Bucknell University Athletics
Softball Places Four Players on All-League Teams; Savannah Jones Headlines with First Team Nod
5/7/2024 3:03:00 PM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison softball team placed four players on All-League Teams the Patriot League office announced Tuesday. Pitcher/Outfielder Savannah Jones earned First Team honors for the At-Large position while three Bucknell players notched Second Team placements. MaKenzie Hilling slotted in at first base, Madison Roukey received a spot at pitcher, and Zoie Smith merited laurels at catcher. The four players represent the highest amount of Orange & Blue members to be selected for All-League Teams since the 2019 team earned six spots.Â
Jones received Second Team honors in 2023 at the At-Large slot and has only upped her game in 2024, becoming the first Bison since Geffert (2017-18-19) to receive back-to-back league slots.. The dual-threat player has batted .273 with 17 RBIs. She has hit four doubles and a triple. On the mound, Jones has gone 3-7 with a 3.04 ERA. In conference play, she batted .404 with 10 RBIs. In the circle against conference foes, she posted a 2.62 ERA. Against the league-winning Boston Terriers (18-0 PL), she pitched 11 scoreless innings before yielding a run in the 12th inning.Â
Coach Sarah Caffrey on Jones: "At-Large is a perfect way to describe Savannah. She has just been key in big moments this year and I'm so happy that she has been on the field healthy and able to compete day in and day out. I don't think we've seen her best yet, which is exciting. She gets better and better."
Two-time captain Hilling made the 2023 Patriot League All-Tournament Team and improved even further in 2024 by becoming the first first baseman since Meghan Kovac in 2018 to land a spot on an All-League Team. Hilling batted .271 and using a patient batting eye added 22 walks for a sparkling .380 on-base percentage. Her 22 free passes are fourth-best in the circuit. Hilling's nine doubles rank second-best on the team and .993 fielding percentage is fourth-best in the Patriot League.Â
Caffrey on Hilling: "For someone who works hard everyday to finally get some of the playoff has been so fun to watch. Kenzie has gotten so much better defensively this season and she is becoming a seasoned hitter who understands her swing and what makes her successful."
Roukey is a first-year captain and the increased duties proved no burden on the junior hurler. The pitcher developed into Bucknell's ace, winning ten games and becoming Bucknell's first tosser to win double-digit games since Raeanne Geffert collected 16 victories in 2019. Roukey's name dominated the PL leaderboard for pitchers, ranking third in ERA (2.33), fifth in innings pitched (129.1), fifth in wins (10), fifth in complete games (11), and sixth in strikeouts (90). Roukey was a force in conference play, collecting seven of Bucknell's nine PL victories.Â
Caffrey on Roukey: "It is much-deserved recognition for her success this season. I think it is so well-earned and she has made such a tremendous impact on this team this season. It has been so fun to see her growth and I know the best is yet to come."
Smith, a two-time captain, earned First Team honors in 2023 and by winning Second Team laurels this year becomes the first Bison along with Jones since Geffert (2017-18-19) to receive back-to-back league slots. The senior catcher has battered the ball, hitting .344 with 44 hits, 12 doubles, three home runs, and 23 RBIs. All of those marks rank first for Bucknell. Among PL competition, she ranks fifth in doubles (despite every other player in the top-ten competing in six to 11 more games than her) and eighth in batting average.
Caffrey on Smith: "This year has been so fun to see understand herself and manage her expectations. She is a tremendous athlete but even more so a huge leader for us. I know this year has been challenging for her in different ways but I'm so proud of her for sticking to her preparation and trusting herself in big moments. I'm so proud of her as a senior."
The Bison head to Boston for the Patriot League Tournament on May 9-11. Bucknell, as the three seed, will play the second-seeded Lehigh Mountain Hawks in the opening round on Thursday.Â
Â
Jones received Second Team honors in 2023 at the At-Large slot and has only upped her game in 2024, becoming the first Bison since Geffert (2017-18-19) to receive back-to-back league slots.. The dual-threat player has batted .273 with 17 RBIs. She has hit four doubles and a triple. On the mound, Jones has gone 3-7 with a 3.04 ERA. In conference play, she batted .404 with 10 RBIs. In the circle against conference foes, she posted a 2.62 ERA. Against the league-winning Boston Terriers (18-0 PL), she pitched 11 scoreless innings before yielding a run in the 12th inning.Â
Coach Sarah Caffrey on Jones: "At-Large is a perfect way to describe Savannah. She has just been key in big moments this year and I'm so happy that she has been on the field healthy and able to compete day in and day out. I don't think we've seen her best yet, which is exciting. She gets better and better."
Two-time captain Hilling made the 2023 Patriot League All-Tournament Team and improved even further in 2024 by becoming the first first baseman since Meghan Kovac in 2018 to land a spot on an All-League Team. Hilling batted .271 and using a patient batting eye added 22 walks for a sparkling .380 on-base percentage. Her 22 free passes are fourth-best in the circuit. Hilling's nine doubles rank second-best on the team and .993 fielding percentage is fourth-best in the Patriot League.Â
Caffrey on Hilling: "For someone who works hard everyday to finally get some of the playoff has been so fun to watch. Kenzie has gotten so much better defensively this season and she is becoming a seasoned hitter who understands her swing and what makes her successful."
Roukey is a first-year captain and the increased duties proved no burden on the junior hurler. The pitcher developed into Bucknell's ace, winning ten games and becoming Bucknell's first tosser to win double-digit games since Raeanne Geffert collected 16 victories in 2019. Roukey's name dominated the PL leaderboard for pitchers, ranking third in ERA (2.33), fifth in innings pitched (129.1), fifth in wins (10), fifth in complete games (11), and sixth in strikeouts (90). Roukey was a force in conference play, collecting seven of Bucknell's nine PL victories.Â
Caffrey on Roukey: "It is much-deserved recognition for her success this season. I think it is so well-earned and she has made such a tremendous impact on this team this season. It has been so fun to see her growth and I know the best is yet to come."
Smith, a two-time captain, earned First Team honors in 2023 and by winning Second Team laurels this year becomes the first Bison along with Jones since Geffert (2017-18-19) to receive back-to-back league slots. The senior catcher has battered the ball, hitting .344 with 44 hits, 12 doubles, three home runs, and 23 RBIs. All of those marks rank first for Bucknell. Among PL competition, she ranks fifth in doubles (despite every other player in the top-ten competing in six to 11 more games than her) and eighth in batting average.
Caffrey on Smith: "This year has been so fun to see understand herself and manage her expectations. She is a tremendous athlete but even more so a huge leader for us. I know this year has been challenging for her in different ways but I'm so proud of her for sticking to her preparation and trusting herself in big moments. I'm so proud of her as a senior."
The Bison head to Boston for the Patriot League Tournament on May 9-11. Bucknell, as the three seed, will play the second-seeded Lehigh Mountain Hawks in the opening round on Thursday.Â
Â
Players Mentioned
C/1B
/ Softball
RHP/OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/Util
/ SoftballIn The Herd: Patriot League Home Opener Preview And John Young Feature
Thursday, March 12
Bucknell Wrestling - EIWAs Recap & NCAAs Preview
Tuesday, March 10
St. Joseph's at Bucknell Baseball Highlights 3-7-2026
Sunday, March 08
Bucknell Women's Basketball Post Game: Patriot League First Round
Saturday, March 07