Ball State University Athletics
Seniors Wrap-up 2015 Blog Series W/Video Entries
May 01, 2015 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Fans looking to find out more about the Ball State softball program will have an opportunity to hear directly from the players with the launch of the 2014-15 Ball State Softball Blog Series.
Throughout the 2014-14 school year, each member of the team will get a chance to tell their story about Ball State in this exclusive series which will include both written and video blogs, as well as pictures from the road once the season begins.
Blog Entry #18 - Senior Video Blogs (May 1, 2015)
Jessica Craft - Recaps Ohio/Akron weekend and talks about what Ball State softball means to her.
Hanne Stuedemann - Previews Miami weekend and talks about what Ball State softball means to her.
Loren Cihlar - Previews 2015 MAC Tournament and talks about what Ball State softball means to her.
Blog Entry #17 - Julia Bailey (April 21, 2015)
Hey cardinal fans! My name is Julia Bailey and I am a freshman here at Ball State. I am from Lafayette, Louisiana, and I am a Sports Administration major.
For anyone who has been to a game this year has probably heard the “beats” in the dugout. For those who don't know, I am the drummer behind the beats. That is one unique factor that I have brought to the team this year. If you CLICK HERE, you can see a quick video that Joel Godett of BallStateSports.com did about our atmosphere in the dugout.
We recently finished our series against Western Michigan and Northern Illinois. We went 3 for 4 on the weekend with two wins against Western Michigan and a win and a loss against Northern Illinois. Our team really showed heart by coming back with a win after being beat by NIU in the first game. We could've easily let that affect us during the second game, but instead we came back with a fighter's mentality and came out on top.
It was also senior day on Saturday, which added fuel to our fire in the second game. As a team, we wanted to send our three seniors off with a win on their last home game.
We are on the road this weekend as we face Ohio and Akron. If we play team ball and keep that fighters mentality, I strongly believe that we will sweep the weekend and come out with four wins.
Thank you for reading my blog, and I hope you enjoy! Go Cardinals!
Blog Entry #16 - Amanda Arnett (April 6, 2015)
My name is Amanda Arnett I am from Monroe Michigan and I am a sophomore speech pathology major.
We are now entering our 3rd week of MAC and we are off to a great start. We were thrown for a little loop this past weekend with our home series against Buffalo and Kent State. We only got one game in against Kent on Friday before the rain hit hard. Then Saturday and Sunday we were suppose to play Buffalo at home. However, the New York Governer banned state funded travel to Indiana so we had to pack up and head to Miami to borrow their field for the day. Even though we lost our home field for the weekend we still came out and took two against Buffalo. It was a great way to end a crazy weekend. As we headed back to the bus our parents were handing out Easter bags that they put together for us! It was a great way to send us back to Muncie with a little love and a few chocolate eggs!
This upcoming weekend we play at Toledo and Bowling Green. I live about as far south in Michigan as you can get so these games are pretty close to my house. My parents have already started cooking and getting ready to have the whole crew over for dinner on Saturday! I'm really excited to have my softball family and my family all under the same roof for a great team dinner!
It's hard to believe season is going so fast!
Until next time!
Chirp chirp
Amanda Arnett
Blog Entry #15 - Sammi Cowger (March 24, 2015)
Hello Cardinal Fans, My name is Sammi Cowger. I'm a junior from Fenton, Michigan. I'm a utility player meaning I began my career here as an outfielder, spent my sophomore year as a DH, and now play first base and pitch for the Cardinals. I'm majoring in Sport Administration and minoring in Marketing.
As many of you have read in our previous blogs, we have one common theme throughout this season: Adversity. With not much consistency in our circumstances, there's usually one thing we can count on - that something isn't going to go according to plan. Ask any of us and we will tell you, this road has not been an easy one.
However, I am encouraged everyday, because instead of breaking we become stronger. Every test has taught us a little about who we are as teammates and as a unit. Despite the frustrations, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and are ready to take on the next day. Our team reminds me of a lot of many of my favorite sports movies. In these stories, the team goes through a rough patch where something knocks them down and questions their identity. However, the story never ends there, it's only a matter of time before the team is overcoming adversity and exceeding their goals. I know that we are going to be like those legendary teams.
I am confident in this because this team is a family. That is one thing that is special about Ball State Softball. We can always turn to each other - even deeper than that, we have an amazing fan base to support us through it all. Together we've made it through injury, travel issues, and much more.
One of my favorite quotes is by Ralf Waldo Emerson, he says, “We acquire the strength we overcome.” After the spring we have had, we've built up a heck of a lot of strength and I almost feel badly for the teams who are going to take us on.
Next weekend we start MAC Conference play back in my home state of Michigan against Central and Eastern. People have already written us off in conference. We were picked to finish second, but they didn't take into account our strength and the grind we have been through. We're ready to come out and take the conference by storm - we can't wait to dominate the MAC, and be the dynasty that Ball State Softball truly is.
Thanks for reading and hopefully you can come out and be a part of the Cardinal Family! Chirp Chirp!
Blog Entry #14 - Kelsey Schifferdecker (March 19, 2015)
Hey Cardinal fans! My name is Kelsey Schifferdecker and I'm a junior pitcher from Belton, MO. I am currently majoring in Accounting with a minor in Information Systems.
As some of you may know, I was injured while pitching during our very first game of the season against South Dakota. My injury required facial surgery and I missed the first half of the season while I was recovering at home. This past weekend I returned to Muncie, and I'm extremely excited to be with my team and playing again soon!
Of course it was extremely difficult not being able to play alongside my teammates for most of the season. However, I have learned something important from my experience. In sports, we talk a lot about how to overcome adversity. Of course it's a lot different when that adversity hits you straight in the face, quite literally in my case. I always thought my most difficult challenge would be a tough loss or feeling like I had let down my team. I never thought I would face a challenge like this.
Throughout my recovery the most difficult part was lying in bed listening to the games, instead of being at the field fighting alongside my teammates. What some people might not realize is that when you play a sport in college you sign up to join a second family. We are by each other's side day in and day out, fighting to get just a little better each and every day. We have each other's backs when we fail. We have friends to celebrate with when we accomplish something great. Not only are we there for each other both on and off the field, but also when we step into the crazy adult world and face life after softball. I want to say thank you to my amazing teammates for the support they provided me while I was gone.
There are so many difficult and terrible things that can happen in life. But the people you surround yourself with are what help get you through it. Throughout this experience I have received thoughts and prayers from so many people; my current teammates, former teammates, parents of past and present teammates, other softball teams, coaches, friends, and family. Many people I've never even met, yet they took the time to pray for my recovery. It is amazing how the entire softball community really comes together as a whole and becomes one huge family for athletes all across the nation. This huge network of support has meant the world to me. Often the strength others give you outweighs the strength you can give yourself. I am so thankful and blessed to have my friends, family, and my team.
It has been a long road of recovery, and I am still facing new challenges every day. During a talk my freshman year, Coach Stanfill asked me what word I wanted to define me. And I chose fighter. Playing sports has taught me that when faced with adversity, you can choose who you want to be and how you respond to each test you face. I'm continually working each day to live up to that challenge I gave myself two years ago. It was extremely exciting to rejoin the team this past weekend, and I can't wait until the moment I step on the field again.
Please come see us in our upcoming games! Go Cards! Chirp Chirp!
Blog Entry #13 - Leigh McAnally (March 17, 2015)
Hello Cardinal fans! My name is Leigh McAnally and I am a freshman catcher from Birmingham, Alabama. I am a sports administration major and am ecstatic to be a part of such an amazing program.
We have just gotten back home from a fun filled trip over spring break. We had the opportunity to travel all the way down to Louisiana and experience some warm weather, which was much needed!
Throughout the break we were faced with adversity as the weather did not want to stay our way. But no matter what, we faced it head on and it never fazed us. Unfortunately some of our games were cancelled due to weather, but we did have the opportunity to come back home to Muncie for some team bonding time, as well as practice to prepare us for when we played in Louisville.
This week we play IPFW, as well as Western Kentucky for our first home series. I am thrilled to finally have some games on our new home field. I am looking forward to being out on the field again to put all our practice work to use as well as get some W's on our turf.
Being a part of the Ball State Cardinals program makes me so proud because I know we work hard and give endless effort no matter what. We are a talented team and always faced adversity with a positive attitude. Thank you for reading and thank you for the support! Chirp, Chirp!
Blog Entry #12 - Rachel Houck (March 13, 2015)
Hello Cardinal Fans! My name is Rachel Houck, and I am a sophomore from nearby Greenfield, Indiana. I am currently an accounting major.
This is my first year at Ball State after spending my freshman year at the University of Louisville. I am a utility infield player for the Cardinals.
We just finished up our third weekend of play at the University of South Alabama. This weekend we learned that our team is no stranger to adversity. Between injuries, cancelled flights and 12 hour bus rides we have had our fair share of it. A positive from facing so much adversity is that we have learned that our team does not run from it, but rather we stare it down, making the outcomes more rewarding.
Every team in the country is facing some type of adversity, but it is how a team responds to the adversity which will allow them touch greatness. We have learned so much about ourselves from the way we have responded and handled bumps in the road. We know that no matter how many times we get knocked down we always find a way to get back up. Even if the outcome doesn't come out in our favor, our team displays fight until the end.
With this in mind, I have no doubt that everyone is about to witness Ball State softball touch greatness. We have many opportunities to get out on the diamond these next two weeks as we embark on our spring break trip. This 13 day mission features 14 games. We start out this weekend at LSU, then move onto a double header in Hammond, Louisiana on the 3rd of March. The next day we play in Memphis (on my birthday), before finishing the weekend out at a tournament in Louisville. The Monday after spring break we return to Muncie to host our first home game against Butler on our new field. This two week span will surely be an exciting and intense test for our team. Ball State softball is on the hunt...and lions need to eat.
Thank you for all of the support Cardinal fans, and we hope to catch you at our first home game! It's always a great day to be a cardinal. Chirp, chirp!
Blog Entry #11 - Hayley Cruthers (Feb. 19, 2015)
Hello Cardinal fans! My name is Hayley Cruthers and I am a sophomore first baseman from Swartz Creek, MI. I am a finance and accounting major and am thrilled to be back out on the field with my teammates for the 2015 season.
We just finished our second weekend of play in Auburn. Our team grows more with every game as we work everyday to achieve our highest potential. With such a supportive team, we help each other and hold each other accountable to surpass that standard in practice so that it shows through on the field. The beginning of the season is an eye opening time that allows a team to choose their identity and how they want to be known. Ball State softball is known as a force to be reckoned with; we continue that reputation, and are building on that more as we have seen through our first two weekends of play.
Being in season sure makes the weeks fly by as we are traveling on Thursdays and return on Sundays. It allows time for some great team bonding experiences. Whether it is playing games on our long bus rides, making friends with everybody on our plane rides, or coming together for our motivational moments on the road, we truly bond as a family.
This week we are headed to Mobile, Alabama and looking forward to having a great weekend. We have faced some adversity these past two weekends but I am excited to see how we respond this weekend! We had some productive practices this week and are ready to dominate at South Alabama!
I am proud to be a part of this talented team, and I am proud of the Cardinal name we wear across our chest. Thank you for all of your support Ball State fans! Chirp, Chirp!
Blog Entry #10 - Carolyn Wilmes (Feb. 19, 2015)
Hey Cardinal Fans! My name is Carolyn Wilmes and I am a Freshman Pitcher from Evansville, Indiana. I currently am undecided on a major, but I am leaning towards legal studies and criminal justice.
Playing at Ball State has been a dream come true. Our team chemistry is one that can't be described and it has made the transition to college so much easier. I would do anything for these girls and I only met them in August. I consider them my family.
Opening weekend we played in Nashville, Tennessee, hometown of our very own assistant coach Kassie Stanfill. Thursday we had the privilege of meeting her family and being spoiled with southern hospitality. Friday we had the luxury of sleeping in and playing a game in the afternoon against South Dakota. We read a blog by Coach Jenny to get our mindset for the weekend with our word of the weekend being “relentless”.
Junior Pitcher Nicole Steinbach started the game with Kelsey Schifferdecker coming in relief. We had a challenging first game and fell behind. Adversity struck and from that point on we decided to fight back. We battled as a team and we tied it to go into extra innings with Jocelyn pitching.
The following day we played against IUPUI and Indiana State University. Jocelyn started the first game with Sammi Cowger in relief and they both went out with a fight. We fell behind in the beginning but came back with a rally towards the end of the eight inning game. I started the second game and Jocelyn came in relief. We fell behind early in the game but Amanda Arnett lowered the lead with a 3-run homerun. We rallied in the bottom of the seventh, but we lost by one. Saturday night the team went to downtown Nashville to enjoy the city life and get some good BBQ.
Sunday we played against the host team Lipscomb. That morning we played team bonding games to get our energy up to start off the game. We attacked from the very beginning with Sammi hitting a grand slam. Nicole pitched a great game and posted six strikeouts and only allowing two runs against a former NCAA Regional runner up team. We extended our lead throughout the game and ended it in six innings! The last game against Lipscomb was “Ball State Softball” and how we want to play throughout the year. We had a great weekend going 3-1 and are looking forward to next weekend.
Follow us on the road with Ball State Sports! Thank you to everyone that supports us, we appreciate all of our fans! Have a great week and chirp chirp!
Blog Entry #9 - Taylor Cooley (Feb. 5, 2015)
Hey there Cardinal fans! My name is Taylor Cooley and I am a sophomore from Chelsea, Michigan. I play left field and am a nursing major with a recently added minor of interpersonal relations.
Ball State softball has been eagerly counting down the days until our season opener. We are a mere one day away and couldn't be hungrier to get out on the field and dominate in Nashville, TN! Recently, we have been finishing up preparation for the season with indoor and even a few outdoor practices. Yes, we had three outdoor practices in January! The team was thrilled to get a chance to get outdoors while the snow held off for a while.
In addition to that excitement, Ball State softball had the opportunity to bring in guest speaker, and Ball State's head baseball coach, coach Maloney. Many schools never see, let alone get to be educated by, another team's head coach. Ball State athletics is different – we are very fortunate to have these types of relationships like that of a family. Coach Maloney really motivated our team for this season. One of the most memorable moments from his talk was about being there for your sisters (teammates). “If we are all pulling in the same direction, we have a chance at anything. You have to work hard… and then some,” said coach Maloney; and that is what our team is all about. This means everybody is buying into the process, everybody is competing and pushing each other in practice, everybody is perpetuating good attitudes and positive energy, and everybody is playing for the teammate next to them… and then some.
No team is perfect, but everyday Ball State softball puts in a perfect effort. We have one common goal we are working towards. We are focused on winning that fourth MAC ring in a row to become a team that is part of a dynasty. In addition, we are on the hunt for the MAC tournament championship title to earn a bid to the NCAA regionals, helping lead us to the ultimate goal to play in Oklahoma City in the women's college world series
I cannot wait to continue our team bonding on the road, celebrate our victories, take on and overcome adversities as a team, and to finally get the 2015 season underway!
Thank you to all of the Ball State supporters who make what we do possible. Chirp, Chirp!
Blog Entry #8 - Nicole Steinbach (Feb. 3, 2015)
Hello Cardinal fans! My name is Nicole Steinbach and I am a Junior Pitcher from Merrillville Indiana, majoring in Sports Administration. My goal after I have finished my 4 years here at Ball State is to work in Minor/Major League Baseball, Motocross, or NASCAR.
Being this is my 3rd year as a cardinal, and being a leader of this team, I have very high expectations for this year, and this team. We are doing great things in and outside of softball to help us reach our ultimate goal… the NCAA Tournament! The coaches have been doing a great job of pushing us and getting us ready for the upcoming season that is right around the corner. The high intensity environment and the tough workouts will put us at an advantage when it comes time to lace up our cleats and step foot inside those white lines.
One thing that has been motivating us is the idea of creating this dynasty for Ball State Softball. We are tired of being overlooked as a top contender and are ready to prove to the world what we are all about! We set high standards for ourselves and our team and push each other to reach our goals. “Do it for the person next to you” has been our saying as a team throughout this year, and we have done a great job focusing on this aspect of teamwork. I know I wouldn't want another group of girls stepping out on to the field with me when it is February 6.
With season being so close and the days getting repetitive, we just have to keep our minds focused and set on the big picture. We this are set on making this year one to remember and want to send our seniors out knowing that we accomplished everything we set out for.
Make sure you follow us this year and come out and support us at our new beautiful field! GO CARDS! #DYNASTY41
Blog Entry #7 - Kirsten O'Conner (Jan. 27, 2015)
Hey Cards Fans! This is Kirsten O'Conner, a junior transfer student from the University of Evansville. I am majoring in Dietetics and hope to one day become a Registered Dietitian working with other athletes to help them stay healthy and perform at their best.
I am originally from right here in Muncie and attended Cowan High School. I was pretty nervous about moving back home to attend BSU and, ultimately, whether or not I was making the right decision. With one semester down as a Cardinal, however, I can honestly say that I have no regrets. I love my new major and am very thankful to be a part of the Ball State Softball Family!
Right now the team is working very hard day in and day out to prepare for the season that is quickly approaching. We have just finished one full week of team practices along with weights and conditioning four days a week. The strength and conditioning coaches are kicking our butts to get us in the best shape possible before the long season begins. Practices are currently inside due to the weather but that has not deterred the team's intensity and our excitement to be back together and working hard.
Not only are we getting our bodies ready to dominate in the upcoming season, we have also been training our minds. Last weekend we had a sports psychologist come and work with our team. He provided us with a great assortment of tools and strategies that we can, and have since, been applying as both individuals, and as a team to improve our mental game. The mental side of softball is often undervalued so having someone come and speak with us was a great reminder leading into the preseason.
In less than 20 days we will depart for Nashville, TN to open up our season in the Belmont Tournament. Until then, we will continue to be focused and determined so that when February 6th does roll around, we are ready to dominate!
Thank you to everyone who has supported Ball State Softball! We hope that you can come out and catch some games with us this spring, once it warms up of course!
Blog Entry #6 - Emily Dabkowski (Jan. 16, 2015)
Hey everyone, my name is Emily Dabkowski and I am a junior from nearby Plainfield, Indiana. I just got accepted into the Nursing program last summer and also minoring in Interpersonal Relations. I am working hard to become a Registered Nurse specializing in either labor and delivery or emergency room nursing with potential of becoming a Nurse Anesthetist.
We just got back from winter break about a week ago. At the end of break we held our annual winter camp. We had a very great turn out with over 60 prospects at the hitting session alone. I love being able run camps because I get to see all the talented young ladies out there, who hope to one day be at the D1 level just like me. Unlike last year, we actually started classes on time this year, but still had to bundle up walking to class in the below zero weather.
As preseason training begins, our team is working harder than ever to reach our goals for this year. Our preparation includes very intense workouts in the weight room and high intensity practices as well. We just had our first team practice yesterday and it went very well. To start off our first team practice again, we had a speaker return to give us more insight about the mental aspect of the game of softball.
He gave us a brief overview of everything we talked about last year and provided us with even more knowledge to help strengthen our mental game, as softball is 90% mental and 10% physical skills. To continue the trend from last year we did the ladder trust fall. Everyone did an excellent job with this, especially the new additions to our team. This exercise was a great representation of how strong out team chemistry is this year. Everyone was extremely positive with each other encouraging anyone who had the fear to fall back. A big thing that our team really picked up on from the speaker was the idea of living and playing in the present moment. A great quote from his presentation was “Be where your feet are.” This is a great representation of living in the present moment. With having extending our mental training from last year, our mentality for the game has grown significantly in just one year. I truly recommend anyone out there to really dive into the mental side of their game and see the amazing results you can achieve with it.
With season just around the corner, our team is super excited to be out on the dirt again. We definitely have our eyes on the prize this year. With the hard work, determination, and skill Team 41 is ready to shock the nation this year! We open our season on February 6th in Nashville, Tennessee against South Dakota.
I hope to see lots of fans out at our games and keeping track of us as we travel the country to see what Ball State Softball is all about. We are the team to beat this year. With talk of being the underdogs, we are all fired up and ready to dominate! GO CARDS!!
Blog Entry #5 - Elise Sandberg (Nov. 19, 2014)
Hi Cardinal fans! I'm Elise Sandberg, a freshman pre-med major from Marietta, Georgia.
Coming into this successful program as a freshman this year has been a world-wind of amazing new experiences, to say the least! At first I was apprehensive coming to a school nine hours away and not knowing what Ball State was going to be like for me. However, what I have experienced here as a Cardinal in only the past four months has exceeded all expectations!
Acclimating to Ball State was made easy because I have the most supportive softball family. The returning girls help the newcomers out with anything and everything—from helping us with our class schedules, giving us tips on our swings or at our positions, motivating the team at workouts and practice, and being there to talk to about anything. Our teammates, coaches, and trainers all genuinely want to see us doing the best we can both on and off the field, and this is what drives us. This and the gorgeous rings that decorate the hands of our upperclassmen!
As of right now, we only have one more week of eight-hour practice left before Thanksgiving break. This is coming off of our three weeks of eight hours, in which afterwards we will be going into a dead period due to finals. This last week of practice is the time to give it all we have because our next practice will be when we come back in January to dominate our 2015 season!
With not as much practice time allowed, we must make the most out of every day, every session. We've recently moved to practicing indoors due to weather, but we can't allow this to deter us in any aspect. We're on a mission! And pushing ourselves in the weight room can be no exception. This is offseason, where going up in weight and repping out all of our sets will make us both mentally and physically strong when it comes time for season.
At the end of October, our team and coaches worked at the Blood and Fire Food Pantry. Helping out our community is something that we want to always be able to do, for helping those who support us is so important. Community projects bring us closer as well, and we have a great time working together and interacting with members of our community. This week, we are all collecting items to be put in boxes to be sent to children living in different countries.
With the offseason winding down, we must make the most out of the time we have left together. Soon our focus will be preparing for finals and keeping good grades. Over Christmas break, we are all going to read a part of the book Mind Gym by Gary Mack, and present our parts to the team when we come back in January. I'm really looking forward to see what we will learn from this book and what we can get out of it to benefit us as a team.
Thank you to everyone that came out and watched us play this fall, in addition to my new Cardinal family. It has been an extremely productive offseason…we can't wait to bring this upcoming season!
Happy Holidays! Go Cards!
Blog Entry #4 - India Steward (Nov. 3, 2014)
Hi! My name is India Steward and I am a transfer sophomore from Chicago, Illinois. I am majoring in Sports Administration and plan to someday become an athletic director.
Being a transfer, I was really nervous coming into a new program. I was worried about being accepted and how I would fit in with the rest of the team. But, I can honestly say that I have never been a part of a more loving and family orientated program in my entire life.
The girls welcomed me as if they'd known me for years. They helped me figure out where my classes were and introduced me to many new people. Everyone looks out for one another whether it is the parents preparing lunch in between games, Patty providing the team with clean uniforms, or a teammate helping you with your homework. I am so grateful to be a part of a program that cares for not only our athletic success, but also our well-being.
Recently, we began our eight hour weeks. Eight hour weeks are divided between forty-five to sixty minute individual practices and an hour and thirty minutes of weight lifting and conditioning. Which means that it's time for us to get Cardinal Strong! We will be pushing ourselves to lift more than we've ever lifted before and to run faster than we've ever ran before. We want to be as strong and as in shape as we possibly can when it is time for our season to start.
To continue, I am enormously excited for our season to begin! We have an extremely versatile team that is full of life. Although I was not a part of the recent MAC championships, seeing the girls receive their rings has given a lot of the newcomers, including myself, a glimpse of what we are working so hard to achieve. We plan to not only win MAC regular season championship, but to also win the MAC tournament and earn a spot in the NCAA Regional competition.
Thank you to everyone who helped welcome me into the Cardinal family and I hope to see you all this year! Chirp Chirp!!
Blog Entry #3 - Selena Reyna (Oct. 23, 2014)
Hello Cardinal fans! I'm Selena Reyna, a junior middle infielder from Houston, Texas. I am majoring in Exercise Science and minoring in Sports Studies.
Our fall games and team practices just ended, and we are now moving into eight-hour weeks. This consists of small groups, which will work more on individual skill. Drills will be broken down for us so we can fix anything we need to work on to be great.
Also, this past weekend we received our MAC regular season championship rings, which I must say are pretty snazzy! I am honored to have received my second ring for this program. We had our 2015 committed recruits come in on this day as well, and it was super exciting! They got to see what they have in store for themselves and our expectations for this program as a Ball State Cardinal!
After this fall season I believe this team has a lot of great things to look forward to. We know the coaches expectations for us and we have also seen what this team and each individual on this team is capable of doing.
We have done a lot of team building activities, which is my favorite. It is always good to be reminded that your team is family. It's good to see the different personalities on the team, but we also get to see how very similar we are to one another.
We are a totally different team than we have been in the past. We have every skill: speed, power, and short game. We have it all! We have many different threats. A lot of people are going to doubt this team but I cannot wait to come out and surprise everyone this year. It will be a repeat of the past years by adding to our MAC tournament champs title and heading to regionals this year. Everyone on this team has a vision and nobody is going to get in the way of that vision.
I hope you can come out and watch your Ball Sate softball team dominate another year!
GO CARDS!
Blog Entry #2 - Jocelyn Rivera (Oct. 1, 2014)
Hi, my name is Jocelyn Rivera and I am a sophomore dual major of early childhood and special education.
As our fall season of eight games came to a close this past weekend, I could not be more excited to be a part of this program. Going 7-1 in our games was just a little taste of what next season will bring us!
There are about three weeks left of full team practice, in which we are going to absolutely train relentlessly in the weight room, conditioning and even in the classroom and become the best we can possibly be in all aspects.
We recently chose our “leadership council” for the team, which consists of five of our teammates, that we can go to for anything, whether it be academics, softball related, or just to talk.
Although, I feel that being the family we are, there is not one girl on the team that you can't go to talk to about anything. Four of the five girls on the leadership council are leaders of our individual small groups.
These groups are Social Media, Academics, Health and Wellness, and Personal Brand. Basically, we discuss how we want to represent Ball State Softball in each of these categories. This is not only a way for other people to take charge, but for our team as a whole to understand and achieve how we want to represent our program in every aspect.
In just two weeks we get our championship rings for winning the MAC last year. This is taking place at half time of the homecoming football game, and I could not be more excited! Last year, as a freshman I watched the rest of the team get their rings from the previous year which was great motivation to my class to get one for ourselves this year, and we accomplished that.
I hope the freshman and transfers this year get the same feeling! As we venture on this year, as a team we are working to get our senior class their fouth ring in four years.
I cannot wait to see what the 2015 season has in store for Ball State Softball!
Blog Entry #1 - Shelbie Scamihorn (Sept. 18, 2014)
Hi, my name is Shelbie Scamihorn and I am sophomore communications major at Ball State University.
Last year was an amazing year for Ball State softball. We succeeded in winning the Mid-American Conference regular season title and will be receiving our MAC championship rings at this year's football homecoming game.
I could not be more excited for the team and it was a great start to Coach Perry's tenure as head coach. With the freshman jitters gone, I am ecstatic to begin my second year here at Ball State.
This year we began our journey with individual practices and weight training, and now we are into our second week of team practice. We have been so blessed to have the opportunity to play on a new field this year, which includes a beautiful turf outfield and new bullpens along with many other upgrades to our field.
We also have a new assistant coach this year who has already impacted us as a team. We are getting stronger everyday and have really come together as a team. We are definitely a family here at Ball State.
This past weekend we kicked off our fall season at home against Taylor University. We won 10-0 and played a great first game. Against Taylor we had our freshman step up and really perform well, which makes us very excited to continue this year with added talent to our team.
On Sunday we traveled to Westfield, IN, and played against Butler. We beat Butler 7-2, which was a great victory for our team. We really showed that our offense could produce this weekend.
We have been off to a great start and look forward to the rest of our fall season and learning together as a team and becoming better everyday.
