St. Louis heads into 2016 with big expectations and a great chance at bringing home the program's first ever Atlantic 10 title.
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| Brianna Lore (photo by Thom Kendall) |
Pitching: Brianna Lore is back for her senior season and the former Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year is looking to reclaim that title once again in 2016. The senior southpaw is already the St. Louis' career leader in wins and she is looking to lead the Billikens to new heights. The great thing for Coach Christy Connoyer is that St. Louis brings back its other two pitchers from 2015. Laney Kneib served as the club's closer in 2016 and she was stellar in that role going 8-1 with 2.86 ERA with 31 SO in 83.1 innings, while recording 6 saves. Maddie Baalman is back after a solid freshman campaign which saw her go 10-7 with a 4.71 ERA with 31 SO in 91 innings. Freshman Kallen Loveless should also see some key innings in the circle.
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| Alex Nickel (photo by Thom Kendall) |
Hitting: The Billikens wielded some big bats in 2015, hitting .301, while slugging 55 HR. Leading the charge on offense is junior shortstop Alex Nickel. Nickel had an outstanding season, hitting .415 with 71 hits, 56 runs scored, 11 HR, 32 RBI, and 10 steals. She is one of the top all-around players in the conference and should be an early favorite for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Beyond Nickel, the Billikens also bring back six .300 hitters from 2015. Brianna Lore hit .340 last year with 52 hits, 4 HR, and 32 RBI. Emma Buckles hit .336 with 38 hits, 1 HR, and 19 RBI, while recording 8 steals. Allie Macfarlane is back as St. Louis' RBI leaders after a stellar rookie season, which saw her hit .327 with 51 hits, 8 HR, and 50 RBI. Coach Connoyer will also count on Mackenzie Peter, Elizabeth Everingham, and Josie Knesel for big seasons at the plate.
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| Hailey Weavers (photo by Thom Kendall) |
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