On Jan. 29, one of Seton Hall’s own was recognized at National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Senior softball pitcher and utility player Lauren Fischer received the honor and was recognized at halftime of the women’s basketball game against Butler.
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In her 22 appearences as a hitter last season, Lauren Fischer complied four home runs, seven doubles and 19 RBIs. Photo via Twitter/Seton Hall Athletics.[/caption]
“It was really cool,” Fischer said of the award. “It was a really awesome award because it doesn’t really have to do a lot with what you represent as an athlete but as a person, so it was awesome. I was really thankful to win that award.”
National Girls and Women in Sports day began in 1987 as a day to recognize women’s sports. The day brings together elite female athletes to promote the ability of women to succeed in an athletic setting. The day shows that women have enough confidence and character gained through sports to be successful on the court or field, and off of it.
Fischer credits the relationships that she has developed with the people in the SHU Athletic Department as a driving force behind her receiving the award.
“I think in the past year I’ve created a lot of really good relationships with the people who work in the athletic department,” Fischer said. “A lot of the people who work here have really cool personalities and once you get to know them, it’s cool to talk to them and create relationships with all of them.”
For Fischer’s teammate and friend, sophomore pitcher Madison Strunk, Fischer was the obvious choice for the honor.
“I knew that she’s perfect for it,” Strunk said. “She’s someone that absolutely fits that honor because, like she said, that award shows who she is as a person and beyond the field.”
Strunk was glad that someone that she is close to was able to receive that kind of recognition.
“Knowing her, it’s awesome that she’s representing our team and our school,” Strunk said.
Fischer is coming off a junior year that was cut short due to an injury and she is ready and eager to get back on the field in 2017.
“I’m really excited to just get back on the field and put a uniform on again,” Fischer said. “When I first started playing again I was kind of worried about being the player that I was before, but once I kind of accepted that I’m going to be a different player now, I got comfortable with the kind of player that I am now.”
She will assume more of a leadership role along with the rest of the seniors with a young roster that features seven sophomores.
“I think that this team is very mature even though we have a lot of young players,” Fischer said. “It’s easy to lead by example and I think that our senior class all together leads well and creates relationships throughout the whole team.”
Being a leader is nothing new for Fischer, as she assumed that role when she was injured last season.
“Since I was hurt last year I was on the side a lot and I created a lot of special relationships,” Fischer said.
One of the people that Fischer created a relationship with was Strunk, as she took her under her wing in her freshman year.
“She was a leader to me last year,” Strunk said. “Being a pitcher, she led me not as just a pitcher in softball, but as a person. We have such a close friendship that if I’m having a bad day or I need to be pushed through the next rep, she’s the person that’s going to be there because she’s always genuine with me.”
As for the recognition on National Girls and Women in Sports day, her teammates said it was a well-deserved and fitting honor for the hard-working Fischer.
“She epitomizes the award,” Strunk said.
Tyler Calvaruso can be reached at tyler.calvaruso@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @tyler_calvaruso.
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