On Monday, four members of the Brandeis women’s softball team were named to the 2016 All-University Athletic Association team. Maddie Sullivan ’16 and Keri Lehtonen ’19 were first team selections and teammates Liana Moss ’17 and Danielle Novotny ’16 were second team selections.
Sullivan, the team’s third baseman, is receiving her first All-UAA honor after being named to the UAA all-tournament team earlier this year. Sullivan has started every game this season and finished the year with a career-best batting average of .407 with seven homeruns this season. Sullivan leads the team in runs scored and is second in the UAA conference in doubles and third in homeruns.
Keri Lehtonen was selected as a utility player. Lehtonen started 34 of 35 games at six different positions. Lehtonen has accumulated a batting average of .426. Her 52 hits lead the Judges and are also eighth in the league. She has the second most runs scored and driven on the team this season.
Liana Moss ’17, shortstop, was UAA Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-Association selection in 2014. Moss missed most of the season her sophomore year due to injury. However, this season she has started 23 games and has earned a .470 batting average, which would be second in the conference; however she didn’t qualify for UAA statistical leaders. Moss was named UAA Hitter of the Week on April 25 when she went 10-for-17 including four homeruns in one week. When asked how it felt to be named to the All-UAA team she responded, “It’s an honor and I am very excited to be named to the All-UAA team. Honestly, my entire experience playing softball at Brandeis has been a blessing. A blessing to be here, a blessing to be relatively healthy enough to play and a blessing to compete with amazing teammates and coaches. I also want to give a shout out to my dad. He is my rock and I would not be the person I am today without him.”
Danielle Novotny ’16 was named All-UAA second team, starting in all 35 games. It was Novotny’s second time on the All-Association team, as she was named rookie in 2013 as a utility player and earned UAA All-Tournament team earlier this season. Novotny, primarily a catcher, has also played at five other positions this season as well as designated player. Novotny’s batting average this season is .369. Novotny leads the team in stolen bases and ranks seventh in the UAA. In her career, Novotny is fourth on Brandeis’ all-time list with six triples, while she is 13th all-time with 150 career hits.
The Judges have just finished their regular season with a record of 18-19. The team finished tied for second in the UAA conference tournament, their best performance since 2011.
