All-Time Overall Record at Boston University: 324-136-1 (.704), 10th season *** No. 1 all-time ***
All-Time Conference Record at Boston University:127-18 (.876)
All-Time Conference Tournament Record at Boston University:22-4 (.846)
6x Patriot League tournament champion (2016, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24) 6x Patriot League regular season champion (2018, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24)
5xPatriot League Coach of the Year (2018, 21, 22, 23, 24) 3xNFCA Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year (2022, 23, 24)
2018 ECAC Coach of the Year Top 25 Ranked Wins (4):
Power 5 Conference Wins (19): #1 Oklahoma (2018), Duke (2018), Michigan State (2018), Boston College (2019), Virginia (2020), Boston College (2x - 2021), #13 Georgia (2022), Boston College (2022), Purdue (2022), #12 Baylor (2023), Georgia Tech (2023), Penn State (2x - 2023), Boston College (2023), Michigan State (2x - 2024), Minnesota (2024), Boston College (2024)
Major Student-Athlete Honors: 1x D1Softball All-America (2024), 1x NFCA All-America (2023), 2x CSC Academic All-America (2022, 24), 1x Patriot League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2023), 1x ECAC Player of the Year (2023), 2x ECAC Pitcher of the Year (2023, 24), 2x ECAC Rookie of the Year (2023, 2018), 26x NFCA All-Region First Team, 7x NFCA All-Region Second Team, 3xNFCA All-Region Third Team, 8x PL Player of the Year, 8x PL Pitcher of the Year, 5x PL Defensive Player of the Year, 3x PL Rookie of the Year, 2x PL Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, 51x All-PL First Team, 21x All-PL Second Team
A five-time Patriot League Coach of the Year and three-timereigning NFCA Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honoree, Ashley Waters enters her 10thseason at the helm for 2025 after leading the Boston University softball team to sixstraight Patriot League regular season titles (2018, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24) and eight consecutive conference tournament final appearances, highlighted by conference titles in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021,2023 and 2024. Aformer America East Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, she wasnamed the seventh head coach in program history by director of athletics Drew Marrochello on July 7, 2015.
In 2023, Waters led the Terriers to an overall record of 52-10 for the most wins by a Northeast school in 21 years. BU swept the major Patriot League awards en route to its fifth NCAA regional appearance under her watchful eye and finished the season in the top 15 in nine separate national statistical categories.BU set program records for batting average (.327), fielding percentage (.980), runs scored (341), hits (522), RBIs (304), strikeouts (404) and triples (35) to help earn its first NFCA top 25 national ranking since 1996. The Terriers also set a team and Patriot League record with a 28-game win streak.Highlights included shutouts over then-No. 12 Baylor (2-0), Big West champion Cal State Fullerton (10-0), Penn State (4-0), Boston College (11-0), Georgia Tech (2-0), Long Beach State (2-0) and UConn(1-0). Overall, the Terriers posted a 13-5 record against top-100 RPI programs with a 5-3 win against the West Regional's Coaching Staff of the Year from San Diego State.
The Terriers collected many NFCA awards with junior and two-time PL Player of the Year Kayla Roncin earning the Patriot League's first-ever All-America (third team) honor and the program's first since 2010 thanks to the NCAA"s third-most hits (92) and 16th-best batting average (.430) alongside 56 runs scored and 55 RBIs. Owning 192 strikeouts in 148 innings of work, PL Rookie of the Year Kasey Ricard was named to the NFCA's Top 25 Freshman of the Year Finalist List and was joined by Roncin along with six other teammates in claiming All-Region recognition. BU andUCLA were the only two schools to have seven total All-Region First Teamers.A two-time PL Pitcher of the Year, Allison Boaz helped the Terriers earn their first-ever run-rule decision in NCAA regional action with an 8-0 (6) winover MEAC champion NC Central in Athens, Georgia.Besides excelling on the field, the Terriers had an outstanding year in the classroom with a cumulative 3.61 GPA. Senior and PL Defensive Player of the Year Caitlin co*kerearned not only the program's second consecutive PL Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award but also the athletic department's second-ever PL Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year nod.
In 2022, the Terriers reached 40+ wins for the third time ever with the help ofa program and Patriot League record 27-game win streak that shattered BU's previous record mark of 18 contests set a year prior.In addition to posting a perfect 13-0 record against New England schools and collecting five wins over 2022 conference regular season champions, BU earned a 6-1 victory at then-No. 13 Georgia for its first win against a nationally-ranked opponent in four seasons and first victory against the SEC since 2009. Besides beating the Bulldogs at the Red & Black Showcase, the Terriers also defeated Purdue to earn a win against two different Power 5 schools on the same day for the first time in program history. They finished the year 40-17 and four-peated as conference regular season champions for the first time ever.
As a team, BU finished the regular season sixth nationally in triples (0.40), 18th in doubles (81), 18th in shutouts (14), 20th in ERA (2.11), 27th in batting average (.310) and 33rd in fielding percentage (0.972).For its efforts, BU broke a program and Patriot League record with eight Terriers earning NFCA All-Region honors, as Waters earned the Terriers' first-ever NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year award. BU was just one of four teams alongside Oklahoma, Arkansas and Virginia Tech to have the maximum allowed students recognized. Patriot League Player of the Year and sophom*ore Kayla Roncinfinished the regular season No. 2 nationally with 78 hits and No. 9 with a .443 batting average before setting a school record at 81 hits with three singles during the PL tournament. PL Pitcher of the Year and junior Allison Boaz ranked 17th in ERA (1.40), 22nd in shutouts (7) and 22nd in victories (20) while classmate and fellow NFCA All-Region First Team member Lizzy Avery ranked 39th in strikeouts (185) with the help of two no-hitters.
The 2021 campaign was also as historic one with the Terriers three-peating as conference tournament champions for the first time in program history while also three-peating as regular season champions for the third time. BUfinished 36-4 for aprogram record-breaking .900 winning percentage while also batting a program-record .320 on the season. In the circle, BU posted a stellar 1.26 earned run average that ranked No. 2 nationally. Overall, BU placed in the top-65 in 13 NCAA statistical categories, including eight in the top-26. Regular season highlights included a pair of road victories at ACC rival Boston College and DH sweep over America East preseason favorite Stony Brook. The Terriers set a PL record with 17 straight wins and then broke it after sweeping through the PL tournament with three victories to enter the NCAA Regionals on an 18-game win streak. BU was rewarded for its efforts with the No. 3 seed for the second time in program history and five NFCA All-Region awards for the first time since 2007. At the conference level, Ali DuBois (Pitcher), Caitlin co*ker (Player) and Lauren Keleher (Rookie) all received major year-end recognition.
Though the 2020 season was shortened by COVID-19, the Terriers still had a memorable year. Highlighted by a shutout victory over ACC member Virginia and a pair of wins over defending Southland Conference champion Sam Houston State, BU opened 8-0 for the first time in program history. Ali DuBois was named to the USA Softball College Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List and proved she belong, collecting four Patriot League Pitcher of the Week awards while tallying 95 strikeouts in 87.1 innings and helping the Terriers record seven shutouts. A fellow preseason All-Conference honoree, Aliyah Huerta-Leipner led BU with 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored in just 22 games with the help of four homers.
In 2019, despite the graduation of four All-Conference honorees, BU repeated as conference tournament champions for just the fifth time in program history and the first since 2009-10. The Terriers were dominant at home, posting a perfect record for the second time ever and matching the 2001 team's 18-0 performance.BU became the first program in Patriot League history to have the same two student-athletes repeat as Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, as senior Alex Heinenbecame the first to earn both Player and Defensive Player of the Year accolades in the same year. Sophom*ore Ali DuBoiswas recognized as the top pitcher as well. They were two of a program-record 10 Terriers to claim All-Conference accolades.
The 2018 campaign was a memorable one, as the Terriers posted a 39-20 record, highlighted by a 4-3 upset victory over then-No. 1 Oklahoma for the New England region's first-ever win against the nation's top-rankedteam. They went 15-3 in conference play to clinch their first Patriot League regular season title since joining the conference in the summer of 2013 and also host their first conference tournament since 2012. They then swept through the competition with a pair of run-rule victories to claim their second PL title in three years under Waters and return to the NCAAs for the ninth time.
Prior to the PL tournament, the Terriers swept through the major PL honors with Alex Heinen becoming the second catcher in PL history to be named the Player of the Year. Heinenwas theconsecutive Terrier to earn the recognition after JileeSchandawas tabbed in 2017. Senior Brittany Younan was named Defensive Player of the Year, while freshman Ali DuBoisbecame the first Terrier in program history to be named by a conference the Pitcher and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Tallying a school-record 28 wins and PL-tying record 11 shutouts, DuBoisadded to her awards haul by becoming the second in PL history to earn ECACRookie of the Year honors. Junior Madi Killebrew added one more major award by posting a PL tournament record 10 RBIs to earn tournament MVP accolades.
During the 2018 season, BU won eight straight non-conference games in March for its longest streak since 2006. The Terriers later won 15 straight contests in April for their longest win streak since 2001 and to tie the 2015 Lehigh squad for the longest in PL history. They batted .291 for the season, fifth highest average in program history, while leading the NCAA with 32 triples. Heinenposted 71 hits (t-7th in PL history) and 50 RBIs (No. 2 in PL history), while Wong reached home plate 52 times (No. 3 in PL history).
In 2017, the Terriers finished the regular season on a 14-game conference-win streak and advanced to the Patriot League championship round for the second-consecutive year before coming up just short to top-seed Lehigh on the road. Other highlights include BU winning at No. 23 Florida Atlantic for the program's first victory over a ranked team since 2012 and beating defending Big West champion Cal State Fullerton.
For the second time under Waters, a Terrier claimed a major conference year-end award with junior Jilee Schandaearning Patriot League Player of the Year honors after she hit a league-high .436 during conference play. A total of six players received All-Conference accolades as well. Off the field, the team had a program-record three players earn conference All-Academic Team honors with 14 total being named to the Patriot League's Academic Honor Roll.
In Waters' first year, the Terriers experienced a major turnaround after being selected fourth in the preseason poll due to a 17-27 record in 2015. BU exceeded expectations by placing third in the regular season standings and sweeping through the conference tournament to reach the NCAAs. BU improved its batting average by 20 points to .300 and increased the previous year's fielding percentage from .958 to .970.
The Terriers had six players earn All-Conference honors with senior Melanie Russell claiming her first-ever Patriot League Pitcher of the Year award. Junior shortstop Brittany Younan was a unanimous All-PL First Team selection as well. Both women were left empty handed a year prior. Other highlights include a seven-game win streak, and BU bringing the game-tying run to the plate at ninth-ranked Louisiana Lafayette in the sixth inning of the opening round of the NCAAs on ESPN2.
Accepting her first head-coaching position at BU, Waters was quite familiar with the Terriers, as she has served as the top assistant at Harvard for the last three seasons after earning many conference and national honors as an infielder for the Maine Black Bears from 2006-09.
"When we conduct a search for a head coach, we are focused on finding the right fit for not just our team but for BU," Marrochello said at the time of her hiring. "And for every category we identified -- providing our students with a top-notch experience, supporting the academic pursuits of students attending a prestigious university, competing at the highest level nationally and understanding the softball landscape in Massachusetts and the Northeast -- Ashley checked every box. We're thrilled to welcome her to the Terrier family, and look forward to watching her impact on our students and our softball program."
The Amesbury, Massachusetts, native was also the 2005 recipient of The Boston Globe Will McDonough Award as Massachusetts Female Athlete of the Year.
"I am excited to join the Boston University community, to work with the student-athletes and to maintain and elevate the softball program's tradition of success," said Waters. "I would like to thank Drew Marrochello for this incredible opportunity; I am honored to be a Terrier. I loved my time at Harvard and am forever grateful to Jenny Allard and the athletic department for their support and development the past three years. I am thrilled to continue my career in Boston and eager to embrace this new chapter."
She got her start in collegiate coaching just after graduation, as she spent the fall of 2009 as an assistant on the Maine coaching staff. She also played with the Stratford Brakettes from 2008-13, helping the team capture four Women's Major Softball national championships (2010, 11, 12, 13) while being named to the national championship All-Tournament Team three times (2011, 12, 13) as a second baseman.
In four years as an infielder for Maine, Waters accumulated numerous academic and athletic awards. The two-time team captain received America East All-Conference First Team accolades in her junior and senior seasons while earning Player of the Year honors in 2008 behind a .352 batting average, 10 homers and 30 RBIs. She was also a two-time NFCA All-Region honoree.
Success in the classroom led to her being named a four-time NFCA Academic All-American and four-time America East Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll member. She was named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District squad twice, was a three-time member of the America East All-Academic team and was dubbed America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2008. She was also involved with Phi Beta Kappa and the Golden Key National Honor Society.
In May 2022, Waters earned her master's degree from the Wheelock School of Education at Boston University.
