Posted: May 03, 2022

Heffernen and Eichberger Honored by UAA Coaches

women's softball player holding a bat on the left and women's softball player with a ball and glove on the right

(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) – Sophomore Erika Heffernen (Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown) and freshman Libby Eichberger (Aurora, Ill. / Metea Valley) were honored by the University Athletic Association (UAA) coaches on Monday with selection to the Softball All-Association team. Heffernen was voted to the first team while Eichberger earned a spot on the second team.

Heffernen, a starting left fielder for the Carnegie Mellon University softball team, led the team with a .400 batting average in UAA play and a .394 average overall. Heffernen set a new program season record for triples with five, all coming against UAA competition. In her first year of competition after missing 2021 with an injury, Heffernen recorded 20 hits in UAA play and 28 overall, which was tied for third on the team. Heffernen also knocked in a team-best 11 runs in UAA play.

Eichberger started all 19 league games in center field and hit .288 with 15 hits and 10 runs scored. The first-year player for the Tartans had two triples and a double in UAA play. In the first UAA series of the year, Eichberger had seven hits in 14 at bats on the road at Emory University, twice having three hits in a single game. Eichberger also started her career with a 12-game hitting streak, which is tied for the program's second-best mark.

Both Heffernen and Eichberger were named UAA Hitter of the Week once during the season, earning the only awards for the Tartans in 2022.

The Tartans finished the year with a 15-19 overall mark and 6-13 showing in the UAA in their fourth overall season, and second year of competition in the UAA due to two seasons being canceled due to COVID-19.