Boston University's 2023 Dream Season Was No Accident

Boston University has been "that" team all season long. With 51 wins under their belts, the Terriers will play in the Athens Regional at the University of Georgia beginning this Friday, where they will open up against Virginia Tech at 2 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.

Getting to the NCAA Tournament is no easy feat, but No. 25 BU plans to do far more than just participate. The Terriers have a team of depth on which head coach Ashley Waters says there is no one star.

“When you don’t know who the leader is, and you don’t know who the hero is, it means you have a lot of them,” Waters said. “How dynamic and awesome is that? You cannot mention one and not all. As a coach, that is a dream.”

And it's been quite a dream season for BU this year.

The Terriers boast the nation's fifth-best team ERA at 1.55, eighth-best team batting average at .328 and fifth-best team fielding percentage at .981. The statistics become even more impressive when you begin to consider the preseason training environment the Terriers experience each winter of a rubber-floored field house, compared to the luxury many Division I softball teams have of being on their home field to practice through every season of the year.

But the motivation and hard work of this BU team cannot be deterred by any external factors.

“We don’t care where we get our reps or how we get our reps, our job is to find a way to win,” said Waters, who gave her team the motto of “No Excuses” for this season.

About the tough winter conditions in Boston, 2023 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Allison Boaz, a San Diego native, said: “The climate did not play a factor for me. It was the people I fell in love with and the competitive nature of the team.”

When onlookers watch these Terriers play, they can't help but feel the electricity the team provides. From the support they give to one another through adversity, to the celebration of every success, no matter how big or small, BU's softball environment is undeniably special.

“It can be anyone’s day anytime,” said Kayla Roncin, the 2023 Patriot League Player of the Year.

One thing is clear: BU's softball players are on the same page, and they are not ready for their season to be over just yet.

Waters credits much of her team's success this season to its preseason strength of schedule. The Terriers had multiple top 25 matchups in 2023, including a 2-0 win over Baylor back in March.

“If we have a really challenging preseason schedule and we meet that level of high competition, we should come back into conference and be the best team,” Waters said.

It's a recipe that has proven to be successful for BU for several years now. The squad just earned its fifth consecutive Patriot League regular-season title prior to winning the league's tournament this year as well.

And while eyes will certainly be on BU this weekend in Athens, the powerhouse from New England will still be considered the underdogs. But that doesn't bother the Terriers one bit.

“Just because you are not recruited to a (typical) top 25 team, that dream is still alive,” team captain Caitlin Coker said. “Find the people who are bought into that ‘why not us?’ mindset. We are proving that anything is possible.”

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