Four Yellowjackets from the University of Rochester softball team earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region III accolades, as announced by the NFCA on Friday.
 
Sophomore pitcher Molly Broccolo and first-year utility Riley Laygo were named First-Team All-Region III, junior infielder Jenna Gorecki garnered Second-Team All-Region status and graduate infielder Hannah Keiper earned Third-Team All-Region honors.
 
A two-time First-Team All-Region selection, Broccolo once again led the Yellowjackets in the circle, going 15-5 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 122.0 innings pitched. Holding opponents to just a .264 opponent batting average, and a .234 average in conference play, Broccolo stuck out 50 and walked just 19 batters, allowing just 12 extra-base hits across 478 at-bats. The sophomore pitched 11 complete games and six shutouts, five individually and one combined, and tossed two saves.
 
Broccolo also earned her second-consecutive First-Team All-Liberty League honor as the Webster, NY native earned three Liberty League Pitcher of the Week honors and held conference opponents to just six earned runs, putting up a 0.84 ERA and 0.92 WHIP across nine conference appearances. Statistically, Broccolo's 15 wins are tied for the 6th-most in a single season in program history, while her 1.09 BB/7 and five shutouts rank ninth.
 
The 2024 Liberty League Softball Player of the Year, Laygo adds to a growing list of accolades after a sensational first year with the Yellowjackets. Laygo led UR in nearly every statistical category at the plate, slashing .463/.493/.875 with 63 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 47 runs scored and 42 RBI. Laygo also struck out just seven times and drew six walks and three hit-by-pitches, and stole 13 bases in 17 attempts.
 
In addition to leading the 'Jackets and Liberty League in nearly every statistical category, Laygo ranks fifth in Division III in total bases (119), ninth in slugging percentage, 16th in home runs and 43rd in batting average, and set the Rochester single-season record with her .463 average, ranking second in slugging and total bases as well. For her efforts at the Medford Regional, Laygo was named to the All-Tournament Team, just a week after earning Most Outstanding Performer honors at the Liberty League Tournament.
 
Gorecki also earned her second-straight All-Region, garnering Second-Team recognition in 2024. The junior infielder served as UR's designated player for much of the 2024 campaign, finishing the year batting .396 (42-for-106) with 11 doubles, 21 runs scored and 26 RBI. Gorecki also tallied a .451 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging, drawing 10 walks and three hit-by-pitches while striking out just 12 times in 106 at-bats.
 
This season, Gorecki tallied 11 multi-hit games, including a pair of four-hit performances, and eight multi-RBI games. After getting off to a bit of a slow start this season, Gorecki mashed in conference play, batting .463 with a 1.082 OPS against Liberty League foes en route to First-Team All-League honors, tallying 19 of her hits, nine of her runs scored and 11 of her RBI against conference opponents while striking out just once.
 
A First-Team All-Liberty League selection, Keiper earns her second All-Region selection, having earned Third-Team honors in 2021. The graduate student was tremendous both offensively and defensively for the Yellowjackets, batting .310 (31-for-100) while posting a .981 fielding percentage at first base, helping turn 20 double plays to set a new single-season program record. At the plate, Keiper tallied 31 hits, eight doubles, three home runs, 17 runs scored and 25 RBI, drawing a team-leading 25 walks and six hit-by-pitches while striking out just 13 times.
 
Keiper recorded a .463 on-base percentage and a .480 slugging this season and tied for the fourth-most walks and sacrifice flies in a single season in program history. The Chester Springs, PA native also graduates as Rochester's all-time leader in both walks (95) and double plays turned (46) and ranks second in chances (1,155) and putouts (1,099) and third in games played and started (173), home runs (28) and RBI (132).
 
NFCA All-Region honors student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with selection to one of three teams. NFCA member head coaches nominate and then vote for the winners in their respective regions.
 
All honorees move forward to be considered for selection for the three NFCA Division III All-America squads, which will be announced on May 29.