The leaves haven’t even begun to change color, but already the expectations for Boston University’s winter and spring sports are taking shape.
And now, those expectations have shoulders on which to fall. The women’s basketball and softball teams announced their captains for the upcoming seasons yesterday, slapping names and faces on two of the Terriers’ more prominent varsity sports.
Seniors Erica Kovach and Katie Meinhardt and junior Cheri Raffo were named captains of the women’s basketball team by coach Kelly Greenberg, following a season in which the trio combined for 43 percent of the team’s scoring.
Raffo was second on the team with 10.9 points a game, behind the only departed senior Rachel Vanderwal. Kovach and Meinhardt were just behind, averaging 10.5 and 9.1 points, respectively. But Meinhardt, who red-shirted with a foot injury during her sophomore year, started only nine games last season because of injury.
The Terriers open the season at the University of Rhode Island Nov. 14.
The softball team named its captains Tuesday, with seniors Brittany Detwiler, Brandi Shields and Chiya Louie taking the posts. The Terriers are looking to improve upon a season in which they lost to the University at Albany in the America East Championship.
Detwiler compiled a 4.13 ERA in 25 games last season, serving as the Terriers’ second starter behind freshman phenom Cassidi Hardi. The senior ranks 10th on BU’s all-time list with 22 wins.
Shields was key to BU’s offensive attack, hitting .272 with 20 RBI after starting all 58 of the Terriers’ games. Louie also contributed, hitting an even .300 despite starting only 15 games. The outfielder is second on BU’s all-time home run list with 18.
That trio will lean on even more added leadership, as former UC-Berkeley standout Jennifer Deering was named an assistant coach yesterday for the upcoming season. Deering, who went 53-5 as a pitcher in four years at Berkeley and led the team to a national championship, was the head coach last year at Piedmont High School in Piedmont, Calif.