LOUISVILLE, KY (May 28, 2025) – After an unforgettable season and a decorated career in Beacon Blue, graduate student Bri Melchionda (Marshfield, Mass.) has etched her name into the UMass Boston history books, becoming the first player in program history to earn National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III All-American honors.

Appearing in 40 games during the 2025 season, Melchionda was a two-way force for a UMass Boston squad that posted a 33-13-1 record. She was recognized on the NFCA's preseason "Players and Pitchers to Watch" list, and she more than lived up to the billing.

Already the program's all-time strikeout leader entering the year, Melchionda added 126 more punchouts across 19 appearances (15 starts) in the circle. She posted a team-best 1.74 ERA, held opposing hitters to a .206 average, and tallied 11 complete games with four shutouts. On March 16 vs. Oswego, she set a new program single-game record with 15 strikeouts.

But her dominance wasn't limited to the mound. Melchionda led the Beacons offensively with a .422 batting average, tallying 49 hits in 116 at-bats. Her season totals included 14 doubles, a triple, a home run, 28 RBIs, 68 total bases, and only eight strikeouts. She recorded three-hit games five times and delivered a season-high four-hit performance against Keene State on April 22.

A cornerstone of the program's rise over the past four years, Melchionda leaves behind a lasting legacy. In 145 career games, she hit .368 with a .556 slugging percentage and a .417 on-base percentage—numbers that reflect her consistent impact as one of the Little East Conference's most dynamic players.

With this NFCA All-American nod—the first in UMass Boston softball history—Melchionda sets a new bar for greatness, closing out a remarkable career that has redefined what it means to be a Beacon.

Congratulations, Bri, on an extraordinary accomplishment and a truly legendary career.

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