Most talk about sophomore slump, but UMBC softball’s Amaya Carroll took her lumps as a freshman.
Carroll maneuvered her way through her freshman campaign while getting used to the ebbs and flows of college softball, an invaluable experience heading into the rest of her career. The 5-foot-8 infielder hit .206/.222/.324 in 23 games.
Just a year later, the Hanover, Md., native and Archbishop Spalding graduate has turned on the afterburners as the regular shortstop for the Retrievers. She is hitting .331/.362/.496 in 39 games entering play on May 3.
“Personally, I feel confident this year,” Carroll said. “From a numbers standpoint, I’m doing a lot better. … I’ve been trying to find the pitches I can hit, driving pitches, using the field and driving in more runs.”
What a difference a year makes. But more importantly, Carroll has taken a big step toward showcasing herself as someone other than Imani Dawson’s sister, despite now donning her big sister’s No. 10 on the diamond. The two have now created a family tradition within UMBC softball.
“Growing up, it was always, ‘Oh, that’s Imani’s sister,'” Carroll said. “In high school and even now, it’s trying to be a different person, doing my own thing, playing how I play and not worrying about that pressure of trying to be like her. … I’m definitely feeling like I am my own person.”
Dawson, who is six years older than Carroll, played her last game for the Retrievers in 2020. She didn’t play in 2021 due to injury. She spent her final year with the program in 2022 as a student coach, narrowly missing out on coaching her sister.
She might not have coached Carroll in college, but the two have been hard at work regardless.
“It’s always really cool to see Imani come out and support her sister,” head coach Chris Kuhlmeyer said. “It’s really fun to watch that dynamic over time. … It’s something I never really had before as a coach, to be able to coach two sisters like that so close together, and both of them just being tremendous people and tremendous leaders.”
Both established themselves as impact pieces at the Division I level in their own right. During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Dawson hit .286/.400/.667 in 12 games while playing third base.
“There’s definitely a bunch of things that are different between us, which was helpful in setting me apart from how she played,” Carroll said. “… It’s not much like a sibling rivalry because we knew we wouldn’t play together, but we always push each other to be better. She’s always been my role model.”
Dawson played a role in Carroll ending up as a Retriever, along with the school being close to home. UMBC has set the standard in the America East Conference in recent years, making it the perfect place to make a name for herself.
The Retrievers have earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons. Carroll is hoping to return to the Big Dance, especially considering the season she’s having.
Given that she sits among the team leaders in all major offensive categories, most would assume her success so far to be a sophomore surprise. Those inside the program know it’s far from that.
“We were a pretty senior-laden team last year,” Kuhlmeyer said. “She found herself behind some older kids that had a tremendous amount of success during their time here. We just knew that if she got behind them, she would learn from them and then find those opportunities for her to shine.”
After initially living in the shadow of her sister, Carroll has carved out a path for herself to dominate, solidifying herself as a top bat in the conference.
“I knew ahead of time that the ability for her to hit the ball was always going to be there,” Kuhlmeyer said. “It was always a matter of where we were going to play her at. … The biggest thing for her was confidence and getting the at-bats. Once she got her confidence up, it’s been lights out ever since.”
Carroll is ready to take that next step toward an all-conference level campaign. UMBC is 20-20 overall and 9-9 in the America East entering play on May 3, with an eye on making another postseason run.
“Up and down the lineup, I think we’re very strong fielders and hitters,” Carroll said. “I know that whoever we put on the field, we’ll be able to get the win.”
Photo Credit: Andy Mead
Originally published April 17, 2024. Updated May 2, 2024