The University of Rochester softball coaching staff, led by first-year Head Coach Abby Hurley-Martin, was named the ATEC/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Region III Coaching Staff of the Year, as announced by the NFCA on Wednesday.
 
The Yellowjackets, in their first year under Hurley-Martin, won their fourth-straight Liberty League title and finished the year 32-9 (12-2 LL), playing the 14th-toughest schedule in the country. UR made their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and advanced to the Medford Regional Final, falling to eventual World Series participant Tufts.
 
Hurley-Martin was joined in the dugout by Assistant Coach Cass Herman and Volunteer Assistant Coach Bradley Shannon, as well as Student Managers Katie White and Alyssa Graegin.
 
In the coaching staff's first year with the program, five Yellowjackets earned All-Liberty League honors, including four first-team honorees and the Liberty League Player of the Year, while four were named NFCA All-Region, with two, Riley Laygo and Molly Broccolo, earning First-Team All-Region accolades.
 
Laygo, a first-year, also earned NFCA Second-Team All-America honors and was a finalist for the Tucci/NFCA Freshman of the Year, setting a new single-season record with her .463 batting average and ranking in the top 10 in Division III in both total bases and slugging.
 
Statistically, the 'Jackets set several single-season records under Hurley-Martin's watch, finishing the year with the highest batting average, the most saves, the highest fielding percentage and the most double players turned in program history.
 
UR also ranked well nationally in several statistical categories, finishing the 2024 season with the second-most double plays turned in Division III, and ranked in the top 20 in fielding percentage, doubles and shutouts, and in the top 50 in hit-by-pitches, home runs, sacrifice flies, slugging percentage, WHIP and win-loss percentage.
 
The Yellowjackets entered the year ranked 18th in the NFCA Preseason Coaches Poll, and headed into the NCAA Tournament with that same ranking. UR tallied just its sixth 30-win campaign in program history and finished the year with a .323/.385/.470 line, and a 1.88 ERA in 257.1 IP the circle.