Softball Travels To Panther Invitational To Meet Host FIU, No. 10 Duke & Army West Point - Rutgers University Athletics (2024)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers softball team returns to the field for the Panther Invitational in a field that includes host FIU, No. 10 Duke and Army West Point.

• Rutgers kicked off the 2024 season last weekend going 4-1 at the Houston Invitational.
• Katie Wingert was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after totaling five home runs going over the fence in four of five contests. She ended the invitational hitting .444 going 8-for-18 with a double, five home runs, 10 RBIs, a sac fly and 1.333 slugging percentage. Wingert is currently tied for second all-time in home runs at Rutgers.
• Five Scarlet Knights finished the weekend hitting over .400 led by Kyleigh Sand and LA Matthews batting at a .474 clip. Sand was 9-for-19 with eight runs, a double, home run and three RBIs. Matthews in her first Rutgers weekend was also 9-for-19 adding six runs, a double and five RBIs.
• Both Mattie Boyd and Morgan Smith went 2-0 inside the circle while the RU pitching corps totaled 31 strikeouts across 31 innings. Boyd collected 11 strikeouts in her RU debut in the 9-1 run-rule victory over Colgate in the 2024 opener while Smith registered 15 strikeouts in her 13.1 innings of work while batting .313 with five runs, a double and a home run.

• Katie Wingert was named Big Ten Player of the Week andLouisville Slugger/Wilson Selected Top Performer on Feb. 13 after helpingRutgers to a 4-1 opening weekend hitting .444 with five home runs going long in four of five games to move into second all-time at Rutgers in home runs. She also added eight hits, five runs and 10 RBIs and held down a 1.333 slugging percentage in wins over Houston, Colgate and Indiana State.
• Wingert opened the weekend taking her second pitch of the 2024 season deep for a two-run shot and a lead RU would not relinquish in a 9-1 run-rule victory over Colgate.
• Game two saw Wingert with a 3-run blast in her first plate appearance in RU's 14-5 win over Indiana State.
• The home runs continued for Wingert on day two with three total. She went 3-for-4 smacking her first pitch of the third inning over the wall to give Rutgers the lead at 3-2 in the eventual 10-2 victory versus weekend host Houston. Wingert followed with two more dingers in the game that immediately followed in a 7-4 victory over Colgate. Wingert initiated RU's comeback from a four-run deficit with a solo long ball in the third. After RU took the lead in the sixth, Wingert added some cushion with a two-run bomb.
• Her streak of home runs marked the second time Katie Wingert has had at least three consecutive games with home runs. She also went over the fence in consecutive games against Tennessee Tech on March 9, 2018 and Saint Joseph's on March 15, 2019 in her freshman campaign.
• This marks Winger's second Big Ten Weekly Award. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week back on April 19, 2019 after hitting three home runs and driving six during a Big Ten series sweep of Penn State.

• The Rutgers softball team returns 12 letterwinners, including seven starters, and adds seven newcomers to this year's roster.
• A year ago, Rutgers picked up a 30-win season for the first time since 1994 ending the year at 32-25 overall with its best start since 1980.
• The Scarlet Knights captured itsfirst top-25 victory since 2012 with a win over #18/19 Northwestern, a team that ultimately reached the NCAA Super Regionals.
• RU opened the year at 8-0 for the first time in 43 seasons and finished the nonconference schedule at 23-11.
• The squad returned to the Big Ten Tournament behind a victory over No. 18/19 and Big Ten champion Northwestern, along with Big Tenseries sweeps of Illinois and Maryland.
• The Scarlet Knights earned five conference post-season honors with three named Second Team All-Big along with nods to third baseman Payton Lincavage, outfielder/pitcher Morgan Smith and shortstop Kyleigh Sand. Smith was also named Big Ten All-Defense. Morgan Smith and Kyleigh Sand were also named All-Region honorees
• Payton Lincavage was bestowed the prestigious Rawlings Golden Glove Award as the nation's top third baseman having committed only one error the entire season.

Head Coach:Jen Consaul (Canisius '14) - 22-42 overall (second season)/22-42 at Army West Point (second season)
2024 Record:0-5
2023 Record:22-37/10-8 Patriot

All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 13-6 (Last Meeting: Feb. 7, 2020 - L, 3-8)

Top Black Knights:

• Ashton White - .429 BA, 2 runs, 6 hits, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 7 RBIs
• Caitlyn Newburn - .333 BA, 1 run, 3 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI
• Julia Farris - .300 BA, 3 hits, 1 RBI

• Breanna Izzo - 0-0 W-L, 6.68 ERA, 7.1 IP, 3 Ks
• Amanda Egglin - 0-2 W-L, 10.18 ERA, 11.0 IP, 1 K
• Olivia Farris - 0-2 W-L ,11.55 ERA, 6.2 IP, 4 Ks

Head Coach: Marissa Young (Michigan '03) - 216-98 overall (seventh season)/216-98 at Duke (seventh season)
2024Record: 3-1
2023 Record:48-12/19-5 ACC/NCAA Super Regional

All-Time Series: Rutgers trails 0-2 (Last Meeting: Feb. 16, 2020- L, 0-3)

Top Blue Devils:

• Amiah Burgess - .600 BA, 1 runs, 3 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI
• Kelly Torres - .455 BA, 5 hits, 1 RBI
• Claire Davison - .417 BA, 3 runs, 5 hits, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 7 RBIs

• Jala Wright - 2-0 W-L, 0.66 ERA, 10.2 IP, 1 CG, 13 Ks
• Dani Drogmuller - 0-0 W-L, 3.94 ERA, 5.1 IP, 6Ks
• Cassidy Curd - 0-1 W-L, 5.23 ERA, 4.0 IP, 5Ks / D1Softball Preseason All-American / Preseason All-ACC / Third Team All-Region

Head Coach: Mike Larabee (Washington St. '86) - 448-458 overall (18th season)/45-62 at FIU (third season)
2024 Record:2-4
2023 Record:24-27/10-14 American

All-Time Series:Rutgers trails 4-6 (Last Meeting: Feb. 23, 2018 - L, 3-4)

Top Panthers:

• Collier Peaden - .500 BA, 4 runs, 8 hits, 1 double, 2 RBIs
• Bailey Grossenbacker - .375 BA, 1 run, 6 hits, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs
• Casey Goguts - .316 - 2 runs, 6 hits, 1 double, 1 HR, 6 RBIs

• Alina Varga - 1-1 W-L, 2.25 ERA, 1 CG, 1 shutout,9.1 IP, 3 Ks
• Brooke McNichols - 1-1 W-L, 5.04 ERA, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 8.1 IP, 3 Ks
• Ella Whitney - 0-0 W-L, 5.83 ERA, 6.0 IP, 2 Ks

TheRutgers softball team heads to the prestigious Mary Nutter Tournament in Cathedral City, California. The Scarlet Knights will meet Hawaii, BYU, Loyola Marymount, UC Riverside, CSUN and Cal Poly.

Follow Rutgers softball onFacebook,TwitterandInstagram.

- RU -