NEW YORK, N.Y. – For the second time in as many years, Villanova softball has a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST selection as sophomore infielder Lilly St. Jean was one of just four league athletes unanimously selected to the 2024 all-conference squads.

The Wildcats tied for a league-high with three players on the conference's second team in Ava Franz, Ally Jones and Elaina Wagner while the VU staff picked up Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.

St. Jean earned her first career BIG EAST accolade after leading the Wildcats with a .400 batting average in her 22 conference games, putting up a team-high 11 doubles and 27 runs batted in during league play. The sophomore slugged four home runs with a .754 slugging percentage in conference tilts, scoring 18 runs against BIG EAST opposition.

Franz picked up all-conference honors in the second straight season after going on a tear to finish out the year, ending up with a .306 batting average against BIG EAST opponents after a 22-hit, 18-run league campaign. The junior shortstop led the squad with seven homers and 50 total bases in BIG EAST play while driving in 25 runs and contributing six other extra-base hits.

Jones was named to her third All-BIG EAST Second Team following a 19-hit, 25-walk performance in conference play to lead the league in bases on balls. The New Jersey native totaled a .322 batting average against the league, putting together a team-high .534 on-base percentage with three home runs and five doubles. The Wildcats' starting backstop contributed 136 putouts and five assists behind the dish, catching two runners stealing with a flawless fielding percentage.

Wagner earned her first BIG EAST season accolade after exploding onto the scene for Villanova, gathering a team-high 28 hits while accumulating 39 total bases, eight doubles and 15 runs scored. The junior from New York amassed a team-best 16-game reached-base streak in conference matchups, adding six two-hit games as the starting right fielder.

After leading the Wildcats to their most conference wins ever, head coach Bridget Orchard and assistants Gabby Luety and Grace Fagan earned BIG EAST Co-Coaching Staff of the Year. The 'Cats swept five of their conference series and finished three wins better than the league's second place team. Villanova led the BIG EAST in slugging and on-base percentage, RBI, home runs, total bases and walks in 2024 en route to the program's first ever regular season title. 

The Wildcats will now head into the 2024 BIG EAST Championship presented by JEEP as the No. 1 overall seed, awaiting the winner of Wednesday's Seton Hall vs. St. John's contest.
 

Player of the Year: Lexi Hastings, Jr., OF, Connecticut
Pitcher of the Year: Natalia Puchino, So., P, Creighton*
Defensive Player of the Year: Ashten Pierson, Fr., SS, Creighton
Freshman of the Year: Katey Brennan, Fr., OF, Seton Hall
Co-Coaching Staffs of the Year: Creighton & Villanova

First Team
Cate Lehner, So., RF, Butler
Rosie Garcia, Jr., INF, Connecticut
Lexi Hastings, Jr., OF, Connecticut
Ella Dalton, So., CF, Creighton
Cayla Nielsen, Sr., LF, Creighton
Natalia Puchino, So., P, Creighton*
Madeline Vejvoda, Sr., 2B, Creighton*
London Jarrard, Jr., SS, St. John's*
Katey Brennan, Fr., OF, Seton Hall
Kelsey Carr, Sr., P, Seton Hall
Olivia Gilbert, Jr., INF, Seton Hall
Lilly St. Jean, So., 2B, Villanova*

Second Team
Ella White, Jr., 3B, Butler
Grace Jenkins, So., C, Connecticut
Hope Jenkins, So., DP/P, Connecticut
Payton Kinney, Sr., P, Connecticut
Sydra Seville, Jr., RF, Creighton
Claire Turner, So., OF, Georgetown
Gabriella Lee, So., OF, Providence
Jess Bianco, So., OF, St. John's
Ana Serafinko, So., P/DP, St. John's
Ava Franz, Jr., SS, Villanova
Ally Jones, Gr., C, Villanova
Elaina Wagner, Jr., OF, Villanova

* denotes unanimous selection