With vast improvement each of the first four seasons of competition since the first campaign in 2014, the 2017 campaign saw Elon reach new heights with the program’s first appearances in a conference tournament title game and the NCAA Tournament. Throughout the year, Elon earned a 13-7 record that included wins over No. 13 Virginia, No. 19 Virginia Tech and No. 17 Towson in the CAA Semifinals. With a 4-2 record in CAA action, the Phoenix won its first conference tournament game with a thrilling 10-9 victory in overtime over Towson on its home field, Johnny Unitas Stadium in Maryland. Earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Phoenix took on No. 13 Virginia and though it fell 11-9, Elon battled back from a deep early deficit to come within striking distance midway through the second half. At the start of the season, Elon opened with a 4-0 record for the second season in a row and opened the year with six wins in seven games for the best seven-game stretch in program history. Though it dropped its opening two CAA regular season games, Elon answered nicely in winning each of its next five games to reach the CAA Finals, marking the most consecutive wins to date for the program.

Though Hexter's Phoenix regressed in 2018 with a 4-11 record against nine nationally-ranked opponents, Stephanie Asher earned First Team All-CAA honors and Alexis Zadjura Second Team All-CAA honors for the third-straight campaign. Additionally, Asher was named a Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List honoree for the second-straight season. Along the way, Elon battled NCAA Tournament teams Virginia, Stanford, Virginia Tech and Towson to go with national semifinalist North Carolina and national champion James Madison. In May, the program reached its third-straight CAA Tournament, but fell 9-7 to No. 6 Towson in the semifinals.