Last season junior outfielder-pitcher Emily McGrath had a stellar softball season and was named to the NFCA Scholar Athletes and also received recognition from the Freedom Conference as a designated hitter.

As a sophomore, McGrath played in 33 games making 27 starts. She was fourth on the team with a .333 batting average, third in slugging percentage with .511, and second in home runs with four. She also had 30 hits in 90 at-bats, producing 17 RBI’s and scoring 11 runs, as well as having eight multi-hit games.

Due to her consistent hard work and performance she was named to the First Team All-Freedom Conference as a designated player.

“She is a hard worker and is consistent in her play,” head coach Frank Matthews said. “There is not a time when she is not focused.”

For the 2014 season, McGrath is looking to improve on her communication with the team and becoming more of a leader.

“I would like to try and be more of a leader this year on the team and really focus on communication with my teammates,” she said. “I felt that our best games last year consisted of everyone cheering on the bench, positive mind sets, and picking each other up if we made a mistake.”

The Lady Colonels went 17-23 last year; however they were a very young team, with the loss of only one senior infielder. The Navy and Gold hit for .284 as team last year, making them an average hitting offense with some powerful threats on the mound such as Laykin Hughes, Brooke Chapin and Haylie Phillips.

“I expect that we will do even better than last year,” McGrath said. “We have a young team this year, but I think that there is a lot of energy and hard workers with the new girls on our team this year.”

The Lady Colonels start their season in Virginia Beach for spring break against Rowan University.