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Chaotic. Turbulent. Unpredictable.

Those three adjectives describe Syracuse’s season through 30 games.

After starting the season 11-7, the Orange plunged to 11-14 after dropping their first seven Atlantic Coast Conference games. Syracuse has gone 3-3 over its last six contests, but hasn’t found a rhythm in an ultra-competitive ACC.

Syracuse’s woes stem from its pitiful offense. SU’s .236 batting average and 189 hits are the worst in the ACC, while its 24 home runs tie for last with Notre Dame. Madelyn Lopez, who hit a team-leading .430 in 2025, has significantly regressed to a .256 mark in 2026.

But even with 11 games canceled and its horrific start to ACC play, it hasn’t all been doom and gloom for Syracuse. Whether it’s Madison Knight’s power-hitting or Jadyn Burney’s outstanding contact, the Orange have seen quality years from multiple key players.

Here’s a ranking of SU’s (14-17, 3-10 ACC) top five players through its first 31 games:

Honorable Mentions: Rose Cano, Jackie Pengel, Harmony Jackson

5. Julianna Verni

Before SU’s series win over Boston College, Julianna Verni wouldn’t have cracked the top 10.

After ending 2025 with a respectable 3.78 earned run average and 11 wins, Verni opened 2026 by struggling mightily in conference play. The senior allowed seven runs in a 12-1 loss to then-No. 10 Florida State on March 13. Two days later, she surrendered six runs before recording her first out against the Seminoles.

Verni caught fire late in Syracuse’s series loss to Pittsburgh last weekend after two disastrous outings against FSU and allowing seven more runs against NC State on March 29,.

Even in a 5-4 loss to Pitt on April 4, Verni steadied SU with six innings of two-run ball after Knight lasted just one inning. Verni gave up a game-winning homer to Shelby Frazier in the bottom of the eighth but kept the Orange competitive in a game that seemed over after the first.

Verni then turned it up two notches Friday against BC. Not only did she allow just one run through 6.1 innings, but she also struck out a career-high 13 batters. She fought through constant full counts to propel SU to a 4-1 win.

The senior’s 2026 campaign is still a far cry from her breakout 2025 season. But with her improved command and the overpowering arsenal she displayed against Boston College, perhaps Verni has turned a corner late.

Jadyn Burney stands in the batter’s box, awaiting a pitch during Syracuse’s March 21 loss to Virginia. Burney, with her .348 batting average, has been SU’s most consistent hitter. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer

4. Kendall Gaunt

Kendall Gaunt’s .236 batting average may seem pedestrian at first glance. But with Lopez’s regression and SU’s lack of hitting depth, the freshman has emerged as one of Syracuse’s premier hitters.

The North Carolina native hasn’t been a major power threat, totaling just three home runs, but she also has eight RBI and nine walks. In Syracuse’s 2-1 win over Abilene Christian on Feb. 13, Gaunt drove in its only two runs with a walk and a sacrifice fly. In a Feb. 21 win over Toledo, Gaunt recorded two hits and scored a run.

Gaunt’s also been one of the Orange’s most prolific baserunners, ranking third on the Orange with four stolen bases on five attempts. In a 5-1 loss to NC State on March 29, Gaunt stole two bases successfully.

Despite stretches of inconsistency, Gaunt has been sensational over the last three weeks. She’s riding a four-game hitting streak and hit eight for her last 22 (.363). She’s been a catalyst behind SU’s recent offensive surge.

But outside of Gaunt, Syracuse’s freshman class has been underwhelming. Other than her and Jackson, no first-year player has contributed consistently. Yet if the last few series are any indication, Gaunt should be a solid long-term piece for head coach Shannon Doepking.

3. Vanessa Flores

Syracuse has been anything but consistent across Doepking’s tenure. Whenever it’s picked up a marquee conference win, it’s followed by a multi-game losing streak.

Vanessa Flores, however, has epitomized consistency since joining SU in 2024. Flores doesn’t hit home runs consistently. She strikes out relatively often. But she’s hit above .245 each of her three years with Syracuse and has 41 walks across 214 plate appearances.

This season has been no different. SU is hitting a measly .190 in ACC play, but Flores is 8-of-29 (.275) across 12 conference games. With the Orange down 3-2 in the seventh inning Sunday against BC, Flores singled to tie the game after a full count.

Flores has seen it all across her three years with the Orange. An ACC Tournament appearance in 2024. A 16-3 start in 2025. Eleven game cancellations so far in 2026. Even with inconsistencies around her, Flores has remained a staple in SU’s lineup as a senior.

2. Jadyn Burney

Ilyan Sarech | Design Editor

Burney’s path to Syracuse wasn’t typical. Even with offers from Division I programs like Ole Miss and LSU, Burney opted to begin her career at JUCO Chipola College for two seasons, where she hit .320 with 97 hits.

The move paid off, allowing her to transfer to Mississippi State and then to Syracuse. In her first season with SU last year, Burney hit .323, scored 30 runs and notched 10 multi-hit games. She didn’t hit any homers, but was a rare bright spot on a lackluster Syracuse offense.

Burney has taken her game to a new level in 2026.

She’s shown stellar plate discipline with 19 walks, had three three-hit games and two grand slams. On an otherwise dormant SU’s offense, Burney forces opposing pitchers to hold their breath anytime she steps up to bat.

Syracuse’s lineup has been top-heavy. It’s lacked the depth needed to compete in a crowded ACC. However, Burney’s leadoff presence routinely gives the Orange a chance to get off to hot starts.

The apex of Burney’s season came at the Terrapin Invitational. Syracuse went 3-1 across four games, led by Burney’s seven hits and six runs batted in. In SU’s 11-1 thrashing of UMBC on Feb. 28, she belted a grand slam to break the game open in the first inning.

Doepking wasn’t afraid to call out her team’s hitting approach after being swept by NC State. But even within her rant, she still found a way to praise the team’s most consistent contributor.

“We can’t just win ball games with Jadyn, right?” Doepking told 247Sports after the sweep. “We need somebody behind her to hit her in for it to help us.”

1. Madison Knight

It’d be justifiable to have Burney first on this list. Hitting .348 is a remarkable feat.

But unlike Burney, Knight does it on both the mound and at the plate. Knight’s 4.18 ERA leads the Orange and, despite it being a career-worst mark, nobody else besides Verni has been reliable in SU’s rotation. The senior threw 661 pitches across Syracuse’s first six conference games, including a career-high 179 against Pitt on April 2.

After hitting a career-low .217 in 2025, she’s upped her average to .239 this season. While Knight hit just 14 homers across her first three years with Syracuse, she’s developed her power even more with a team-leading nine as a senior.

She’s often come through when it matters most. With SU’s sputtering offense on the verge of wasting Verni’s masterpiece last Friday, Knight hit a towering three-run homer in the seventh inning to catapult Syracuse to a win. And in extra innings against Pitt on April 2, Knight’s two-run double proved to be the difference in a 9-6 victory.

Knight has been the heart and soul of SU over the last few seasons. She threw a no-hitter as a freshman in 2023. She’s delivered time and time again in clutch moments. It’s only fitting she takes the top spot here.

Published on April 13, 2026 at 10:48 pm
Contact Spencer: sabrod@syr.edu | @spencerbrod20