NEW YORK – With the BIG EAST Softball Championship presented by JEEP getting under way on Wednesday, the conference announced its annual regular-season awards on Tuesday. Butler's Sydney Carter was unanimously selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team, while Paige Dorsett, Mackenzie Griman, and Cate Lehner each received All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
 
The league's top three teams were represented among the five major awards, led by Villanova center fielder Tess Cites, who was voted BIG EAST Player of the Year. Kelsey Carr, from Seton Hall, collected the BIG EAST Softball Pitcher of the Year award after posting a 1.82 ERA and producing seven wins. The Pirates also garnered the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year award, as the coaches selected outfielder Abby Wingo. UConn's catcher, Grace Jenkins, was tabbed BIG EAST Freshman of the Year following her first season of play. Rounding out the major award winners, Seton Hall, which finished in a tie for second in the final standings, collected BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year recognition.
 
An All-BIG EAST First Team and All-BIG EAST Second Team were also named, each consisting of 12 players made up of at least two pitchers, with the remaining spots selected at-large. All-BIG EAST Teams and major awards are selected via a vote of the league's head coaches who are not allowed to vote for their own players or coaching staffs. 
 
Carter, a sophomore from Mason, Ohio, had Butler's highest batting average (.389) in BIG EAST games. The second baseman's 21 hits included two doubles and a triple, and she accumulated seven RBI in conference play. She was also successful stealing four bases.
 
Dorsett ranked seventh in the BIG EAST with a .643 slugging percentage, and her eight home runs ranked tenth. A redshirt-sophomore from Martinsville, Ind., she was named BIG EAST Player of the Week on Mar. 13 after batting .500 with four RBI to lead the Bulldogs to a series sweep of BIG EAST preseason favorite DePaul. The first baseman led the team with 23 hits and seven home runs in conference games, and she was second with 18 RBI.
 
Griman led Butler with six BIG EAST wins in the pitching circle, producing an ERA of 2.77 while striking out 40 opponents. The senior, from Mishawaka, Ind., made 12 conference starts, completed seven games, and picked up one save.
 
Lehner, a freshman from Indianapolis, produced the Bulldogs' second-best batting average in conference play, going 22-for-58 (.379). The right fielder notched one triple and one double and was 9-of-10 on steal attempts against BIG EAST opponents.
 
No. 4 seed Butler opens the BIG EAST Tournament on Wednesday with a 12 pm first pitch against No. 5 seed St. John's. The double-elimination tournament in Storrs, Conn., is scheduled to run through Saturday.
 
2023 BIG EAST Softball Awards 
 
BIG EAST Softball Player of the Year: Tess Cites, Jr., CF, Villanova
BIG EAST Softball Pitcher of the Year: Kelsey Carr, Jr., P/INF, Seton Hall
BIG EAST Softball Defensive Player of the Year: Abby Wingo, Sr., OF, Seton Hall
BIG EAST Softball Freshman of the Year: Grace Jenkins, Fr., C, UConn
BIG EAST Softball Coaching Staff of the Year: Seton Hall
Head Coach: Angie Churchill
Assistant Coaches: Laura Messina & Emily Schaffer
 
 
First Team
Kelsey Carr, Jr., P/INF, Seton Hall*
Sydney Carter, So., INF, Butler*
Tess Cites, Jr., OF, Villanova*
Ava Franz, So., INF, Villanova
Ally Jones, Sr., C, Villanova
Brooke Johnson, Sr., 1B, DePaul
Payton Kinney, Jr., P, UConn
Cameron Kondo, Gr., OF, Georgetown*
Cayla Nielsen, Jr., OF, Creighton*
Shelby Smith, Sr., P, Seton Hall
Abby Wingo, Sr., OF, Seton Hall
Anna Wohlers, So., 3B, DePaul*
 
Second Team
Paige Dorsett, INF, R-So., Butler
Mae Forshey, Gr., INF/C, Georgetown
Kat Gallant, Fr., P, Villanova
Mackenzie Griman, Sr., P/INF, Butler
Jacque Harrington, Jr., INF/UT, Providence
Ryan Henry, Gr., C/DP, Villanova
Lexi Hastings, So., OF, UConn
Aziah James, Gr., OF, UConn
Grace Jenkins, Fr., C, UConn
Cate Lehner, Fr., OF, Butler
Victoria Sebastian, Sr., 1B, Villanova
Kailey Wilson, Gr., INF, Creighton
 
*unanimous selection