Using a combination of veteran experience, along with an influx of young talent, the 2011 edition of the Emory softball team turned in a record-setting season.  The Eagles chalked up the school’s 12^th consecutive winning campaign, finishing with an overall record of 41-4-1.  The squad’s final win total was the second-highest in school annals and represented the program’s ninth campaign of 30 or more wins, and second of 40 or more triumphs, in its 13-year history. 

Other notable accomplishments from the 2011 Eagles included the following.

** The program’s fifth bid in the past six seasons and ninth overall to the NCAA Tournament.

** Holding down the No. 11 national ranking in the final NFCA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.

** Setting a school record with 40 regular-season wins.

** Bringing home its second straight and fifth overall University Athletic Association Championship, registering a perfect 8-0 record.

** Establishing a school seasonal record with 36 home runs, bettering the previous standard of 25 set by the 2009 team.

** Tying the school record and ranking 11^th among Division III teams with a .362 batting average.

** Manufacturing a school-record 26-game winning streak.

** Establishing a school record and ranking 9^th nationally with a .531 slugging percentage.

** Establishing a school record with 285 RBIs and 142 base-on-balls.

** Leading the UAA and ranking 33^rd nationally in scoring with a 6.83 runs per game average.

Leading the UAA and ranking 36^th nationally with 85 doubles (1.85 dpg), the second-highest total in school history.

** Leading the UAA and ranking 17^th nationally with an ERA of 1.70.

** Leading the UAA and standing 14^th on the national scene in fielding percentage (.968).

Head Coach Penny Siqueiros and her squad get out of the blocks quickly and really never looked back, establishing a school record for consecutive wins by starting out 26-0. Included in that streak was a 5-3 victory over then No. 11-ranked Moravian at the National Training Center in Orlando, Fla., followed by one of the most impressive performances ever in league history at the UAA Tournament.  The Eagles ran away with the conference crown with an 8-0 ledger, with seven of those contests being decided in five innings and the other in six frames.  Emory scored 10 or more runs in five of those games and closed out its dominant eight-game run by outscoring the opposition by an unheard of 84-5 margin.

Following the UAA Tournament, the Eagles rattled off four more wins, defeating Covenant College and No. 21-ranked Piedmont in doubleheaders.  Emory then saw its 26-game win streak snapped when it came out on the short end of a 7-6 decision to No. 8 DePauw in the first game of a doubleheader.  The two teams then battled to a 9-9 standoff in the nightcap.  After splitting a doubleheader at Huntingdon, Emory closed out the regular season with 13 straight wins.  Included in that streak was a 5-2 win over Rhodes College on Apr. 9 that marked the 400^th career win for Coach Siqueiros.

Emory landed a berth in the NCAA Tournament where it was sent to play in the Salisbury (MD) Regional.  The Eagles opened post season play with a solid 6-1 win over Kean before suffering a 7-3 setback in a 13-inning marathon to Christopher Newport the following day.  Playing Rowan in an elimination game, Emory saw its season come to a premature end when it dropped a 6-5 verdict to the Profs.

Junior left fielder Jessica Thomas turned in a huge season that culminated with her earning a second-team berth on the NFCA All-America Team.  Thomas, who also claimed first-team spots on both the UAA and All-Atlantic Region teams, started all 43 of the games she played in and hit .367 with her 46 RBIs placing her second on the squad and fourth in the UAA.  She blasted a school record 11 home runs and now ranks as the program’s all-time leader in that department with 23 round trippers to her credit.  Her .742 slugging percentage was second both on the team and among UAA players and placed fifth on the Eagles’ all-time seasonal chart. The owner of 12 multi-hit games during the year, she was second on the club with 13 doubles and third with 36 runs scored.

Freshman Megan Light made a positive impact on the Eagles’ offensive attack and also landed a second-team nod on the NFCA All-America Team. Light’s hefty .449 hitting mark topped both the team and UAA and ranked 57^th among all D-III players.  A first-team honoree to conference and region teams, she established a school season record with 61 RBIs while her .790 slugging percentage topped the league, was good for  45^th nationally and ranked second on Emory’s all-time seasonal ladder.   Her team-high 16 doubles tied the fourth-highest mark in school history while her team-leading 62 safeties tied the seventh-highest total in program annals.

Junior pitcher Bridget Holloway became the first hurler in school history to be chosen as an All-American with her inclusion to the third team.  Holloway concluded the year with an 18-3 won-lost ledger with her victory total tying for the No. 6 spot on the Eagles’ all-time list.  Despite missing a month of action with an injury, Holloway crafted an ERA of 1.46, the third-best effort in the UAA and 25^th among D-III players. Named the Co-MVP of the UAA tournament with Jessica Thomas, she registered 11 complete games in her 17 starts and ranked third nationally in fewest walks allowed per seven innings (0.42). Through three seasons of action, her 43 victories are fourth all-time at Emory.

Freshman Lena Brottman was a formidable presence in the circle with opponents hitting just .208 against her in 2011.  A first-team choice to the All-Atlantic and All-UAA Teams, Brottman churned out a 16-3 record with her ERA of 1.41 good for second in the league and 22^nd place nationally.  Brottman fanned a total of 103 batters over her 134 ½ innings of work, with her strikeout mark tying for tenth on Emory’s seasonal ladder. 

Junior Jessica Boni was rock-solid behind the plate as well as in the batter’s box, registering an impressive hitting mark of .402 that was good for sixth place among UAA players.  She chalked up 11 multi-hit outings en route to a third-team berth on the All-Atlantic Region Team and stood second on the squad with 49 safeties and third with 33 RBIs.   A First Team All-UAA pick, she also was tabbed to the UAA All-Tournament Team after hitting .562 (9-for-16) over eight games with nine RBIs.

Honors and Awards