KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island freshman
Hannah Hernandez was named to the 2023 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, while senior
Liz Lynchard and graduate student
Elena Gonzalez both earned Academic All-Conference honors, the league announced Wednesday morning.
Hernandez batted .283 with 34 hits, 12 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in her first season in Kingston. She took over as the team's starting centerfielder midway through the season, and started 39 of the 43 games she played overall. In Atlantic 10 play, she batted a team-best .309 and had 17 hits while starting 17 conference games. Defensively, Hernandez had a .957 fielding percentage, recording 42 putouts and three assists while making two errors.
Lynchard and Gonzalez were two of 10 women to be named to the Academic All-Conference Team. It is the second consecutive year Lynchard has earned the recognition.
With a 3.76 overall grade-point average and a 3.8 GPA in her major, Lynchard will complete her Biomedical Engineering degree this spring while also finishing a minor in Mathematics. A two-year team captain, Lynchard was second in the Atlantic 10 in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 3.38, as she fanned 142 batters while allowing just 45 walks. She finished the regular season fourth in the A-10 with 7.1 strikeouts per 7.0 innings and fifth in total strikeouts with 142 strikeouts. She ranked in the Top seven in the conference in strikeouts (5th), wins (7th), shutouts (t-2nd) and innings pitched (7th).
Rhode Island's top pitcher, Lynchard is the first woman in 20 years with four shutouts in one season for the Rams. She also is the first URI pitcher in four years to reach double digits in wins. Her 142 strikeouts are the third-highest single-season total in program history. She has 298 career strikeouts and needs just two to become sixth URI player with 300.
A team captain in her first season with Rhode Island, Gonzalez has a 3.93 GPA as a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in Business Administration. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Geology from Rider. This season she started 51 of 52 possible games for the Rams.
Gonzalez was second on the team with 37 hits, including six doubles and one triple. An excellent base runners, she was a perfect 15-for-15 on stolen base attempts, ranking seventh in the A-10 in total steals. She also scored 21 runs. Her versatility gave the Rams defensive flexibility all season, as Gonzalez started games at second base (25), catcher (12), shortstop (8), third base (5) and designated player (1).
2023 Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team
First Team All-Conference
First Base - Kaelin Cash, Saint Joseph's
Second Base - Marlaina Bozek, George Mason
Third Base - Abby Mallo, Saint Louis
Shortstop - Madsion Ebeling, Loyola Chicago
Catcher - Nicole Bechtel, George Mason
Designated Player - Maddie Kapsimalis, Dayton
Outfield - Emma Schutter, Dayton
Outfield - Neleh Nogay, Fordham
Outfield - Gabbie Kowalik, Saint Louis
Pitcher - Aly Rayle, George Mason
Pitcher - Chloe Wendling, Saint Louis
Second Team All-Conference
First Base - Amelia Thomas, Loyola Chicago
Second Base - Maddie Kapsimalis, Dayton
Third Base - Haley Taormina, George Mason
           Maggie Greco, George Washington
Shortstop - Chloe Rhine, Saint Louis
Catcher - Nico Papavasiliou, Dayton
Designated Player - Jane Kaniecki, Saint Louis
Outfield - Emily Daniel, Dayton
Outfield - Brooke Bobbey, St. Bonaventure
Outfield - Natalie Sullivan, Saint Louis
Pitcher - Izzy Kemp, Dayton
Pitcher - Peyton Pepkowski, Loyola Chicago
All-Rookie Team
Izzy Kemp, Dayton
Holly Beeman, Fordham
Neleh Nogay, Fordham
Rose Cano, George Washington
Ashley Corpuz, George Washington
Sierra Sass, Loyola Chicago
Hannah Hernandez, Rhode Island
Meghan Sinkus, Saint Joseph's
Abby Mallo, Saint Louis
Ashley Marietta, Saint Louis
Chloe Rhine, Saint Louis
All-Academic Team
Alyssa Cacini, Dayton
Emily Daniel, Dayton
Emma Schutter, Dayton
Ali Weekley, Dayton
Amelia Thomas, Loyola Chicago
Elena Gonzalez, Rhode Island
Liz Lynchard, Rhode Island
Kaelin Cash, Saint Joseph's
Gabbie Kowalik, Saint Louis
Chloe Wendling, Saint Louis
