Last season was one that UMBC softball would like to forget, a break from what the program had achieved in recent years.
In each of the last four full seasons leading up to 2024, the Retrievers won the America East tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. UMBC added three regular-season conference titles to the trophy case as well. The 2024 season, however, didn’t go as planned.
The hunters became the hunted, going 21-24 overall and 10-11 in conference play. The team was bounced in two games in the conference tournament.
“Last year was definitely some growing pains and getting reloaded after losing such an immense amount of talent and leadership from your program,” head coach Chris Kuhlmeyer said.
As Kuhlmeyer put it, the 2023 senior class — led by program legend Courtney Coppersmith — was a group that “refused to lose.” The coach will be looking to see if the same fire can be found in this season’s team.
Luckily for Kuhlmeyer, he’s already caught a few glimpses of success with a trio of sophomores who all earned spots on the America East All-Rookie Team last year.
“Coming into college with such a big freshman class, I expected it to be really tough to get playing time and be a factor on the team,” outfielder Ella Squaires said.
But it took almost no time at all for Squaires to become a key piece for UMBC, earning first-team all-conference honors as a freshman. She led the team in average, hits, walks, runs scored and on-base percentage.
The Monmouth Junction, N.J., native hit .393/.465/.436 in 43 games. She entered the record books immediately by posting the ninth-best single-season batting average in program history.
Alongside her is a familiar face from travel softball in Philadelphia native Amya Lundy.
“Now that we’re a year older as a class, we feel really confident coming into this year,” Lundy said. “… That was our trial run, and now we’re way more comfortable this season.”
Lundy proved to be one of the more productive offensive players on the team in 2024, hitting four homers and driving in 20. The third baseman slugged .464, third best for the Retrievers.
For her and Squaires, it seems like there’s plenty more in the tank.
“Ella and Amya are two very talented individuals on the field, great kids and teammates, and in the classroom,” Kuhlmeyer said. “I expected them to come in and be contributors in their freshmen season, but not at the level that they had. … You can just see another level of growth from them so far through the fall and especially so far in the preseason.”
The sophomore class also includes Maggie Frisvold, a two-way player who is the next in line in UMBC’s pitching machine. The Laurel native seamlessly transitioned into the college game, posting a 3.46 ERA in 58.2 innings a year ago.
“Maggie is just one of the most steady, even-keeled, intelligent individuals you will ever meet,” Kuhlmeyer said. “When she has the ball, she is locked in and is a bulldog out there in the circle. Our expectations of her are the same she has for herself. In whatever role she has that day, she will be ready to go and want that ball to lock it down and fight like heck for her teammates.”
It remains to be seen how these sophomores will fare with a year of experience under their belts as the team looks to reclaim the throne of the America East. The Retrievers were picked to finish tied for fourth in the six-team conference.
“Our confidence level is high, but we have stuff to work on and everyone knows that,” Squaires said. “After seeing our preseason ranking in the America East, it lit a fire under everyone. … We want to show that we can play with anyone in the nation.”
Photo Credits: Courtesy of UMBC Athletics
Issue 291: February / March 2025
Originally published Feb. 19, 2025