BEVERLY, Mass. (5/13/2025) – Following the most successful season in program history, the Nichols College softball team was well-represented in the Conference of New England (CNE) postseason honors, earning three major awards and placing six student-athletes on all-conference teams.
Headlining the accolades were Coach of the Year Caitlin Hitchcock, Pitcher of the Year Chelsea Indyk, and Defensive Player of the Year Allie Silliman.
In her third season at the helm, Hitchcock guided the Bison to a program-record 32 wins, finishing 32-13 overall and 12-6 in conference play. She sent Nichols to the CNE Championship game, where they fell in extra innings to champion Western New England. In that same tournament, the Bion earned the number two seed, giving them hosting duties for the first time in recent memory. The Bison were never swept this season and had an impressive 8-2 record in their spring training trip to Florida. The season featured key wins over eventual NCAA tournament teams Gettysburg, Swarthmore, Western New England, and UMass Boston.
A senior from Easthampton, Massachusetts, Indyk dominated in the circle, becoming Nichols' all-time leader in career and single-season wins, innings pitched in a season, and single-season shutouts. She wrapped up the season with a 22-6 record, five shutouts, 139 strikeouts, and a career-low 1.58 ERA. She led the CNE in ERA, wins, shutouts, games started, complete games, and innings pitched. This marks her first major CNE award after being named to the all-conference third team last season.
Silliman, a junior first baseman from Rensselaer, New York, earned Defensive Player of the Year honors after setting the program record for putouts in a season and bringing her career total to 800. She posted just three errors on the year for a .988 fielding percentage and added 40 assists. At the plate, she hit .363 with 32 runs scored, 53 hits, and a .541 slugging percentage. This is also her first major CNE honor, following a second-team all-conference nod last season.
Indyk and Silliman were both named to the CNE All-Conference First Team, joined by senior third baseman Chloe Steiniger and junior catcher Bailey Littlefield. Steiniger had career highs with 50 hits and 33 runs scored, batting .368 with a .529 slugging percentage. Littlefield contributed a .294 batting average with 30 hits and posted a career-best 210 putouts and 17 assists behind the plate.
Rounding out the Bison's postseason honors were junior shortstop Ava Slavinsky and junior outfielder Riley Chartier, who both earned spots on the CNE All-Conference Third Team. Slavinsky led the CNE in hits with 63 and batted .391 while also recording a career-high 77 putouts. Chartier posted a career-best .260 average and tallied 89 putouts in center field. This marks both of their first all-conference selection
In addition to her all-conference first team recognition, Steiniger, who also serves as the Nichols SAAC President, was named the Bison's representative on the CNE Community Service Team.
