Liberty Softball Earns 4 Major End of Season CUSA Awards

The Liberty softball team claimed four major end-of-year awards today, as the 2025 CUSA Softball All-Conference Team was announced. Additionally, the Lady Flames placed a league-best nine players on the all-conference team, including six first team selections.

Liberty senior outfielder Rachel Roupe was named CUSA Player of the Year. Senior Elena Escobar was voted CUSA Pitcher of the Year, and redshirt junior Savanah Whatley was named CUSA Newcomer of the Year. Liberty 12^th-year Head Coach Dot Richardson was voted CUSA Coach of the Year.

Liberty, the CUSA regular season champion, placed nine players on the CUSA All-Conference team, including six on the first team.

Liberty's All-CUSA first team selections were: senior pitcher Elena Escobar, redshirt sophomore catcher Savannah Jessee, senior outfielder KK Madrey, junior designated player Brynn McManus, senior outfielder Rachel Roupe and redshirt junior shortstop Savanah Whatley.

The Lady Flames were represented on the all-conference second team by: senior pitcher Paige Bachman, redshirt senior infielder Savannah Woodard and sophomore pitcher Kaylan Yoder.

Roupe is a four-time all-conference selection, being named to the first team each of the last three years. Bachman, Escobar, Madrey and Yoder all receive their second career all-conference awards.

This is the 10^th time in program history, and fourth in the last five years, that Liberty has had its conference's player of the year award winner. Amber Bishop-Riley was named ASUN Player of the Year in 2021 before Caroline Hudson earned the award each of the next two seasons.

Escobar is the fourth Lady Flame all-time to be named conference pitcher of the year, joining Tiffani Smith (2010), Julia DiMartino (2017-18) and Emily Kirby (2021-22).

Whatley is the first conference newcomer of the year honoree in program history.

Coach Richardson receives her fifth career coach of the year honor, with two in the Big South (2017-18), two in the ASUN (2021-22) and the 2025 CUSA Coach of the Year award.

The Lady Flames (44-11, 23-3 CUSA) are currently preparing for the 2025 CUSA Softball Championship, hosted in Bowling Green, Ky. The defending champion Lady Flames will serve as the No. 1 seed for the second straight year. Liberty has a first-round bye and will face the winner of No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech and No. 5 seed New Mexico State, Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. The title game will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern time, with the winner claiming the CUSA's automatic berth to the 2025 NCAA Division I Softball Championship.

2025 CUSA Softball Award Winners
First Team All-Conference
Savannah Jessee, C, Liberty
Ansley Blevins, C, Middle Tennessee
Brynn McManus, DP/UT, Liberty
Savanah Whatley, INF, Liberty
Nicole Hammoude, INF, Louisiana Tech
Reagan Marchant, INF, Louisiana Tech
Jana Want, INF, Middle Tennessee
Ajia Richard, INF, UTEP
Emma Elrod, OF, Jax State
KK Madrey, OF, Liberty
Rachel Roupe, OF, Liberty
Desirae Spearman, OF, New Mexico State
Allie Floyd, P, Louisiana Tech
Elena Escobar, P, Liberty
Abigail Young, P, Sam Houston

Second Team All-Conference
Macie Howes, Kennesaw State
Bella Perez, Sam Houston
Maci Masters, DP/UT, WKU
Paige Miller, INF, FIU
Kailey Martin, INF, Jax State
Savannah Woodard, INF, Liberty
Kristiana Watson, INF, New Mexico State
Elia Hebel, INF, Sam Houston
Kally Meredith, OF, FIU
Alexis Gilio, OF, Louisiana Tech
Macie Harter, OF, Middle Tennessee
Jenny Robison, OF, Sam Houston
Kat Carter, P, Jax State
Paige Bachman, P, Liberty
Kaylan Yoder, P, Liberty

All-Freshman Team
Haleigh Cushingberry, Jax State
Kailey Martin, Jax State
Jaci Underwood, Jax State
Allie Furr, Louisiana Tech
Elena Heng, Louisiana Tech
Leila Ammon, Middle Tennessee
Macie Harter, Middle Tennessee
Jana Want, Middle Tennessee
Tamara Carranaza, New Mexico State
Marissa Burchard, UTEP
Erica Houge, WKU

Player of the Year – Rachel Roupe, Liberty
Pitcher of the Year – Elena Escobar, Liberty
Freshman of the Year – Jana Want, Middle Tennessee
Newcomer of the Year – Savanah Whatley, Liberty
Defensive Player of the Year – Madi Mendoza, UTEP
Coach of the Year – Dot Richardson, Liberty

Liberty All-Conference Capsules
Head Coach Dot Richardson (CUSA Coach of the Year) (Career Honors: 2025 CUSA Coach of the Year; 2021, 2022 ASUN Coach of the Year; 2017, 2018 Big South Coach of the Year)
      Coach Richardson guided Liberty to its second CUSA regular-season title in a row this season, as the Lady Flames went 23-3 in conference play, the most conference victories by a team in a single season in CUSA softball history. Liberty has been ranked in the Top 25 in every week except for two so far this season and currently holds an RPI of 28 and a very strong postseason resume. The Lady Flames tied their program record for home wins (24), regular-season wins (44) and conference wins (23) this season. Liberty is on pace to break many offensive records this season and also well on the way to its fifth straight NCAA Regional berth. The Lady Flames have now won 40 or more games in seven out of the last eight full seasons.

Rachel Roupe – Sr., OF, Sharpsburg, Md. (CUSA Player of the Year; CUSA All-Conference first team; CUSA All-Academic Team) (Career Honors: 2024 CUSA Player of the Year; 2024, 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team; 2024, 2025 CUSA All-Academic Team; 2023 ASUN All-Conference first team; 2022 ASUN All-Conference second team; 2022 ASUN All-Tournament Team; 2022 ASUN All-Freshman Team)
      A four-time all-conference outfielder, 2025 CUSA Player of the Year Rachel Roupe has saved her best season for last. Roupe bats .385 for the season while leading all CUSA players with 18 doubles, 20 homers and 63 RBI. She is tied for 11^th in NCAA Division I softball in both homers (20) and doubles (18), 16^th in RBI (63) and 10^th in total bases (142). In conference play, Roupe led all CUSA hitters in batting average (.486), slugging percentage (1.149), OPS (1.745), runs (27), home runs (13) and RBI (39). On Monday, Roupe became the first player to be named CUSA Softball Player of the Week five times in a single season.

Elena Escobar – Sr., P, Spring Hill, Tenn. (North Alabama) (CUSA Pitcher of the Year; CUSA All-Conference first team. Career honors: 2025 CUSA Pitcher of the Year; 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team; 2024 CUSA All-Tournament Team; 2024 CUSA All-Conference second team: 2023 ASUN All-Tournament Team)
      Elena Escobar backed up her stellar junior campaign with an even better senior season. She has posted a 19-3 record with five shutouts overall while ranking second in CUSA in overall wins (19), ERA (2.08) and strikeouts (140) and third in opponents' batting average (.209). In conference play, Escobar was a perfect 12-0 with a 1.33 ERA, leading all CUSA pitchers in conference-only ERA (1.33) and opponents' batting average (.168). She contributed over half of Liberty's conference victories, earning at least one win in all nine CUSA series. Escobar was named CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year and was also CUSA Pitcher of the Week on March 10.

Savanah Whatley – R-So., INF, Oakley, Calif. (Oregon State) (CUSA Newcomer of the Year; CUSA All-Conference first team)
      Savanah Whatley has made a major impact on the Liberty lineup and infield during her first season since transferring from Oregon State. The starting shortstop, Whatley has been sensational at that position in the field and equally as effective at the plate. Whatley is ranked fourth on the team with a .354 batting average, well above her career average entering the season. She hit her first career home run on March 14 at Kentucky. Whatley went 4-for-4 at Louisiana Tech on April 26, the first Lady Flame this season with a four-hit game. Additionally, she played a big role in Liberty's win over No. 12 Alabama with a career-high three RBI.

Savannah Jessee – R-So., C, Jonesborough, Tenn. (CUSA All-Conference first team. Career honors: 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team; 2024 CUSA All-Tournament Team)
      Savannah Jessee has been a stalwart behind the plate and at bat this season. She catches for the top pitching staff in the conference, as Liberty leads CUSA in team ERA both overall (2.27) and in conference play (1.88). She has thrown out 8-of-31 would-be basestealers this season. Overall, Jessee has hit .312 this season with five doubles, two homers and 24 RBI. In CUSA play, Jessee batted .367 with three doubles, two homers and 13 RBI. She had her first career three-hit game, April 5 against Middle Tennessee.

KK Madrey – Sr., OF, Newnan, Ga. (LSU) (CUSA All-Conference first team; Career honors: 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team; 2023 ASUN All-Conference first team; 2023 ASUN All-Tournament Team)
      KK Madrey has had an amazing senior season, playing an elite center field while also serving as one of the top basestealers in the nation. She has stolen a program-record 46 bases, ranking third among all NCAA Division I softball players so far this season. Madrey is ranked second in CUSA in conference-only batting average (.430) and third in overall batting average (.405). She has 19 multiple hit games, including five three-hit contests. She has also stolen three bases in a game five times. Madrey has been on a tear lately, reaching base safely in each of the last 13 games of the regular season. A highlight-reel play waiting to happen, Madrey has made numerous SC Top 10-worthy catches this season.

Brynn McManus – Jr., DP, McMinnville, Ore. (CUSA All-Conference first team; Career honors: 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team; 2024 CUSA All-Tournament Team; 2023 ASUN All-Freshman Team)
      Brynn McManus has proven to be a key contributor in the middle of the Liberty lineup, batting .327 with 14 doubles, eight homers and 40 RBI for the season overall. In CUSA regular season play, McManus hit .392 with eight doubles, six homers and 23 RBI. She is tied for third overall in CUSA in doubles, and her .392 conference-only batting average ranks sixth in CUSA. McManus has posted 15 multiple-hit games, including three three-hit contests, while ranking second on the team with 12 multiple-RBI games. McManus had her first career two-homer game on Saturday against FIU, driving in three runs.

Paige Bachman – Sr., P, Fredericksburg, Va. (CUSA All-Conference second team; Career honors: 2025 CUSA All-Conference second team; 2022 ASUN All-Conference second team; 2022 ASUN All-Freshman Team)
      Paige Bachman has had a standout senior campaign in the circle, pitching to an 11-3 overall record, two shutouts and 88 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings pitched. In Conference USA play, Bachman went 4-1 with a 2.52 ERA. She opened the season by not allowing a single earned run in her first 20 1/3 innings pitched. Bachman was named CUSA Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 10. The senior fashioned her second career 10-strikeout game, fanning 10 against UTEP on March 29. She pitched a three-hit shutout versus Cleveland State on Feb. 8, striking out six batters in a row at one point. In her final start of the regular season, Bachman tossed a six-hit shutout against FIU.

Svannah Woodard – R-Sr., INF, Warrior, Ala. (Alabama) (CUSA All-Conference second team; Career honors: 2025 CUSA All-Conference second team; 2021 All-SEC Newcomer Team)
      After missing all of last year due to injury, Savannah Woodard has had her best collegiate season. Serving as the Lady Flames' leadoff batter, Woodard is a catalyst at the top of the lineup. She bats .328 overall with career highs of eight doubles, seven homers, 37 RBI and 48 runs scored. Twice this season, including at Duke on March 18, Woodard has led off a game with a home run. On March 7 against Kennesaw State, Woodard became the first Lady Flame since Mary Claire Wilson in 2021 to hit an inside-the-park home run. Woodard recently went on a streak of 19 straight games reaching base safely.

Kaylan Yoder – So., P, Greenwood, Del. (CUSA All-Conference second team; Career Honors: 2025 CUSA All-Conference second team; 2024 CUSA All-Conference first team; 2024 CUSA All-Freshman Team)
      Kaylan Yoder is the first Liberty pitcher since Julia DiMartino (2016, 2017 Big South) to be named all-conference as both a freshman and sophomore. Yoder has been one of the toughest pitchers to hit, ranking in the top 25 nationally in hits allowed per seven innings (4.74). Overall, Yoder has posted a 9-4 record with a 2.37 ERA, one shutout, 77 strikeouts and a .196 opponents' batting average in 79 2/3 innings pitched. Yoder leads all CUSA pitchers in overall opponents' batting average and ranks third in ERA (2.37). In conference play, she is 7-2 with a 1.99 ERA, ranking second in conference-only ERA and opponents' batting average (.178).

Schedule

Liberty Softball Earns 4 Major End of Season CUSA Awards

Players Mentioned

Paige Bachman

Elena Escobar

Caroline Hudson

Savannah Jessee

KK Madrey

Brynn McManus

Rachel Roupe

Savanah Whatley

Mary Claire Wilson

Savannah Woodard

Kaylan Yoder