Abby Mace is C2C Female Athlete of the Year 

For Salisbury University Softball graduate Abby Mace, the accolades just keep piling up. Mace has had an incredible career as a starting centerfielder for the Gulls. She opted to play her 5th season due to a COVID year and boy did it pay off. Despite the Sea Gulls early exit from the NCAA Division 3 Tournament in 2024, standout Abby Mace cemented her name in the legacy of Salisbury Softball and the Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference (C2C).

 

Let’s take a quick look at Mace’s career: 

 

Abby Mace, was a two time Delaware State Champion with the Smyrna Eagles (2018 & 2019) and was recruited to Salisbury by the late Margie Knight. In 2020, the 5’9” freshman started 13 games, batted .424 with 14 hits and 12 runs scored. She hit 3 homeruns, 3 doubles, and 1 triple before COVID would cut the season short. 

 

In 2021, Lacey Lord replaced Coach Knight at the helm. Mace started 34 games, batted .442 with 46 hits, 37 runs scored, hit 14 home runs, 10 doubles and stole 22 bases. She earned All C2C Outfield, C2C Player of the Year and NFHS All-Region First Team honors.

 

In 2022, the junior really came into her own, putting her team on her back in 48 games, batted .441 with 46 hits, 65 runs scored, 21 stolen bases, hit 18 home runs, 12 doubles and 4 triples. She earned All C2C Outfield, NFCA All-Region First Team.

 

The 2023 season could have been her last. The senior started 51 games, batted .353 with 54 hits, 51 runs scored and 22 stolen bases. She hit 10 homeruns, 12 doubles, and 4 triples. Once again, All C2C Outfield and NFCA All-Region First Team. The team would make the NCAA Division 3 Tournament and make it to the Finals where they finished as the runner up to Trine University. 

 

Mace would return in 2024 as a graduate student and the SeaGulls and Coach Lord are glad she did. Mace turned it up a notch and played lights out softball in a record setting season. The 5th year senior started 46 games, batted .486 with 68 hits, 70 runs scored, had 52 RBI’s and stole 35 bases. She hit 19 home runs, which led the nation  (D3) and she set the new homerun record at Salisbury with 64 total. She led the nation (D3) in slugging percentage (1.079) and total bases (151). A three time C2C Player of the Week, All C2C Outfield, C2C Player of the Year, NFCA All-Region First Team, Academic All American and First Team All American. 

 

The 2024 team went 39-7 (2-2 in Tournament Play) while running off a 29 game win streak during the season. They won the Regionals but hit a wall with Tufts University in the Super Regionals where the incredible 2024 season would end. 

 

Why are all those stats important? 

 

Abby Mace has left her mark on Salisbury Softball, the C2C Athletic Conference and on Division 3 Softball. Mace will stand as the Salisbury Softball career leader in home runs (65), runs scored (246), doubles (58). She is second all time in hits (252), triples (15), RBI’s (194).

 

Her latest honor is C2C Female Athlete of the Year. Each of the C2C’s member schools drew from their entire bodies of student-athletes and nominated one athlete for Female Athlete of the Year. The conference’s athletic directors then voted on the assembled ballots to determine the award winner. 

 

Mace graduates with several C2C career records including home runs (65), runs (246), total bases (535), doubles (58), stolen bases (108), and walks (146).  Off the field, she earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division III Academic All-American honors for the third time in her career, earning a spot on the first team.

 

There is one more honor that someone can bestow upon Abby Mace. She makes an extremely strong case for induction into Salisbury Univeristy’s Athletics Hall of Fame…stay tuned…

 

Congratulations Abby on all you have accomplished and we wish you the best in all you choose to do! The softball world awaits your next move. 

 

* Stats courtesy of Salisbury Softball & Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference