FARMVILLE, Va. – The first and fifth year duo grabbed one last piece of hardware for their shelves, as Jaden Pone and Sydney Backstrom represent Longwood on the embargo VaSID 2022 All-State First Team.
 
Both Pone and Backstrom earned the ranks of two of the best seasons on the Longwood roster in 2022 on both the offense side, and defensive.
 
For Pone, she led the team in several categories including batting average, hits, runs, on base percentage, stolen bases, and triples. She was also amongst the top on the team for overall fielding percentages.
 
Following her first year in a Longwood uniform, Pone now has earned a Freshman of the Year title, Big South First Team, Freshman Team, and now an VaSID All-State recognition; all while adding her name in Longwood's record books as a true freshman.
 
The fifth year graduate student, Sydney Backstrom, is no stranger to breaking records and adding hardware to her shelf following one of her best single-season performances as a Lancer.
 
This All-State award adds to Backstrom's already earned Big South Pitcher of the Year and First Team recognition, Third Team All-Region honor, as well as all the charts she toped in terms of career, single-season, and single-game records she shattered in 2022.
 
Longwood has 10 active players returning for the 2022-23 year. The team has locked in several new recruits to add to the building of success across the softball program.
 
Coach of the Year
Pete D'Amour/Virginia Tech

Pitcher of the Year         
Keely Rochard/Virginia Tech

Player of the Year          
Emma Ritter/Virginia Tech

Rookie of the Year         
Emma Lemley/Virginia Tech

First Team                        
Caroline Hudson/Catcher/Liberty University
Meredith Slaw/Designated Player/Utility/Virginia Tech
Hannah Shifflett/First Base/James Madison University
Cameron Fagan/Second Base/Virginia Tech
Devyn Howard/Shortstop/Liberty University
Bre Peck/Third Base/Virginia Tech
Emma Ritter/Outfield/Virginia Tech
Jaden Pone/Outfield/Longwood University
Kara Canetto/Outfield/Liberty University
Keely Rochard/Pitcher/Virginia Tech
Sydney Backstrom/Pitcher/Longwood University
Emma Lemley/Pitcher/Virginia Tech

Second Team                   
Lauren Bernett/Catcher/James Madison University
Tuli Iosefa/Designated Player/Utility/Norfolk State
Paige Bachman/First Base/Liberty University
Mariaina Bozek/Second Base/George Mason University
Katie Goldberg/Shortstop/University of Virginia
Cori McMillian/Third Base/Radford University
Mary Claire Wilson/Outfield/Liberty University
Taylor Dadig/Outfield/George Mason University
Bailey Winscott/Outfield/University of Virginia
Emily Kirby/Pitcher/Liberty University
Karlie Keeney/Pitcher/Liberty University
Madison Harris/Pitcher/University of Virginia
Aly Rayle/Pitcher/University of Virginia


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