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Gallant, Runco and White Earn All-BIG EAST First Team Honors

Story Links NEW YORK – After earning the third seed and the program’s ninth straight berth in a BIG EAST Tournament with a sweep last weekend, Villanova softball picked up a trio of all-conference honors as Kat Gallant, Maranda Runco and Kelsey White were each named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. […]

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NEW YORK – After earning the third seed and the program’s ninth straight berth in a BIG EAST Tournament with a sweep last weekend, Villanova softball picked up a trio of all-conference honors as Kat Gallant, Maranda Runco and Kelsey White were each named to the All-BIG EAST First Team.

White was unanimously selected to her first career all-conference list in the First Team’s utility/pitcher slot, earning the top dual-threat honor among league players. 

The senior allowed the fewest hits and runs in conference games among qualified pitchers, and was the only eligible pitcher not to allow a home run in BIG EAST play. The Taunton, Mass., product is sixth in the league for opposing batting average and eighth in earned run average at 3.73.

At the plate, White notched career bests across the board with a .263 average, 35 hits, 28 runs scored, eight home runs and a team-high nine doubles. The everyday starting left fielder when not pitching, the senior accumulated a .979 fielding percentage with 75 putouts and 18 assists on the year in addition to a number of highlight reel catches.

Gallant received her second career All-BIG EAST accolade but her first nod on the conference’s top team after assuming the ace role of the Villanova pitching staff in her junior year.

The Connecticut native led the league with a 1.84 earned run average in conference games, coming in third for wins (eight) and fewest walks allowed (13) while striking out 52 batters in 76 innings against BIG EAST competition for the third highest mark in the league for both.

The junior led Villanova’s staff in nearly every category, tossing over 130 innings with a 1.32 WHIP, 15 complete games and a BAA below .290 with 13 total wins.

Runco burst onto the scene in her first season as a regular contributor for the ‘Cats, picking up her first career honor after placing on the All-BIG EAST First Team as the top designated player in the league. The sophomore paced the conference in slugging percentage (1.029, only BE player above 1.000) and home runs in BIG EAST play (12, set a conference single season record).

The Scranton area native led Villanova with a .370 average overall, totaling team bests in home runs (18, tied program single season record), runs batted in (44), walks (24) and total bases (24). Runco finished in the BIG EAST’s top five for on-base percentage (second), total bases (third) and batting average (fifth).

Gallant, Runco, White and the Wildcats begin postseason play on Wednesday afternoon, taking on the #6 seed Providence Friars at 3:00 p.m. from the Villanova Softball Complex.

2025 BIG EAST SOFTBALL AWARDS

Player of the Year: Grace Jenkins, Jr., C, UConn

Pitcher of the Year: Ana Serafinko, Jr., P, St. John’s

Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Ashten Pierson, So., SS, Creighton & London Jarrard, Sr., SS, St. John’s

Freshman of the Year: Cat Petteys, Fr., SS, UConn

Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John’s

All-BIG EAST First Team^

Sydney Carter, Sr., 2B, Butler

Cate Lehner, Jr., OF, Butler*

Kaitlyn Breslin, So., OF, UConn

Rosie Garcia, Sr., 3B, UConn*

Grace Jenkins, Jr., C, UConn*

Payton Kinney, Gr., P, UConn

Cat Petteys, Fr., SS, UConn

Sydney Potter, So.,1B, Creighton

Sydra Seville, Sr., OF, Creighton

Loreley Francia, Jr., P, St. John’s

Ana Serafinko, Jr., P, St. John’s

Kat Gallant, Jr., P, Villanova

Maranda Runco, So., DP, Villanova

Kelsey White, Sr., UT/P, Villanova*

All-BIG EAST Second Team^

Lexi Hastings, Sr., OF, UConn

Hope Jenkins, Jr., P, UConn

Kaelan Schultz, So., DP, Creighton

Lily West, Jr., C, Creighton

Baylee Cosgrove, Sr., 2B, DePaul

Victoria Grifone, Gr., P, Providence

Elisa Smith, Jr., OF, Providence

Jess Bianco, Jr., OF, St. John’s

London Jarrard, Sr., SS, St. John’s

Madison Konopka, Fr., 3B, St. John’s

Kelsey Carr, Gr., DP, Seton Hall

Olivia Gilbert, Sr., 1B, Seton Hall

Caroline Hobbes, Jr., 2B, Seton Hall

Kyra Kreuscher, Jr., P, Seton Hall

* Denotes a unanimous selection

^ Denotes a tie in voting

Keep up with the Villanova University softball program through social media by following on X formerly known as Twitter (@VUSoftball) and Instagram (@novasoftball) and ‘liking’ on Facebook (/VUSoftball).

 





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