BOSTON – UMass Lowell softball freshman catcher Julia Rowley (Beacon Falls, Conn.) wasted no time introducing herself to the league, earning America East Rookie of the Week honors on Tuesday following a dominant performance at the NMSU/UTEP Invitational

Rowley was a force at the plate in her collegiate debut, leading the River Hawks with a .571 batting average (8-for-14) and a .600 on-base percentage across five starts at the NMSU/UTEP Invitational. The freshman catcher tallied a team-high eight hits, including three doubles, and drove in three runs while slugging .786.

Her breakout performance came in the 10-7 victory over St. Thomas (Minn.) on Feb. 7. Rowley went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, ripping a double and driving in two runs to help power the UMass Lowell offense. She also added a hit, a run scored, and a walk in the weekend finale, a 12-2 run-rule victory over UTEP.

Defensively, Rowley was flawless behind the dish, managing the game for every inning of the opening tournament. She recorded 20 putouts and one assist with zero errors or passed balls.