Six Virginia pitchers will step into the circle this season, each carrying the weight of keeping their team in every game by stifling opposing offenses. Fortunately for the Cavaliers, four of Virginia's five pitchers from last season’s 38-19 campaign return after posting a combined 2.76 ERA and going 14-10 in ACC play.
The lone departure is a notable one — fifth-year Savannah Henley's absence creates both challenge and opportunity. She logged 28 appearances — the second most on the team — and struck out 78 batters, second on the squad and nearly 30 more than the next pitcher. Henley’s 3.32 earned run average was the highest among the rotation, but the fifth year’s durability and strikeout prowess were undeniable.
Instead of searching for a singular replacement for Henley, the Cavaliers expanded, adding two Gatorade Players of the Year. Virginia also has rising upperclassmen ready to shoulder the load — four returning pitchers means four arms who already know the system, understand the expectations and have built chemistry with the catchers and defense behind them.
Leading the returning rotation is ace senior Eden Bigham. Last season, Bigham had the lowest ERA and most appearances on the team. Against Hofstra, she threw the program’s first perfect game since 1994. This was not the only time she etched her name in program history — Bigham also tied the single-season saves record with six, making her the career leader with 11 saves. She concluded the season with her second All-ACC First Team selection and third NFCA All-Region First Team honor. Bigham has already been named No. 86 in preseason national rankings, poised to anchor the team once again in her senior year at Virginia — and there’s still room for her to grow, in the eyes of Bigham and her coach.
“We see room, they see room, which is crazy to think about, but then part of it is again that's why they perform at the level they have,” Hardin said in an interview with the Wahoo Central Podcast. “[Bigham and senior infielder Jade Hylton] are fearlessly in pursuit to develop themselves.”
Joining Bigham at the top of the rotation is senior Courtney Layne. Layne had the third most appearances on the team with 27, trailing Henley, throwing 60 innings with a 3.03 ERA. She combined for five shutouts on the season — including one at No. 8 Florida State — and teamed up with Bigham for a no-hitter against Syracuse. With a 4-0 win-loss record, she was the only pitcher on the staff with no losses. In her senior year, Layne will also step into a larger role as she and Bigham form a veteran tandem capable of steadying the rotation in high-pressure moments.
Behind the two seniors sits sophomore Ava Hodges, coming off a strong freshman campaign. While she posted the fewest appearances among returning pitchers with 17 — eight of them starts — Hodges made the most of her opportunities. She posted the second lowest ERA on the team, highlighted by a season-long five inning start against Penn with a season-high four strikeouts.
After an injury-plagued freshman campaign that limited her to just 11 appearances in the 2023-2024 season, junior Julia Cuozzo steadily developed into a reliable arm in Virginia's rotation last season. As a sophomore, she appeared in 18 games with 14 starts, posting a 2.94 ERA through 52.1 innings of work with a 5-2 record. She struck out 41 batters on the season and held opponents to a .216 batting average. With two years of development under her belt and her injury woes behind her, Cuozzo enters her junior season ready to take another step forward.
While those four bring experience and familiarity, Virginia's rotation expansion hinges on two versatile newcomers who arrive with elite pedigrees of their own.
The first of the two Gatorade Player of the Year award winners hails from Kaukauna High School in Wisconsin. Freshman Karly Meredith — the No. 42 recruit in her class — has won the Gatorade Player of the Year award three consecutive times. She ended her senior year with a 0.17 ERA, holding opposing teams to a .068 batting average. With her elite production, she led her team to an undefeated 23-0 record. Meredith does not just offer impact in the circle — she delivers at the plate as well, batting .453 with 30 RBIs for her team.
Joining Meredith is freshman Taylor Smith out of Catoctin High School in Maryland, who also brings strong two-way potential. After missing her entire junior year due to a knee injury, Smith returned to post a 17-1 record with a 0.42 ERA, leading her team to the Class 1A state championship game while striking out 287 batters. At the plate, Smith batted a robust .430, with 14 home runs.
This evolved rotation will make its first appearance in the Kickin’ Chicken Classic, in Conway, S.C., where it will open against No. 8 Arkansas Feb. 6 at 10:00 a.m.
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