Year: Junior
Major: Accounting
Hometown: West Milford, N.J.
Position: Second base
Can you name your favorite highlight from last season?
The highlight was when I was named Athlete of the Week. We were playing over spring break and I ended up with a .500 batting average. It was insane! I was going one for two and I didn't even know I was doing it. I was batting second and my goal was just to move Gabby (Santarelli) over and get set up for the big hitter after me. The hits would just fall. This was the time I proved myself and earned my spot as a starter.
Can you name your favorite team moment?
In my favorite team moment, I wasn't even playing! It was when we beat Moravian for the first time in a long time. They had previously beaten us badly, so badly the game ended early. We wanted redemption. Megan Reilly was pulled off the bench. She and I had spent the season together on the bench. She was really nervous, but she hit a three-run home run. Her mom was sick, but I remember her family was there to see it. It was just amazing to see her come through in a clutch moment like that.
Why did you choose softball?
I have two older brothers who played softball and my dad coached them, so I wanted to be able to play with them. I had to work at my game skills. We'd play wiffle ball with the whole neighborhood in my back yard, plus my brother would spend a lot of time teaching me to catch pop flies. I played other sports, but softball was always my favorite.
How will the lessons learned as an athlete carry over into a career?
All of the qualities of a student-athlete are those prized by companies. Do you have a personality? Are you a team player? Are you a hard worker? As an athlete, you learn to better yourself to better the team.You learn to be tough. Student-athletes are also very good at time management and have already learned to maintain a healthy balance between work and play. It's just all those things that people tend to lose sight of that employers want.
How do you combine being an outstanding student-athlete with being an outstanding student?
Time management! I have many other commitments. I am a resident assistant (Nevils, third floor) and I belong to several honor societies. I am also a Business Leadership honors student, so school always comes first, but when you love something, you make room for it. For example, I'll get up early just to go to the gym or practice hitting. I love softball because of the sense of commitment and community I get from it. When others depend on you, you start to depend on yourself. I find myself wanting to make my family and my team proud.
Can you name your favorite game moment?
My favorite game moment was last year at Salisbury (Maryland) when we played Gettysburg. The entire game was a fight. They would score two, then we would score two. It was neck-and-neck the whole time. We won collectively, and that was very rewarding.
* Omega Beta Sigma, women's business honor society and Alpha Lambda Delta, freshman honor society.
