Goal this year for Quinnipiac softball is to “kick butt”
Photo Courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics
February 25, 2020
It’s been 293 days since the Quinnipiac softball team took to the field, but the wait is finally over.
The Bobcats opened up their season competing in the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Tournament on Friday, Feb. 21 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The tournament played five games over a three-day span, playing the University of Delaware and LMU and Sacramento State two times each.
As the season gets truly underway there will likely be some growing pains given that over half the players on the Bobcats roster are listed as first-years, however, that hasn’t affected their confidence level.
In fact, it might’ve raised it.
“My goal for this upcoming season is just to win,” said senior utility player Rachel Marchuk. “I just want us to kick butt to be honest. We have a killer team this year. All the new girls are the hardest working girls I’ve ever met.”
Marchuk is the only remaining senior that has been with the program all four years. She’s also serving as a team captain for the second straight season.
Being a leader isn’t anything new for Marchuk, but she hopes to build off of what she and the team built with second year coaches Hillary Smith and Brooke Scott.
“I think it’s important to create an environment where everyone feels like they’re able to push themselves to the hardest and that their teammates will be there to support them in their decisions,” said Marchuk.
It’s clear that Marchuk, along with junior utility player Brighid Douglas, will be the players leading the charge for the Bobcats. But considering how young this year’s team is, the Bobcats may have to look for their sophomore class to step up and help lead the team in the right direction.
“I’m not very out there with my leadership which is something that I am trying to work on,” said sophomore infielder Alexis Otero.
Otero lead the team in RBI’s (24) and finished third on the team in hits (32) on route to being named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team along with teammate Lauren King.
Otero has been primarily focusing on trying to help guide her fellow first year teammates off the field because that’s where they spend most of their time together as a team.
“I’m more of a silent leader on the team, so a lot of the girls will come to me if they have any questions or things like that,” said Otero. “I’m definitely a person they go to outside of softball.”
Otero will get the chance to try out her leadership qualities on the field for the first time with the rest of her sophomore classmates.
The Bobcats home opener won’t be until Friday Mar. 20 when they host the University of Maine Black Bears. First pitch is at 3:30 p.m.
