| RMU's Kali Byers Named NEC Softball Rookie of the Year |
| Robert Morris University freshman third baseman Kali Byers (Alum Bank, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) was selected as the 2003 Northeast Conference Softball Rookie of the Year, earning the honor in a vote by league head coaches. Byers was not the only Colonial to be named to the NEC all-conference teams, as sophomore first baseman Brandi Doerschner (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Carrick) earned first team accolades.
Byers, who also was named to the all-conference second team, was selected NEC Rookie of the Year after batting .333 with 16 runs, 41 hits, eight doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 34 RBI and a .683 slugging percentage. The rookie sensation set a new single-season Colonial home run record while also leading the team in RBI, slugging percentage, walks (21) and on-base percentage (.450). She closed the season ranked second on the team in batting average and hits. In conference action, Byers batted .357, had a .714 slugging percentage and a .486 on-base percentage. Along with breaking the single-season home run record, Byers also broke the assists record (121), is tied for first in walks and tied for second in RBI. Doerschner, named NEC Player of the Week April 14, earns first team accolades after batting .336 with 46 hits, 10 doubles, 14 runs, 20 RBI and a .409 slugging percentage. Doerschner led the Colonials in batting average, hits, doubles and putouts (348) and was ranked second in RBI, slugging percentage, walks, and on-base percentage (.405). In NEC play, the sophomore batted .418 with 28 hits, five doubles, 15 RBI, a slugging percentage of .493, an on-base percentage of .473 and a fielding percentage of .988. Robert Morris, under the tutelage of 13th year head coach Craig Coleman, finished the 2003 season with a 9-38 overall record, including a 6-14 finish in the NEC. |
| Released: 5/09/2003 |