Posted: 10/12/2011
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh softball team recently completed its fall season, as the Mountain Hawks returned to work in defense of another Patriot League championship. The Mountain Hawks captured their league-leading 11th Patriot League softball crown in 2011 and advanced to the NCAA regional tournament for the sixth time in the last eight years.
Head coach Fran Troyan enters his 17th season with a roster of 14 returning players plus four talented freshmen who will look to contribute immediately. The Mountain Hawks enjoyed an impressive 7-1 record in fall competition, as Lehigh played doubleheaders against Kutztown, La Salle and Rutgers while also competing in the Carole Weil Tournament.
“The most important part of the fall is figuring out exactly what we have to work with,” Troyan said. “We played a bunch of different people, including returning players, at different positions. It was a great fall in terms of being able to evaluate different players at different positions.
Troyan continued, “The effort of the players this fall was really good. They came to practice every day with the intent of getting better and that did happen.”
On the infield, Lehigh returns seniors Julie Fernandez and first base and Jen Colquhoun at shortstop, both of whom will likely become four-year starters at their positions. Also returning on the infield is junior catcher Liz Lucas, who was an ECAC All-Star a year ago while putting up one of the most impressive offensive seasons in school annals. Lucas batted .380 with 10 home runs, 48 runs batted in and a Patriot League record 21 doubles.
As always, pitching is key in college softball, and Troyan likes what he has seen from the Mountain Hawks staff, which consists of junior Rebecca Bliss, the 2011 Patriot League Tournament MVP, sophomores Ashley Quigley and Kelsey Lee and promising freshman Emily Bausher.
“We feel like we have strong leadership with Liz catching and Julie and Jen at first and short,” Troyan explained. “We should be real solid there. All our pitchers have improved. Emily Bausher can do some neat things as a freshman right away. The upperclassmen have improved and the freshmen have come in and shown that they are ready to compete for playing time.”
During the fall, Lehigh also named its team captains, with Fernandez and Lucas being joined by senior outfielder Audra Wood.
“The nice thing is Julie already has a year of experience as a captain, which is invaluable,” Troyan explained. “Liz brings an incredible 
amount of energy and ideas to be a leader in this program; and Audra is very good about getting things done.
The Mountain Hawks had one final chance to enjoy their 2011 title, when they received their championship rings at the Lehigh-Yale football game on October 1. With the fall season now complete, the Mountain Hawks will shift focus to their individual workouts before preseason practice begins in January.
“In a way it’s a shame that the season is not here,” Troyan said. “I feel like the players are already in a good spot to go out and compete. Our goals in the out-of-season are to improve our individual skills, strength and speed and to continue to develop camaraderie. Our team unity is great and we’re very excited about the prospects of the spring.”
Lehigh will open the 2012 season at the Wolfpack Challenge in Raleigh, N.C. in late February. The Mountain Hawks’ complete schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.