Last season, the River Hawks finished 10-7 in the America East (28-20 overall), placed fourth in the conference standings and fell to UAlbany in the conference tournament semifinals . With a similar team to last season’s, along with some added talent, the team aims to reach new heights in 2023.

Graduating just three starters from the 2022 roster, the River Hawks are in prime position to reach those new heights, as depth will be a massive strength of the team this year. Although one of these graduates was a top offensive threat in 2022, Becca Vaillancourt (.310), Coach Starek emphasizes the depth that the 2023 squad possesses, especially in the pitching staff.

Among the many key players returning to the lineup are graduate student Tori Mueller, senior Cayla Tulley and juniors Lea White and Elizabeth Frederick.

Mueller, a graduate utility player, returns for her fifth year as a River Hawk. She started all 48 games in 2022, ranking third on the team in batting average (.297) while collecting 38 hits and 18 runs scored. She also successfully stole six bases in eight attempts. Mueller is a player that feels comfortable playing any position on the field and affects the game with her glove.

Tulley was another offensive weapon for the River Hawks, batting .256 on the year and showing extreme power with a team-leading two triples, eight home runs and 38 RBI. She started 41 of the 43 games she appeared in, and will look to continue being a feared presence in the River Hawks’ lineup. 

White, the Connecticut native, was another productive bat throughout the 2022 season, ranking towards the top in many of the team’s offensive categories. She was second in batting average (.305), runs scored (24) and hits (43), while putting up a .418 slugging percentage, 59 total bases, 19 RBI and six stolen bases on seven attempts. A successful 2022 season should give her momentum heading into this spring. 

Frederick returns as a dynamic hitter and outfielder for the River Hawks. She finished last season with a .771 OPS and tied for the team’s second-most runs scored with 24. She tallied 31 hits, 10 of which were doubles, drew 19 walks and finished with a slugging percentage of .410. Starek will look to Frederick to be a steady bat in the lineup and perform in the field as a well-trusted outfielder. 

Versatility and speed are two qualities in a lot of the players on the 2023 roster that may have been missing in previous years. Adding these skills to a lineup already full of returners and experience will give the River Hawks a new feel and play style this season.

“The amount of players that can go in and do different things is going to be huge for us,” claimed Starek. “On the defensive side of things, we have a lot of players that can play different positions, do different things and help us in different ways depending on what we want to do that day. Offensively, we’ve added a little bit more speed, but we have most of our hitters back from last year, so we are expecting to pick up right where we left off.”

Two players that will also be relied on heavily in the River Hawks' lineup are senior Brenna Davenport and junior Morgan Fisher. Both were consistent parts of last year’s team and will look to have an even larger role in 2023. 

Davenport started all 48 games for the River Hawks in 2022, so the words “consistent part of last year’s team” may be an understatement. The New Hampshire native batted .230 with 31 hits, 12 RBI and 16 runs scored. Her patience in the box was also on display, drawing the team’s fourth-most walks with 14.

Fisher, who played under Starek at New Haven, transferred for the 2022 season and made an impact immediately. She started 37 of the 40 games she appeared in and earned a .262 batting average with 32 hits, 17 runs scored and ranked third on the team with 24 RBI. She can also get it done defensively behind the dish, as she led the conference in runners caught stealing with 10.

The River Hawks kick off the 2023 campaign with four tournaments against some tough non-conference competition. The Kickin’ Chicken Classic at Coastal Carolina gets everything started as they face off against the hosts in a double header on opening day. They follow that up with matchups against South Dakota, Towson and Penn State.

Following the opening tournament, the squad will head two states north to Virginia to compete in the Hampton/Norfolk State Invitational. They will open up versus Wagner and Lehigh at Hampton University before heading to Norfolk State to face off against the hosts and Georgetown the next day. The invitational will conclude with a clash between two northeastern schools as they take on Quinnipiac.

From there, the River Hawks fly even more south for the Louisiana Tech tournament where their opponents will be the hosts and Houston Christian. Staying in the state of Louisiana, the squad will travel directly to Grambling State and Southern for some tough competition before returning home to Lowell for a doubleheader against Stonehill. 

The final tournament comes just after that home doubleheader, as Rutgers hosts the River Hawks at a tournament of their own in Piscataway, N.J. Opponents at the Rutgers Tournament include St. Peter’s, Iona and Rutgers.

“We have a pretty tough schedule to start,” said Starek. “At some of the tournaments we’re going to right away, there are going to be some really good teams that we are going to play. We are trying to figure some things out early, see where we are, keep that competitive attitude, so that when we get to the America East, we’ll be right where we want to be.”

Last season, the goal was to become a close-knit, cohesive group as fast as possible since there were many new faces who have not played or coached with each other before. This season seems to be the exact opposite, as the squad now seems to already be as close-knit as they could possibly be, and they have some experience on the diamond together as they head into the season. This could be the recipe for success for the River Hawks’ 2023 team, as they will have to grind and compete together for well over one month before they hit the challenging conference schedule. 

“I think we have a really good conference and it is really competitive,” said Starek. “I think there is a really small margin between each team. You never know what's going to happen.”

The River Hawks were ranked #2 in the America East Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving one first-place vote. The fans will just have to watch and see if they can live up to those expectations or even exceed them.