West Massachusetts News

This year, the Ephs will attempt to win their first NESCAC championship since they won three straight in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Kris Herman returns for her 20th season as head coach of Ephs Softball, having compiled an impressive 802-404-5 (.664) record over the course of her career, and welcomes assistant coach Joey Lye '09, who is returning to Williamstown after playing on the Canadian National Team for over 10 years, including at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (where she received a bronze medal).

Last year was the Ephs' first post-Covid season, and one of the toughest due to Covid protocols. They nevertheless ended with an impressive 23-14 record after an end-of-season eight-game winning streak was ended by a loss to Trinity. The Ephs scored at least ten runs eight times and held their opponent to one run or fewer ten times, including five shutouts. This year's team features nineteen players, including six first-years and seven sophomores, as part of the largest roster the team has ever had. "Every one of the nineteen will play an important role in our team's success this season," says Herman about this year's group. "We need everyone to be ready to do what the situation and game calls for, at any time. Players may find themselves playing positions and having roles that they are not used to, but by leading with commitment and flexibility we'll get the most out of each of us."

The Ephs return three seniors – centerfielder Alyana Granados '23, catcher and corner infielder Bailey Burger-Moore '23, and utility player Adhya Tandon '23. "They've done a great job leading this year and although they didn't have four full years of play due to Covid, they, along with the '24s, are ready to lead in terms of experience," notes Herman. "I'm very excited for them to have a great season."

After starting their season on March 19th against the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in the first of a fourteen-game stretch in California, the Ephs will come back to the Northeast for an away doubleheader against Bowdoin on April 1st. Their first home game will be against Hamilton College on April 8th. Though up to this point practice has been mostly constrained to the Field House while the teams they'll be facing out West have been able to practice outside for weeks, the Ephs can't wait to hit the ground running. "It's tough in a great way," comments Herman. "Those limitations will not slow down our drive--and our talent--and we can't wait to get started." 

Original source can be found here.