ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team makes the short trek down I-40 to face longtime Piedmont Triad rival North Carolina A&T in a CAA series this weekend, April 18-20. The series between the Phoenix (22-15, 14-4 CAA) and the Aggies (10-31, 2-16 CAA) begins on Friday at 2 p.m. at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, April 18 – 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 19 – 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 20 – 1 p.m.
 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the series by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• The series will stream on FloCollege (FloSoftball) via a paid subscription.
• For more information on the Phoenix, follow the program's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram at @elonsoftball.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• Local rivals on the softball diamond since 1991 in Elon's fastpitch era (since 1990), the Phoenix holds an all-time advantage of 52-10 over North Carolina A&T. The maroon and gold goes into the series this weekend with a 15-game win streak over the Aggies.
• Last season, the Phoenix swept the Aggies for the second straight year as CAA opponents at Elon. The maroon and gold won the opening game of the series, 8-0, before taking the second game, 6-5, thanks to a walk-off RBI from Allee Seering. The Phoenix concluded the three-game set with its second run-rule win of the series in the finale, 11-3.
• Elon batted .338 in the series against the Lady Aggies, scoring 25 runs with eight doubles and 23 RBI. Seering drove in a team-best eight RBI with her .400 average (4-of-10).
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon is coming off a series victory at Drexel this past weekend, taking its fifth league series win of the season. The Phoenix defeated the Dragons, 13-3, in the opening game and earned an 11-4 triumph in game two. Drexel however was able to earn a 6-3 win in the series final, spoiling a CAA sweep for the maroon and gold.
• As a team, Elon batted .387 against the Dragons, scoring 27 runs with 23 RBI and 10 extra-base hits (four home runs, six doubles. Seering had a .600 batting average to lead the Phoenix followed by Kaitlyn Wells and her .500 average at the dish. Wells also had two home runs and seven RBI to lead the maroon and gold while Chloe Hatzopoulos and Gabi Schaal also had round trippers last weekend.
• McKenna McCard and Taylor Cherry were the winning pitchers for the Phoenix in the circle, with McCard posting a 1.24 ERA in 5.2 frames with four strikeouts.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon is tied for second in the CAA standings with Delaware with its 14-4 record as both squads remain a game behind Campbell with nine league games to go heading into the weekend.
• As a team, Elon is batting .295 while scoring 217 runs with 32 home runs and 181 RBI. The Phoenix ranks fourth in the CAA in runs scored and is second in the league in home runs. The Phoenix sits third overall in the CAA in slugging percentage (.449) and is only one of eight teams to convert a triple play this season in the NCAA.
• Kaitlyn Wells leads the Phoenix with her .402 batting average. The senior is the Phoenix's leader in home runs with 12, which is second in the CAA. The Roswell, Ga., native leads the CAA with 41 RBI and is also second in the league in slugging percentage (.803) and OPS (1.265). She is also fifth in the CAA in hits (47).
• Greta Hessenthaler is second with her .369 batting average and is third on the squad with 41 total hits.
• Allee Seering is third on the squad with her .355 average and is second on the team in hits with 44. The senior has three homers with 24 RBI while ranking in the top-10 of the CAA in total hits.
• Elon's pitching staff has posted a 4.28 cumulative ERA this season in 242.0 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 153 strikeouts compared to 132 walks.
• McCard leads the Phoenix in innings pitched at 66.1 while posting a 2.43 ERA with an 8-3 record and 51 strikeouts. Cherry is second with 57.0 innings of action and is second to McCard in strikeouts with 37 while posting a 2.58 ERA. Cherry also has one of the Phoenix's two saves on the year along with Isley Duggins.
 
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA A&T (10-31, 2-16 CAA)
• The Lady Aggies are 10-31 overall on the season with a 2-16 ledger versus CAA opponents. North Carolina A&T won 5-1 over Presbyterian in its most recent game on Wednesday in Greensboro, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
• Offensively, N.C. A&T is slashing .262/.405/.336 with 164 runs scored along with 16 home runs and 147 RBI. Junior Katriel Williams has posted a .319 average with team-highs in hits (36), triples (six) and RBI (21). She is also 9-for-9 in swiped bags on the year.
• In the circle, the Lady Aggies have a cumulative ERA of 6.61 on the season with 174 strikeouts compared to 186 walks. Three players have primarily toed the rubber for North Carolina A&T with senior Joey Barkhimer leading the team in appearances (25), innings pitched (95.2) and strikeouts (72). She is also tied for the team-lead in wins with four along with freshman Lauren Hardy.
 
PRESEASON PRAISE
• Elon had four members of its program recognized on the 2025 Preseason All-CAA Softball Team as announced by the league office on Jan. 31. Fifth-year Gabi Schaal, senior McKenna McCard and junior Mauri Murray were selected to the Preseason All-CAA Team in their respective positions. Senior Allee Seering was an honorable mention nod.
• Schaal was a Second Team All-CAA choice last season as the Lakeland, Fla, native led the CAA in home runs with 11 and finished third in the league with 38 RBI. She finished in the top 10 of the CAA in slugging percentage (.556).
• Murray was selected to the All-CAA First Team after leading the team in batting average (.361) and slugging percentage (.583). The Marvin, N.C., native notched 52 hits in 144 at-bats while scoring 32 runs with eight homers and 33 RBI while ranking in the top-10 of the CAA in several categories. She also earned NFCA Mid-Atlantic Third Team All-Region honors.
• McCard served as the Phoenix's ace in the circle, leading the Phoenix in appearances (30), starts (21), complete games (11) and innings pitched (122.0). The Ashburn, Ga., native posted a 2.52 ERA while also striking out a team-high 85 batters while posting four shutouts on the season.
• Seering was named to the All-CAA Second Team during her junior campaign last season. The Waxhaw, N.C., native led the Phoenix with 40 RBI and 15 stolen bases and was second on the squad in doubles (12) and hits (49).
 
RETURNING PHOENIX
• Outside of the four preseason All-CAA honorees, the Phoenix returns several key players in 2025, including starters Greta Hessenthaler (second base), Kaitlyn Wells (outfield) and Reagan Hartley (outfield). Hessenthaler was a CAA All-Rookie team choice last season while Wells was third on the team with six home runs. Hartley finished third on the program with 11 stolen bases.
• In the circle, Elon returns 100 percent of its pitching staff last season. Along with McCard, the Phoenix welcomes back the arms of Taylor Cherry, Meredith Wells, Isley Duggins, Michaela Hobson, Kyra Leonard, Anna Dew and Lia Miller.
 
CALL HER COACH CAR
• Elon added a familiar face to its coaching staff this summer as Carley Davis begins her first season as an assistant coach on head coach Kathy Bocock's staff in 2025.
• Davis concluded her career with the Phoenix last spring, spending most of her time as a starter behind the plate. She appeared in 197 career games with 194 starts for the maroon and gold and was a two-time All-CAA Second Team selection. A native of Bridgewater, Va., Davis finished her career as Elon's all-time Division I leader in runners caught stealing with 37. This past season, Davis hit a career-best .312 with four homers and 24 RBI.
• Along with Davis, Bocock also made another staff change with the elevation of Sophia Devesa to a full-time assistant and recruiting coordinator after Devesa spent her first season as a volunteer for the Phoenix in 2024. Devesa was part of a staff that helped mentor the Phoenix batters to hit .270 last season, Elon's highest batting average since 2018. The Phoenix's offense was also second in the CAA in runs scored with 252 while its 34 home runs were a league best.
 
2024 RECAP
• Elon finished last season with a 23-29 ledger and a 17-10 mark during CAA play. The 17 league wins mark the most for the program since joining the league as the Phoenix reached the CAA Softball Championships for the fifth straight season (excluding the canceled 2020 COVID-19 season).
• Among the notable accomplishments for the Phoenix last season included Elon head coach Kathy Bocock earning her 300^th career win with the program. Bocock, who is the Phoenix's all-time career wins leader, earned the milestone versus North Dakota State at the Marucci Classic.
• The Phoenix had five players received All-CAA recognition last season. Sophomore Mauri Murray received All-CAA First Team laurels while fifth-year Carley Davis, redshirt junior Gabi Schaal and junior Allee Seering were placed on the league's Second Team. Freshman Greta Hessenthaler rounded out the All-CAA Phoenix honorees with her spot in the All-Rookie Team.
• Schaal also received some hardware for her work both on and off the field as she was named the softball recipient of the 2023-24 Coastal Athletic Association's Leadership and Sport Excellence Award.
• Megan Grant became the program's all-time career leader in walks at the Division I level. The Vinton, Va., native retired after last season with 125 career free passes to her name.
 
ON DECK
• The Phoenix closes out its seven-game road swing with a trip to Charlotte next Tuesday, April 22. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.