GREENSBORO, N.C. – Virginia Tech softball's Kelsey Bennett, Kelsey Brown, Cameron Fagan and Keely Rochard have been named to the Preseason All-ACC team, the conference announced Wednesday afternoon.
The preseason All-ACC team is voted on by the conference's coaches and consists of a minimum of 14 players. Each ballot was comprised of five infielders, four outfielders, three pitchers, a catcher and either a designated player or utility player. The Hokies, with four honorees, have the most out of any team this year. Clemson, Duke, Florida State and Georgia Tech each have two members, while Louisville and Notre Dame add one apiece.
The Hokies were also ranked third in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, behind only Florida State and Clemson. Tech received 126 votes, including two first-place votes, while Clemson received 128 votes (two first-place votes) and Florida State tallied 137 (eight first-place votes)
A three-time preseason All-ACC honoree, Rochard is coming off a 2021 season in which she was named a First Team All-American by the NFCA, just the third All-American in program history and second First Team selection. She finished the season in the top three in all of NCAA Division I in strikeouts, shutouts and wins for the second straight season.
The right-hander finished first in the ACC with 348 strikeouts, 29 wins and 13 shutouts. Along with All-American honors, Rochard was named ACC Pitcher of the Year as well as ACC Pitcher of the Week (three times) and NFCA Division I Pitcher of the week (twice) throughout the season. She threw two no-hitters during the 2021 season, the sixth and seventh of her career.
Bennett is also a three-time member of the Preseason All-ACC team and was a 2021 All-ACC Second Team member. The junior started in all 52 games a season ago, with 26 at third base and 26 at shortstop. She led the NCAA Tournament with 12 hits through the NCAA Super Regionals round, including a standout performance in the game one victory at the UCLA Super Regional. Bennett went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, including an RBI triple in the first inning.
At the Tempe Regional, the slugger went 9-for-11, with at least two hits in each game, including a career-high four hits at No. 12/8 Arizona State and two home runs. Along with her All-ACC honors, Bennett was named to the NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic Second Team and 2021 VaSID Second Team All-State. She ended the year leading the Hokies in home runs with 13, while also posting an impressive 1.028 OPS and .654 slugging percentage.
After going a perfect 31-for-31 in stolen bases in 2021, Brown was named to the NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic First Team, as well as the All-ACC Second Team. The outfielder started in 50 games for the Hokies, appearing in all 52. During the win over UCLA in game one of the Super Regionals, Brown went 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored.
She ended the 2021 season with a .384 batting average and .406 on base percentage, while also scoring 46 runs to lead the team. Recording 66 hits in 2021, she was second in the ACC with an average of 1.27 hits per game. She was also second in total stolen bases and third in runs scored.
Fagan made a splash as a freshman, earning NFCA First Team All-Mid-Atlantic honors, as well being named to the Schutt/Sports NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year Top 30. During the 2021 season, she recorded a hit in 29 of 34 games, including 14 multi-hit games. Fagan was also another Hokie player that had a standout game in the win over UCLA, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
The infielder tied for the team-lead with two home runs at the Tempe Regional, while also batting .417 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Fagan led the team with a .409 batting average, ending the season with 22 RBIs and five home runs. She was named to the 2021 ACC All-Freshman Team and to the VaSID All-State First Team.
2022 ACC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
Florida State - 137 (8 First-Place Votes)
Clemson - 128 (2 First-Place Votes)
Virginia Tech - 126 (2 First-Place Votes)
Duke - 119 (1 First-Place Vote)
Notre Dame - 99
Louisville - 86
Georgia Tech - 72
North Carolina - 63
NC State - 57
Virginia - 36
Pitt - 35
Syracuse - 29
Boston College - 27
2022 Softball Preseason All-ACC Team
Valerie Cagle, Clemson, R-So., P
McKenzie Clark, Clemson, So., OF
Dejanae Davis, Duke, Sr., DP/UTL
Jameson Kavel, Duke, 5th Year, INF
Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State, Sr., P
Sydney Sherrill, Florida State, Gr., INF
Tricia Awald, Georgia Tech, Gr., INF
Emma Kauf, Georgia Tech, Jr., C
Camryn Greenwood, Louisville, Gr., OF
Abby Sweet, Notre Dame, Gr., OF
Kelsey Bennett, Virginia Tech, Jr., INF
Kelsey Brown, Virginia Tech, Jr., OF
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech, So., INF
Keely Rochard, Virginia Tech, Sr., P