BOSTON – Three different #AESB programs took home a major conference award and all six secured at least one all-conference selection as the 2023 America East Softball All-Conference Awards were released on Tuesday afternoon.
Three-time reigning champion and top seed UMBC had a pair of repeat honorees, in Pitcher of the Year Courtney Coppersmith and Chris Kuhlmeyer, who took home Coach of the Year honors. Coppersmith is first four-time winner of a major #AESB award and just the third student-athlete in any America East sport to win a major regular season award four consecutive years.
UAlbany’s Morgan Petty captured Player of the Year honors, becoming the fifth player to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Binghamton’s Brianna Roberts took home Rookie of the Year honors after leading the Bearcats to the No. 2 seed.
UMBC led all schools with five first-team all-conference selections and had six overall. Binghamton totaled a league-best eight all-conference honorees between the two teams, including five on the second. UAlbany was third with five all-conference selections.
Complete Awards Listing
2023 #AESB Major Award Winners
Player of the Year
Morgan Petty, Sr., UAlbany
- Fifth two-time #AESB Player of the Year winner.
- Led the conference in slugging, (.672) and OPS (1.143), while ranking second in batting average (.418) and on-base percentage (.471).
- Also led the league in hits (51), total bases (82) and stole 18 bases on 20 attempts.
Pitcher of the Year
Courtney Coppersmith, Gr., UMBC
- First four-time Pitcher of the Year in America East history.
- Surpassed 1,000 career strikeouts and ranks sixth nationally this season with 10.7 strikeouts per seven innings.
- Owns a league-best 1.85 ERA, has 104 strikeouts in 68.0 IP and a 6-2 record along with five saves.
- Tossed her third career perfect game earlier this season.
Rookie of the Year
Brianna Roberts, Fr., Binghamton
- Fourth Bearcat to earn #AESB Rookie of the Year honors.
- Ranked third in the conference with a 2.53 ERA along with an #AESB best .846 winnings percentage (11-2).
- Had 100 strikeouts with just 18 walks in 96.2 innings while leading Binghamton to its best seed in the conference tournament since 2017.
Coach of the Year
Chris Kuhlmeyer, UMBC
- UMBC earned a 23-15 record overall and a 15-4 mark in conference play.
- Best regular season conference record for any team since 2019.
- First three-time winner of Coach of the Year since 2005.
- Led team to third straight outright regular season title, the first time that has happened since 2001-03.
- Carla Shepherd-Devereaux and Bobby Baxter are also on staff.
This year’s all-conference awards featured just eight repeat honorees from 2022 and three on the first team.
Roberts highlighted an impressive All-Rookie Team which a pair of Bearcats and three from Maine.
This year’s all-academic team featured 11 student-athletes, nine of whom also earned all-conference honors.
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