Ann Magur
Outfielder - Softball

Discuss the process of being selected to be part of the American collegiate team that will soon play the Dutch National Team in the Netherlands.
Kirt Whiteside, who put the team together, got in touch with my coach, Marie Curran, and some of the other Mid-American Conference coaches. He has ties with the Dutch National Team and they asked him to put a team together to give them some good competition prior to the 2004 Olympics. So he put together a team comprised of MAC players.

What does it mean to have your UB teammate, Kelly Malone, also going along with you?
Obviously I know some of the other players on the team from having played against them, but it is nice to have someone around that you’ve played with before.

How do you feel about going overseas and taking on a National Team?
Going to Europe is something that I wouldn’t ordinarily be able to do, let alone being able to play softball there. It will be neat not only to see the caliber of ball they play, but also to see their way of life. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity.

Aside from the games themselves, what other types of things are you going to do in The Netherlands?
Having never been there, I’m certainly looking forward to that aspect of the trip. I know that we’re going to be seeing things like Anne Frank’s home. Something like that will definitely be a great educational experience.

Now that your sophomore year is complete, how would you compare your first two seasons at UB?
I probably had better numbers my freshman year. This season, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to live up to the same expectations at the plate, and that may have affected me. The weather was also a big factor. It was hard to get into a rhythm since a handful of games were canceled. It was a frustrating year for me, but I know the adjustments I need to make heading into next year.

You only struck out eight times in 121 at bats this past season. Is that something you take pride in?
I’ve always been a contact hitter. When I am in a slump, I don’t strike out, I usually put the ball in play. Sometimes it’s just a matter of not getting the breaks, like when you hit the ball right at someone.

Aside from the trip to The Netherlands, how much softball do you expect to play in the off season?
A bunch of my old teammates from the Binghamton area would like to put together a 23-and-under team to play in some tournaments. But other than that, I just work out and do a lot of weight and speed training.

On a team level, your team headed into the last series of the season with a chance to finish with a .500 record in conference play. Do you feel that UB softball has now firmly established itself in the MAC?
We went out with a bang at the end of my freshman season. I think that carried over into this season and we had a lot higher expectations. We dropped three straight in that final series against Akron, and I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. We have a tendency to do that. As we grow as a team, I think we’ll be able to better deal with pressure situations.

Last season your team went 8-5 at home and 5-12 on the road. Is that just a statistical oddity or do you feel that your team plays better at home?
It’s hard to say. Sometimes it can be difficult on the road because of the travel. After a long time on the bus, you can get mentally and physically drained. When you play at home, you have the benefit of the fans and your friends being there to support you, as well.

The Women’s College World Series recently aired on ESPN and ESPN2. How do you feel about the media coverage in general that softball gets?
I understand why they don’t have more softball on, but I can tell you that when the Women’s College World Series is on, I watch ESPN a lot more. I think the exposure that the Women’s College World Series gets is great. It’s a great showcase and we should take pride in the caliber of women’s softball players that we have in this country.

-The ‘10 Questions with…’ feature is compiled by Geoff Nason.

06/03/2003