The Georgetown University softball team (8-8, 0-3 Big East) began its 20th season last month, teeing things off at the Charleston Southern University (CSU) Kickoff in Charleston, S.C. on Feb 7. The team began the season with a commanding 7-1 win over Bellarmine University (4-10), but a 6-0 shutout later that day by Siena College (8-9) quickly followed. The pattern of one win followed by one loss seems to be a Georgetown softball trademark as they reach the halfway point of their season with an 8-8 record.
This win-lose pattern seems to apply not just to the Hoyas’ games but also to the team as a whole. Georgetown announced Jan. 10 that the team would part ways with its first-ever head coach, Pat Conlan, and Assistant Coach Gabriela Elvina. Just over a week before the first contest of the season, Georgetown’s softball program named Karla Ross the new head coach Jan. 29 and Camryn Dolby the new assistant coach Feb. 3.
With the new leadership came an opportunity for the Hoyas to start fresh. Stepping away from the only leadership the program ever had provided a fantastic chance to improve on prior seasons’ performances by implementing new tactics and ideas.
The Hoyas concluded their first weekend of play this season with a 3-2 record, taking down Bellarmine twice as well as CSU, and dropping two to Siena. First-year outfielder Dani Koo earned the Big East freshman of the week award Feb. 10 for her performance at the CSU Kickoff, where she batted .316 with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs. The Hoyas’ first weekend performance marked a dramatic contrast from the past three seasons’ opening performances, where the Hoyas went 1-4, 0-3 and 1-4 in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Weather difficulties prevented Georgetown from traveling to their second weekend of play, but they returned exceptionally the following week and went 3-0 at the Carolina Classic on Feb. 22, wiping out Queens University of Charlotte (5-13), Wagner College (5-9) and University of West Georgia (8-13) in games by margins of 8-1, 6-1 and 10-4, respectively. Sophomore infielder Emily Strittmatter was named to the Big East weekly honor roll Feb. 24 for her essential role in the team’s success at the Carolina Classic, where she hit 2 home runs and secured 2 RBIs, 4 walks and 6 runs.
Between Feb. 28 and March 2, the Hoyas played their final weekend of classic play before their conference schedule as they returned to their old ways, going 2-3 at the Liberty Softball Invitational. Despite the losses, junior first and third baseman Dayanara Campos was able to capture a Big East weekly honor roll nomination after she hit .400 across the weekend with a home run, 2 doubles, 7 RBIs and 3 runs scored. This marked the third weekend of play for Georgetown and the third weekend of Big East weekly honors.
The Hoyas opened up Big East play March 7-9 in a three-game series at Seton Hall University (10-9, 3-0 Big East) in South Orange, N.J. The Hoyas dropped three straight games to the Pirates, extending their losing streak to five games. Despite the losing streak, Georgetown has managed to maintain some integrity, holding a .500 winning percentage at present. At the halfway point last season, the Hoyas held a 10-13 overall record with a 0.435 winning percentage. The season before, in 2023, Georgetown held a 4-16 record at the halfway mark, with a 0.200 winning percentage. In 2022, the Hoyas had a 10-11 record and 0.476 winning percentage following the opening weekend of Big East play.
Compared to the past few seasons’ results, Georgetown is showing progress in improving its record. In each of the past two seasons, the Hoyas earned three Big East weekly honor roll mentions throughout the regular season. In a little over a month, this year’s team already managed to secure the same amount.
While the Hoyas still showcase some of the same tendencies from prior seasons, with an unremarkable record so far, positive change is evident as successes appear to be trending upward. Snags take time to work out, and with the new coaching staff joining the team less than a month and a half ago, there is still plenty of hope for the Hoyas’ season ahead.
The Hoyas will next travel to Queens, N.Y., over the weekend to take on St. John’s University (17-8-1) in a three-game series beginning March 14. In each of the past two seasons, Georgetown was able to secure one win against St. John’s; this weekend, the Hoyas will be looking to one-up their past season performances and take multiple wins against the Red Storm.
