2021 UConn Huskies softball team

American college softball season

2021 UConn Huskies softball
ConferenceBig East Conference
Record22–20 (12–9 Big East)
Head coach
  • Laura Valentino (2nd season)
Home stadiumConnecticut Softball Stadium
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 Big East Conference softball standings
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Conf Overall
Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT
DePaul  ‍‍‍ 13 1 0   .929 22 11 0   .667
Villanova  ‍‍y 15 2 0   .882 36 14 0   .720
UConn  ‍‍‍ 12 9 0   .571 22 20 0   .524
Creighton  ‍‍‍ 8 7 0   .533 14 14 0   .500
Butler  ‍‍‍ 6 11 1   .361 17 21 1   .449
St. John's  ‍‍‍ 7 14 0   .333 10 20 0   .333
Seton Hall  ‍‍‍ 5 13 0   .278 9 23 0   .281
Providence  ‍‍‍ 4 13 1   .250 5 16 1   .250
Georgetown  ‍‍‍ 0 0 0   0 0 0  
‡ – Tournament champion
As of May 21, 2021[1]
Rankings from NFCA/USA Today

The 2021 UConn Huskies softball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Huskies were led by Laura Valentino in her 2nd year as head coach, and played as part of the Big East Conference after joining the conference for the 2020–21 academic year. They play their home games at the newly rebuilt Connecticut Softball Stadium. UConn finished with a final record of 22–20, and finished third in the Big East with a conference record of 12–9. They reached the final of the Big East Tournament, but fell to Villanova.

Previous season

As with other teams, the Huskies' 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic during March. UConn was off to a promising start, with a 16–5 record, the first time the Huskies finished with a winning record since 2009. No conference games were played prior to the early cancellation of the season.

Personnel

Roster

2021 Connecticut Huskies roster[2]
 

Pitchers

  • 00 - Payton Kinney – Freshman
  • 16 - Meghan O'Neil – Sophomore
  • 17 - Marybeth Olson – Senior
 

Catchers

  • 4 - Lauren Benson – Freshman
  • 7 - Devon Casazza – Graduate Student
  • 22 - Madisyn Estorga – Freshman

Outfielders

  • 1 - Hollis Wivell – Redshirt Junior
  • 5 - Aziah James – Junior
  • 19 - Reese Guevarra – Senior
  • 20 - Ashley Esty – Junior
  • 21 - Cali Jolley – Sophomore
 

Infielders

  • 3 - Taylor Zatyk – Freshman
  • 6 - Rileigh DeWeese – Freshman
  • 8 - Briana Marcelino – Senior
  • 9 - Olivia Sappington – Redshirt Senior
  • 11 - Mackenzie Fitzpatrick – Sophomore
  • 15 - Sami Barnett – Redshirt Junior
  • 23 - Jana Sanden – Freshman
  • 24 - Emily Piergustavo – Junior
  • 31 - Makenzie Mason – Freshman
  • 41 - Morgan Ash – Junior

Coaches

2021 connecticut huskies softball coaching staff[2]
  • Laura Valentino – Head coach – 2nd season
  • Christie Novatin – Associate head coach – 2nd season
  • Jessica Jacobson – Assistant coach – 2nd season
  • Pattie Ruth Taylor – Volunteer assistant Coach – 2nd season

Schedule

Legend
  UConn win
  UConn loss
  Cancellation
Bold UConn team member
* Non-Conference game
2021 UConn Huskies softball game log[3]
Regular season
February
Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record BE Record
Feb 12 vs Ohio* St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC
(Kickin' Chicken Classic)
Cancelled
Feb 12 vs Tennessee* St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC
(Kickin' Chicken Classic)
Cancelled
Feb 13 at Coastal Carolina* St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC
(Kickin' Chicken Classic)
Cancelled
Feb 14 vs Tennessee* St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC
(Kickin' Chicken Classic)
Cancelled
Feb 19 vs Northern Illinois* FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL
(FGCU softball tournament)
W 7–1 Kinney (1–0) Norred (0–1) None 1–0
Feb 19 vs FIU* FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL
(FGCU softball tournament)
W 4–39 O'Neil (1–0) Dunford (2–1) None 2–0
Feb 20 vs FIU* FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL
(FGCU softball tournament)
W 3–1 Kinney (2–0) Dunford (2–2) None 3–0
Feb 20 at Florida Gulf Coast FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL
(FGCU softball tournament)
L 1–3 Mesiemore (1–3) O'Neil (1–1) None 178 3–1
Feb 21 at Florida Gulf Coast* FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL
(FGCU softball tournament)
L 4–511 Mesiemore (2–3) Kinney (2–1) None 3–2
Feb 26 vs Ole Miss* Getterman StadiumWaco, TX L 0–7 Bruce (1–0) Kinney (2–2) None 3–3
Feb 26 at No. 23 Baylor* Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX L 0–5 Mansell (1–0) O'Neil (1–2) None 300 3–4
Feb 27 vs Lamar* Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX W 7–0 O'Neil (2–2 Ruiz (1–2) None 100 4–4
Feb 27 at No. 23 Baylor* Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX W 7–3 Kinney (3–2) Rodoni (1–2) None 300 5–4
Feb 28 at No. 7 Texas* Red and Charline McCombs FieldAustin, TX L 2–165 White (2–0) Kinney (3–3) None 376 5–5
March
Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record BE Record
Mar 5 vs Elon* Williams Field at Anderson StadiumChapel Hill, NC
(UNC Tournament)
W 7–3 O'Neil (3–2) Nemeth (0–2) None 40 6–5
Mar 5 at North Carolina* Williams Field at Anderson Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC
(UNC Tournament)
L 1–38 Pickett (5–2) Kinney (3–4) None 80 6–6
Mar 6 vs No. 17 South Carolina* Williams Field at Anderson Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC
(UNC Tournament)
L 6–78 Betenbaugh (4–0) Kinney (3–5) None 40 6–7
Mar 7 vs Elon* Williams Field at Anderson Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC
(UNC Tournament)
L 0–18 Quinn (3–3) Kinney (3–6) None 40 6–8
Mar 7 at No. 14 Duke* Duke Softball StadiumDurham, NC L 0–7 St. George (7–0) Kinney (3–7) None 6–9
Mar 13 Georgetown Connecticut Softball StadiumStorrs, CT Cancelled
Mar 13 Georgetown Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT Cancelled
Mar 14 Georgetown Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT Cancelled
Mar 17 at Rhode Island* URI Softball Complex • Kingston, RI W 10–7 O'Neil (4–2) Lynchard (0–4) None 7–9
Mar 20 at Creighton Creighton Sports ComplexOmaha, NE L 1–2 Boyd (5–4) Kinney (3–8) None 7–10 0–1
Mar 20 at Creighton Creighton Sports Complex • Omaha, NE W 9–1 O'Neil (5–2) Santa Cruz (2–2) None 143 8–10 1–1
Mar 21 at Creighton Creighton Sports Complex • Omaha, NE W 10–5 Kinney (4–8) Boyd (5–5) None 102 9–10 2–1
Mar 24 Central Connecticut* Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 10–25 Kinney (5–8) Houghton (1–1) None 81 10–10
Mar 27 Butler Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 6–1 Kinney (6–8) Ricketts (6–5) None 81 11–10 3–1
Mar 27 Butler Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 4–2 Kinney (7–8) Graves (3–4) None 81 12–10 4–1
Mar 28 Butler Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 1–05 Kinney (8–8) Griman (0–2) None 60 13–10 5–1
April
Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record BE Record
Apr 2 at DePaul Cacciatore StadiumChicago, IL L 1–5 Halvorson (4–3) Kinney (8–9) None 50 13–11 5–2
Apr 2 at DePaul Cacciatore Stadium • Chicago, IL L 5–6 Gomez (2–0) O'Neil (5–3) None 50 13–12 5–3
Apr 3 at DePaul Cacciatore Stadium • Chicago, IL L 2–4 Dalgarn (8–1) Kinney (8–10) None 35 13–13 5–4
Apr 10 at Providence Glay Field • Providence, RI Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 10 at Providence Glay Field • Providence, RI Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 11 at Providence Glay Field • Providence, RI Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 13 UMass* Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 14 at Fordham* Bahoshy Softball Complex/Murphy FieldBronx, NY Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 21 Seton Hall Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 21 Seton Hall Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 22 Seton Hall Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
Apr 27 at Providence Glay Field • Providence, RI W 6–4 O'Neil (6–3) Grifone (1–5) None 50 14–13 6–4
Apr 27 at Providence Glay Field • Providence, RI W 8–5 Olson (1–0) Murphy (0–1) None 50 15–13 7–4
Apr 28 at Providence Glay Field • Providence, RI W 4–1 O'Neil (7–3) Alvarez (2–6) None 60 16–13 8–4
May
Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record BE Record
May 1 St. John's Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 4–3 O'Neil (8–3) Brown (4–8) None 113 17–13 9–4
May 1 St. John's Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 9–15 O'Neil (9–3) Saric (1–5) None 113 18–13 10–4
May 2 St. John's Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT L 2–6 Kmett (5–5) Kinney (8–11) Brown (2) 113 18–14 10–5
May 5 Seton Hall Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 3–1 O'Neil (10–3) Smith (2–9) Kinney (1) 19–14 11–5
May 6 Seton Hall Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT L 1–2 Carr (4–8) Olson (1–1) None 77 19–15 11–6
May 6 Seton Hall Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 6–2 Kinney (9–11) Smith (2–10) O'Neil (1) 77 20–15 12–6
May 8 at Villanova Villanova Softball Complex • Villanova, PA L 0–1 Rauch (17–3) O'Neil (10–4) None 40 20–16 12–7
May 8 at Villanova Villanova Softball Complex • Villanova, PA L 6–7 Kennedy (6–3) O'Neil (10–5) None 40 20–17 12–8
May 9 at Villanova Villanova Softball Complex • Villanova, PA L 7–9 Pellicano (3–1) O'Neil (10–6) None 40 20–18 12–9
Post-Season
Big East Tournament
Date Opponent Seed Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall record BET Record
May 13 (2) Villanova (3) Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 4–3 Kinney (10–11) Kennedy (6–4) O'Neil (2) 113 21–18 1–0
May 14 (4) Butler (3) Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT W 4–1 Kinney (11–11) Graves (6–5) None 113 22–18 2–0
May 15 (2) Villanova (3) Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT L 1–5 Rauch (20–3) Olson (1–2) None 113 22–19 2–1
May 15 (2) Villanova (3) Connecticut Softball Stadium • Storrs, CT L 1–6 Amarillas (7–3) O'Neil (10–7) None 113 22–20 2–2

Rankings from NFCA Poll, Tournament seeds in parentheses.

References

  1. ^ "Big East Softball Standings". BigEast.com. Big East Conference. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  2. ^ a b 2021 Softball Roster. UConn Huskies. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  3. ^ 2021 Softball Schedule. UConn Huskies. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
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UConn Huskies softball
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College World Series appearances in italics