TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

You walked onto the softball team as a freshman after playing softball at nearby Cleveland Hill High School in Cheektowaga. What made you decide to make the commitment to collegiate softball?

It was always my dream to play Division I softball and it was just always something I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to go to UB, so that’s what I did.

You opened this season with five tournaments, including trips to New Mexico, Texas, Florida and Indiana. How nice was it to be able to get out of the gym and travel and play outside in late February and March?

It’s definitely always a good thing to be able to get outside of the gym and play in the warm weather. Its good to be able to throw the ball without restrictions and everyone is able to play on dirt so that’s always a benefit of playing outside.

This season, the team has six players out for the season with serious injuries. Because of those injuries, it is common to have a starting lineup comprised entirely of underclassmen, in addition to yourself. What do you tell the younger players to keep them motivated throughout the year?

Well, having one player out from a team is quite the blow but having six is very difficult. To the younger players, I just tell them they need to keep their head’s up as much as they can and they can’t focus on everyone being down, the focus just has to be on improving and working their hardest.

Having played almost every position on the field, what do you feel have been some of the biggest changes in you as a player?

I think one of the biggest changes would be just my confidence and going out each game, no matter where I’m playing knowing that I can field a ball wherever I am.

Two seasons ago, the team made the MAC playoffs for the first time ever. What was it like being able to play late into May?

It was an awesome feeling going to the MAC tournament and it’s definitely something that I would like to do again this year.

Last season you hit your first career homerun and this season you have already hit two long-balls. How have you been able to develop your power at the plate during your time at UB?

I think just working on my swing everyday with the coaches and focusing on going at the ball and being quick with my hands has definitely helped. Also, doing different weightlifting stuff has helped since I was a freshman because coming in, I didn’t do any weightlifting before that.

Because the weather doesn’t really start to warm-up in Buffalo until the end of your season, how hard is it to adjust to playing softball in temperatures that are sometimes barely above freezing?

I have lived in Buffalo my whole life, so I guess I sort of am used to the cold weather. It is somewhat of a hindrance at times, but doing a lot of running and stretching before the game always helps.

How tough is it to balance academics and athletics considering you spend almost one month before MAC competition begins living out of a suitcase playing in tournaments out of state?

My freshman year was probably the toughest year, just adjusting to everything but as the years go on, you get better at time-management and getting things done early.

Since you’ve lived in and around Buffalo all of your life, where is the best place to get chicken wings?

I’m going to have to go with Duff’s on this one. That’s probably the best place that I have had them so far.

What has been your favorite moment as a UB student-athlete?

There have been a lot of different ones, but one of my favorite would probably have to be last year when Mel (Mary Russell) and I hit back-to-back homeruns to beat Miami (OH) 6-5 (on 5/6/06). Other than that, I think just meeting all of the different athletes and playing with all of the different teammates that I’ve had over the years.

The “10 Questions with…feature” is compiled by Jackie O’Brien