ELON, N.C. – The Elon University softball team begins play this week at the 2025 CAA Softball Championships, hosted by Campbell University at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium. The second-seeded Phoenix (29-18, 21-6 CAA) will open play on Thursday, May 8, at 2:30 p.m. against either No. 3 seed College of Charleston or No. 6 seed Hofstra in the quarterfinal round.
 
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
• Live stats will be available for the tournament by going to the team's schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• The tournament 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.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
• College of Charleston: The Phoenix swept the Cougars in its three-game set earlier this season at Hunt Softball Park on April 4-6. Elon improved its all-time ledger against Charleston to 40-34 and has won six straight in the series.
• Hofstra: Elon also swept the Pride in its series at home this season on March 7-9. It was the first three-game series sweep for the Phoenix versus Hofstra, with Elon closing its all-time record versus the Pride to 14-10.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon took two out of three at Campbell last weekend, May 1-3, to close out the regular season. The Phoenix won game one, 6-5, before the Camels leveled the contest in game two with a 3-1 victory. Elon responded with a four-run top of the first in the rubber match that eventually led to a 6-1 win.
• Offensively, Elon batted .282 in the series versus the Camels and had four players hit .400 or better. Kaitlyn Wells hit .625 (5-of-8) while Reagan Hartley hit .500 (3-of-6) at the dish. Gabi Schaal (.417) and Lani Wyrick (.400) also did well offensively.
• McKenna McCard earned the win in both Phoenix victories as the Ashburn, Ga., native ended the weekend with a 1.91 ERA in 11.0 innings of action. Taylor Cherry got the save in the first game, her second of the year.
 
ELON AT THE CAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Excluding the canceled 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elon is making its sixth straight appearance to the CAA Softball Championship Tournament, the longest active streak amongst current league teams.
• Elon earned the No. 2 seed for the second time for the CAA Tournament after its 21-6 campaign. The Phoenix previously took the second seed in 2019.
• Since 2019, Elon has made two appearances in the CAA title game, the first coming in 2019 at James Madison and the second on its home diamond in 2022.
 
SIX PHOENIX GARNER ALL-CAA HONORS
• On Tuesday, May 6, the Phoenix had six members of its program recognized on the 2025 CAA postseason awards. The Phoenix had two members of the program, senior Kaitlyn Wells and sophomore Greta Hessenthaler, receive First Team All-CAA laurels while three other members – Allee Seering, Chloe Hatzopoulos and McKenna McCard – earned spots on the Second Team. First-year Kayla Wilson rounded out the Elon honorees with her spot on the CAA All-Rookie Team.
 
AROUND THE HORN
• Elon heads into the CAA Tournament after recording its best conference record ever with 21 wins. The Phoenix took eight of its nine league series during the season, with its only blemish coming versus CAA regular season champion Delaware.
• As a team, Elon is batting .298 while scoring 275 runs with 39 home runs and 232 RBI. The Phoenix ranks third 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 (.445) and is only one of eight teams to convert a triple play this season in the NCAA, including the second from the CAA along with Campbell.
• Kaitlyn Wells leads the Phoenix with her .416 batting average. The Roswell, Ga., native broke the program's single-season school record in RBI (50) and is currently tied for the most home runs in school history in a single year (15). She also leads the Phoenix in several categories, including batting average, slugging percentage (.792), runs scored (39), hits (62) and total bases (118).
• Greta Hessenthaler is second to Wells on the team in batting average (.362) while her .483 on-base percentage is currently fifth in the CAA. The Liberty, N.C., native is fourth in the CAA in walks (28) while accounting for 50 hits, a team-best two triples with 18 RBI. During the year, Hessenthaler reached base in 34 straight games, at one point the longest active streak in the nation.
• Allee Seering is batting .344 on the season and is second to Wells on the team with 54 hits. She has also accounted for six doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI. Seering ranks in the top-10 of the CAA in hits and stolen bases, as her 16 swiped bags lead the Phoenix.
• Elon's pitching staff has posted a 3.84 cumulative ERA this season in 306.0 innings of action. The Phoenix hurlers have accounted for 215 strikeouts compared to 166 walks. As a team, the Phoenix sits fifth in the CAA in ERA, fourth in strikeouts and fourth in opposing team batting average (.271).
• McCard has been the Phoenix's ace in the circle most of the season, leading the team in ERA (1.93), opposing batting average (.230), innings pitched (94.1), strikeouts (80), and wins (12). The Ashburn, Ga., native is third in the CAA in ERA and sixth in opposing batting average while also sitting in the top-10 of the league in strikeouts.
 
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.
 
ON DECK
• With a win on Thursday, Elon will advance to the semifinal round on Friday, May 9 at 12 p.m.