University of Delaware juniors Leanna Gearhart and Giovanna Kolofer and sophomore Anna Steinmetz have been named softball captains for the 2017 season, UD head coach John Seneca has announced.

Gearhart is expected to start at shortstop again for the Blue Hens after earning second team All-Colonial Athletic Association and UD Alumni Association Team MVP honors a year ago.

Gearhart, serving as team captain for the second straight year, led the league and ranked eighth in the nation with 44 steals a season ago, and also paced the conference with eight triples. She set a UD single season mark and led the CAA with 54 runs scored, and was ninth in the league and second on the team with a .343 batting average. Gearhart, who started all 51 games at shortstop and batted leadoff in all but two contests, was also a CAA All-Academic Team selection during her sophomore campaign.

Kolofer, a redshirt junior who appeared in the first 15 games last year before suffering a season-ending elbow injury, is also serving as the Blue Hens’ captain for the second consecutive season.

Kolofer made 12 of her 14 starts at third base, batting .341 and going four for four in a game against Siena. Kolofer was a second team All-CAA, CAA All-Rookie Team and Team MVP selection in 2014, when she ranked seventh in the CAA with a .340 batting average. Kolofer moved to second base in 2015, making 37 starts while batting .259 with 21 hits, 21 runs scored and 10 RBI.

Steinmetz was named the 2016 CAA Rookie of the Year during her freshman season, when she earned second team All-CAA and third team NFCA All-Northeast Region honors. She tied for the CAA lead and tied the UD single season record with 15 home runs, tied for fourth most among Division I freshmen.

Steinmetz, who started all 51 games including 36 behind the plate, ranked second on the Blue Hens and fourth in a UD season with 44 RBI. She batted .314 on the year, ranked second on the team with nine doubles and 25 runs scored, and was third with 50 hits.

UD will open its 2017 season this weekend when the Blue Hens play five games at the USF-Wilson DeMarini Tournament, including contests against nationally-ranked opponents Michigan, Florida and South Florida.