2023 Roster

2023 Schedule

Tournament Central (includes live stats links)

ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis softball opens the 2023 campaign indoors this week as the Billikens play five games at the DePaul Dome Tournament in Des Plaines, Ill., Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 9-11.
 
The tournament will be played at The Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex.
 
Five games against five different opponents await SLU in Chicagoland. Thursday, the Billikens take on Evansville at 3:30 p.m. and Valparaiso at 6 p.m. Host team DePaul is the only Friday opponent in a contest slated for a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. The Bills conclude the tournament Saturday against Western Illinois at 5 p.m. and St. Thomas (Minn.) at 7:30 p.m.
 
Live stats are available for all but the Western Illinois game. Visit the softball schedule page at www.SLUBillikens.com for those links as well as a link to the Tournament Central page, which provides event details such as tickets and parking.
 
Head coach Christy Connoyer welcomes back 10 position players and three pitchers from SLU's 2022 squad. Among the returnees are a pair of fifth-year players in graduate outfielder Gabbie Kowalik, a first-team All-Conference selection a year ago, and graduate pitcher Chloe Wendling, who earned an All-Conference second-team nod. Sophomore pitcher/infielder Taylor Hochman, sophomore utility player Jane Kaniecki and sophomore outfielder Natalie Sullivan were 2022 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie choices.
 
Additional returning position players are fifth-year graduate catcher Kelsey Etling, senior utility player Cami Newbanks, junior infielder Jocelyn Abbott, sophomore infielder Kendall Johnson, sophomore outfielder Grace Kmak, and sophomore utility players Sydney Ross and Jaci Vanderloo. Senior Kaili Hanner returns to the pitching staff.
 
Kowalik begins her final season ranked among the top 10 on 10 Saint Louis career lists including top-5 spots in batting average (second, .347), slugging percentage (second, .604), triples (third, 12), hit-by-pitch (third, 32), on-base percentage (fifth, .422) and total bases (fifth, 301). The center fielder led last year's team in batting average (.350), slugging percentage (.606), home runs (eight), RBI (31-tied), triples (four), runs (43) and stolen bases (20).
 
Wendling collected 15 wins and posted a 3.01 ERA and five shutouts in 2022. The right-hander finished second in wins and tied for second in shutouts in the A-10. Wendling's 237 strikeouts and 28 victories rank ninth and 10th, respectively, on SLU's career charts.
 
Hochman picked up seven victories in the circle, Kaniecki batted .250 with six doubles and 17 RBI, and Sullivan contributed seven doubles, 23 walks and a .352 OBP while starting every game in left field.
 
Newbanks hit .260 with three home runs and six doubles, and her team-high 27 walks helped her post a .414 on-base percentage. Abbott and Johnson tallied 16 and 13 RBI, respectively.
 
Connoyer welcomed four freshmen to the Saint Louis program this season. The newcomers are catcher/utility player Abby Mallo, catcher/utility player Allie Marietta, outfielder Ashley Marietta and infielder Chloe Rhine.
 
Following the DePaul Dome Tournament, the Billikens are scheduled to play a weekend set at Southeast Missouri State Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18-19.