WESTON, Mass. - The Regis College softball team is represented by five student-athletes on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Softball Team for NCAA Division III: graduate student Alyssa Ward (Webster, Mass.), recent graduates Andria Braga (Rehoboth, Mass.), Kayla Morrill (Lynn, Mass.), and Diana Petrarca (Coventry, R.I.), and Bianca Burke (Cambridge, Mass.), just completing her sophomore year.
The 2023 Academic All‐District® Softball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators and announced by the national organization Tuesday, May 16, recognize the nation's top student‐athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom.
Ward returned to the softball team after receiving her bachelor's degree in sport management last year, pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree during the 2022-23 academic year. She appeared in 16 games within the pitching circle in 2023, including seven starts, as she moved into seventh place on the Regis all-time list for pitching appearances with 56.
One of this year's team captains, Ward earned a victory in the second game of the April 12 doubleheader against Fisher, allowing just one hit in three innings while striking out three batters. In the same game, she picked up her first career double at the plate and scored a run.
Braga, another of this year's captains, appeared in 34 games for the Pride, batting .297 with 30 hits, including seven doubles and her first career home run in the first game of the March 29 doubleheader at Lasell. She drove in 14 runs, stole four bases without being caught, and drew 18 walks, the fifth-most in a single season in program history.
Braga earned eight multiple-hit games, highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance with a double and three runs scored in the second game April 15 at Dean. Against Penn State-Hazleton March 5, she went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBI. Already a two-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, Braga recently graduated with her nursing degree.
Morrill, a Third Team All-GNAC selection, split her time between second base and third base as she was one of the anchors of the infield throughout the season. She batted .340 with 33 hits, including five doubles, plus she drew 14 walks, scored seven runs, and drove in 12 runs for the second consecutive season.
On March 8 in South Carolina, Morrill was a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate with a double and three RBI against Penn State-Abington and Rosemont. She also went 3-for-3 in the second game of the April 16 doubleheader against Johnson and Wales. The Treasurer on the 2022-23 Regis Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board, Morrill completed her bachelor's degree in nursing.
Petrarca, also a captain this past season, contributed to the Pride's success both at the plate and in the pitching circle. She batted .350 with 41 hits, including eight doubles and three home runs, plus she drew 11 walks, scored 12 runs, and drove in 27 runs, tied for the third-most RBI in a single season in program history.
As a pitcher, Petrarca collected five victories as she started 14 games, throwing 10 complete games in the process. She allowed just one unearned run to lead the Pride to a 2-1 victory over Emmanuel April 20, and then she earned her first career shutout two days later at Elms, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Petrarca earned her bachelor's degree in dental hygiene earlier this month.
Burke led the Pride with a .392 batting average, setting Regis single-season records with 49 hits and 33 runs scored. Named Regis Co-Outstanding Female Sophomore Student-Athlete of the Year, the leadoff hitter earned nine doubles and four triples, drove in nine runs, and collected 15 stolen bases, currently tied for fourth in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC).
The Second Team All-GNAC outfielder earned 14 multiple-hit games, highlighted by a 4-for-4 effort with four runs scored in the second game of the April 12 doubleheader sweep over Fisher. That game started a stretch in which Burke earned at least one hit in 14 of the final 15 games of the 2023 season. She is majoring in elementary education and Spanish.
Academic All‐District® honorees advance to the College Sports Communicators Academic All‐America® ballot. First‐, second-, and third‐team Academic All‐America® honorees will be announced Tuesday, June 6.
Regis College sponsors 20 intercollegiate sports, including softball, within NCAA Division III as a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.