Saint Louis Billikens
UniversitySaint Louis University
Head coachChristy Connoyer (14th season)
ConferenceAtlantic 10
LocationSt. Louis, MO
Home stadiumBilliken Sports Center (Capacity: 500[1])
NicknameBillikens
ColorsSLU blue and white[2]
   
Regular Season Conference championships
2023

The Saint Louis Billikens softball team represents Saint Louis University in the NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). From 1987 until 1991, the team was a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. From 2000 until 2005, the team was a member of the Conference USA (C-USA). The Billikens are currently led by head coach Christy Connoyer. The team plays its home games at Billiken Sports Center located on the university's campus.[1]

History

The Billikens have been a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference since 2006. The team won their first regular season championship in 2023 after finishing the season with a 30–26 record, one of the best records in program history.[3][4][5] However, the team has failed to win the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament, subsequently failing to qualify for the NCAA Division I softball tournament. Since forming a team in 1978, the Billikens have failed to advance to the tournament.

The team's playing field, Billiken Sports Center, was built in 2000 and originally did not feature dugouts.[6] Prior to the building of the softball field, the team was essentially a homeless travel team, playing in several different "home" fields in the St. Louis area, including Forest Park, ABC Ballpark, and the Affton Athletic Association fields.[7][8]

In 2010, the program hired former Southern Illinois assistant coach Christy Connoyer as its head coach.[9] Connoyer was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 2023, the program's first such award.[10][11] Pitcher Brianna Lore was named Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the Year in 2014, sharing the award with Fordham's Michele Daubman.[12]

Coaching history

Years Coach Record %
1978–1981Vicki Schneider55–61–1.474
1982Steve Curran12–24.333
1983–1985Suzanna Tillotson19–70.213
1986–1988Sandy Smith56–68–1.452
1989–1990Barbara Hibbeler27–36–1.430
1991Katie Weismiller12–35.255
1992–1996Denise Swanger27–182.129
1997–2006Jim Molloy142–362–1.282
2007–2010John Conway104–125–2.455
2011–presentChristy Connoyer322–327.496

Roster

2024 Saint Louis Billikens roster
 

Pitchers

  • 24 – Taylor Hochman – Junior

Catchers

  • 16 – Kelsey Etling – Graduate Student
  • 13 – Abby Mallo – Sophomore
  • 44 – Allie Marietta – Sophomore
  

Outfielders

  • 00 – Ashley Marietta – Sophomore
  • 11 – Natalie Sullivan – Junior

Infielders

  • 20 – Jocelyn Abbott – Senior
  • 2 – Kendall Johnson – Junior
  • 1 – Chloe Rhine – Sophomore

Utility

  • 18 – Jane Kaniecki – Junior
  • 5 – Cami Newbanks – Graduate Student
  • 6 – Sydney Ross – Junior
  
Reference:[13]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Saint Louis Billikens (Independent) (1978–1986)
1978 Vicki Schneider 7–13
1979 Vicki Schneider 12–8
1980 Vicki Schneider 23–19
1981 Vicki Schneider 13–21–1
1982 Steve Curran 12–24
1983 Suzanna Tillotson 5–26
1984 Suzanna Tillotson 11–16
1985 Suzanna Tillotson 3–28
1986 Sandy Smith 19–21–1
Saint Louis Billikens (Midwestern Collegiate Conference) (1987–1991)
1987 Sandy Smith 24–21
1988 Sandy Smith 13–27
1989 Barb Hibbeler 16–19
1990 Barb Hibbeler 11–17–1
1991 Katie Weismiller 12–35
Saint Louis Billikens (Independent) (1992–1999)
1992 Denise Swanger 4–30
1993 Denise Swanger 14–24
1994 Denise Swanger 2–38
1995 Denise Swanger 1–45
1996 Denise Swanger 6–45
1997 Jim Molloy 1–39
1998 Jim Molloy 5–46
1999 Jim Molloy 4–46
Saint Louis Billikens (Conference USA) (2000–2005)
2000 Jim Molloy 9–433–146th
2001 Jim Molloy 25–345–167th
2002 Jim Molloy 24–275–179th
2003 Jim Molloy 21–189–147th
2004 Jim Molloy 16–451–239th
2005 Jim Molloy 18–31–14–20T–8th
Saint Louis Billikens (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2006–present)
2006 Jim Molloy 19–338–12T–6th
2007 John Conway 29–3311–83rd
2008 John Conway 23–33–111–96th
2009 John Conway 22–3312–63rd
2010 John Conway 30–26–112–7–14th
2011 Christy Connoyer 29–2410–87th
2012 Christy Connoyer 23–339–119th
2013 Christy Connoyer 28–2313–95th
2014 Christy Connoyer 30–2112–52nd
2015 Christy Connoyer 36–1818–52nd
2016 Christy Connoyer 25–2614–84th
2017 Christy Connoyer 25–2512–105th
2018 Christy Connoyer 28–2911–105th
2019 Christy Connoyer 19–3312–106th
2020 Christy Connoyer 8–130–0N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Christy Connoyer 19–2710–126th
2022 Christy Connoyer 22–2913–104th
2023 Christy Connoyer 30–2620–61st
Total:776–1,290–6 (.376)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[14][15][16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Facilities". Saint Louis University.
  2. ↑ "Colors and Fonts". Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Saint Louis Wins First Regular Season Softball Title, Will Be Top Seed for A-10 Championship". atlantic10.com. June 8, 2023.
  4. ↑ "After first conference regular season title, SLU Softball prepares for Atlantic-10 tournament". May 9, 2023.
  5. ↑ "St. Louis Post-Dispatch 01 May 2023, page B2". Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "St. Louis Post-Dispatch 11 May 2023, page B1". Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Facilities". Saint Louis University.
  8. ↑ "St. Louis Post-Dispatch 29 May 1999, page Page 65". Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Southern Illinoisan 10 Aug 2010, page Page 11". Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Schutter, Kemp, Rayle Collect Major Softball Student-Athlete Honors, Connoyer Named Coach of the Year". atlantic10.com. June 8, 2023.
  11. ↑ Durando, Stu (May 10, 2023). "Connoyer has SLU softball atop the A-10 and is seeking more". STLtoday.com.
  12. ↑ "Fortier, Daubman, Lore & Cozza Headline Atlantic 10 Softball All-Conference Teams". atlantic10.com. May 6, 2014.
  13. ↑ "2024 Softball Roster". Saint Louis University.
  14. ↑ "Saint Louis University 2023 Softball Record Book" (PDF). s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com.
  15. ↑ "SOFTBALL RECORD BOOK THROUGH 2016-17 SEASON (PDF) - Atlantic 10" (PDF). static.atlantic10.com.
  16. ↑ "2024 C-USA Softball Record Book (PDF) - Conference USA" (PDF). conferenceusa.com.
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