Signature wins: It's hard to top something that has never been done before in Centennial Conference history, but the Fords did that just one short week after capturing the programs' third Centennial Conference title in program history. Riding the momentum of being the first team in conference history to come from the consolation bracket and win the conference title, the Fords rolled off four straight elimination game wins. That stretch was capped by back-to-back wins against top-seeded Washington College as one of three games the team won on the final day of play.
The road did not get any easier as the Fords were placed in a regional that featured the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the entire country. However, the Fords defeated No. 2 Salisbury and Saint Vincent to make the regional championship game for the second time in the past three seasons. Salisbury forced a decisive game seven in the regional, but Haverford advanced to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time in program history with a 7-6 win over the Sea Gulls. In true Haverford fashion, it took 11 players in the victory. Each of the three pitchers threw with Sara Tauriello earning the win and regional MVP Kendall Chambers saving the win with a strikeout to end the seventh. Rachel Wolfson scored three runs and had three hits in the championship game, while Julia Blake also scored a pair of runs. The Fords eventually fell to national runner-up Messiah in a decisive third game of the Super Regional.
Season Notes: Haverford advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time in program history, coming within just one win of the College World Series … The Fords' 28 victories were the second most in a single season, just behind the 2013 team's 29 victories … Haverford has now made the Centennial Conference Tournament in each of the past four seasons – a first in program history … The Class of 2016, which had a special ceremony after missing the College's graduation due to playing in the regional, graduates with a program-best 108 wins during its four years … Haverford has also won Centennial Conference Championships in 2006 and 2014 … The postseason run was the deepest advancement by a Centennial Conference team ever … Kristin Tatum graduates as the school record holder in career home runs (25), runners caught stealing (26), games played (162), and games started (161) … Tatum also set the individual game record for home runs with three during a win against Eastern (3/17) … Sara Tauriello broke the school record for career wins (44), ERA (1.77), opponent's batting average (.224), strikeouts (384), and strikeouts per seven innings (7.24) … Tauriello also set the single season record for strikeouts in 2016 with 126 punch outs after previously breaking the ERA (0.89 ERA in 2014), opponent's batting average (.173 in 2014), and wins (12 in 2014 and 2015) records … Emily Winesett graduates as the program leader in career appearances in the circle (94) and innings pitched (415.0) … Both Tauriello and Winesett struck out 15 batters during their freshman campaigns to share the individual game record in that category.
Season Awards:
- Norfolk, Virginia Regional All-Tournament Team: Jessica Koshinski, Julia Blake, Kendall Chambers (most outstanding player of the tournament)
- All-Centennial Conference: Jessica Koshinski (first team), Sara Tauriello (second team), Kristin Tatum (second team), Julia Blake (honorable mention), Kendall Chambers (honorable mention)
- Centennial Conference Tournament MVP: Sara Tauriello
- Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll: Jessica Koshinski, Miwa Wenzel, Emily Winesett
- Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team: Sara Tauriello
- Centennial Conference Player of the Week: Kristin Tatum (3/21)
- MacIntosh Award Winner: Jessica Koshinski
- Ambler Scholar-Athlete: Emily Winesett
Looking ahead: Graduating the winningest class in program history will be no easy task as that class included the two winningest pitchers in program history. However, the Fords' one through three hitters in the lineup were all freshmen, while Jessica Koshinski is a two-time first-team All-Centennial Conference third baseman in the middle of the order. Kendall Chambers will lead the pitching staff that will be filled incoming freshmen.