden Bears were picked second in the PSAC East Division preseason poll by the head coaches, and were also ranked 15th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association preseason national poll, released last week.
 
The defending PSAC champion Golden Bears reached the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in program history last year--first since finishing as the national runner-up in 2013-- and registered its seventh 40-win season, finishing 40-15 overall.
 
"Winning the championship last year really sets the bar high for us this year," said head coach Judy Lawes. "We lost seven seniors from last year, so that will be a challenge. Watching them this year, I think we'll be great defensively. Offensively, we'll be fine, but we need more reps. Pitching is going to be more of our question mark. But this team is ready for the high expectations ahead of them."
 
KU was led by five All-PSAC East First Team members in Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro), Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union), Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) and Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan). Bailey was the East Pitcher of the Year. Her and Hughes were also named NFCA and D2CCA All-Region performers. The latter three are returning this season for Lawes, the reigning PSAC East Coach of the Year, entering her 36th season in charge. Along with Harvey, Hughes and Ostaszewski, KU will return major contributors from last year's team, including Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent), Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) and Kristin Geesey (Bainbridge, Pa./Elizabethtown).
 
Ostaszewski, Hughes and Stocklin were all named to the preseason Extra Elite 100 D2 player rankings.
 
Kutztown opens its 2023 regular season this Saturday, Feb. 4, at the UNC Pembroke Invitational in Pembroke, N.C. KU takes on West Virginia State in its first game at 1 p.m., and will face the Yellow Jackets again the following day at 12 p.m., before taking on Tusculum at 3:30 p.m. KU will conclude the trip against the host Braves on Monday at 11 a.m. The home opener is scheduled for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 21, against Shepherd, beginning at 1 p.m., from North Campus Field.
 
OUTFIELD
 
Arguably the strongest unit on the field, one with the most experience, is the outfield. The Maroon and Gold return their entire starting outfield from last year, as Stocklin (LF), Hughes (CF) and Reimel (RF) played the majority of innings from left-to-right.
 
Hughes is the 2021 PSAC East Freshman of the Year and is a two-time All-PSAC East and D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Teamer, along with earning First Team NFCA All-Atlantic Region last season. Last season, Hughes ranked second in the PSAC with 11 home runs and is tied for ninth all-time in program history with 22 long balls. She was also eighth in the conference in slugging percentage (.622) and OPS (1.063).
 
Reimel appeared in 54 games, starting in 47 of them in right field. She hit .274 in 146 at-bats and finished with 40 hits, including 13 doubles (T-8th in PSAC) and four home runs, while adding 20 RBIs and scoring 23 runs. She was an important piece in the lineup at PSACs, finishing 3-for-5, including a clutch, game-tying home run to beat Bloomsburg, and added two RBIs, playing injured.
 
Stocklin, the 2021-22 KU Female Freshman of the Year, set the table out of the leadoff spot all spring. She played in all 55 games during her first collegiate season, making 54 starts. She topped the Maroon and Gold in hits (68), at-bats (190), runs scored (48), doubles (19), triples (three) and stolen bases (25). Stocklin nearly led the team in batting average, too, a .358 average placing her one point behind Ostaszewski's .359. Stocklin paced the PSAC and ranked 16th in NCAA Division II in doubles.
 
Sophomore Aysha Gibbs (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal) and freshman Lexi Wescott (Phoenixville, Pa./Spring-Ford) will be options in the outfield.
 
INFIELD/PITCHING
 
Ostaszewski, last season's PSAC Tournament MVP, returns at second base and comes off a season last year where she was named All-PSAC East First Team and NFCA All-Atlantic Region and D2 CCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team. She started in all 55 games and had a .359 average in 181 at-bats, finishing with career-highs of hits (65), RBIs (41), slugging % (.519) and HRs (5). She ranked top-10 in the PSAC in hits, RBIs and runs scored (45).
 
Harvey is the top returning starting pitcher and will most likely take the majority of the innings inside the circle. She started 13-of-17 games with five complete games and finished with a 7-4 record and 3.64 ERA in 77 innings. Natalee Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union), Amanda Slabicki (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), Jessica Iavarone (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) and Haley Gravish (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg) can all take innings for Lawes.
 
Geesey will join Ostaszewski in the middle of the infield as a returning starter at shortstop. She made all 47 starts last season and finished with 29 hits, 17 RBIs and scored nine runs in 123 plate appearances. Geesey had a .944 fielding %.
 
Jenna Martinez (Oracle, Ariz./Canyon del Oro) will be a viable option at third base this season. Naya Darnowski (Manchester, N.J./Manchester Township) may be looked at for the open first base job. Freshmen Jenna Piatkiewicz (Fogelsville, Pa./Parkland), Sophia Collins (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), Amaris Torres (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood) and Lauren Petitt (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) are options for Lawes as well.
 
Sarah Harvat (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) is the top choice at catcher, appearing in 21 games, starting in nine last season. Freshman Alexa Stevens (Covington Township, Pa./North Pocono) will back her up.