1/5/2024 0 Comments Darice record it![]() Wheeler certainly has her sights on a trophy during her first season. The end goal is nothing less than a championship, something no Pioneers softball team has ever done before. Riding on a successful spring break trip, everybody is locked in as conference matches start from this week. Now that softball is in season, the team is even more focused than ever. He’s been my coach since day one,” Wheeler said about her father. “If you asked me how my talent got to the way it is today I would say it’s all him. Her father knew she had potential as a softball player, though, and he encouraged her to try pitching. ![]() At the time, it was very difficult for girls to play baseball, as they are normally forced to switch to softball eventually. Still, Wheeler sometimes thinks about what might have been had she stuck to baseball. Most people when they switch over, they can’t do it but when I did … at that moment I felt like I could kill the game if I wanted to.” ![]() It wasn’t until age 11 that softball clicked for her. My maturity level wasn’t up there,” Wheeler said. “I was never afraid of being and I never felt out of place. She admits there were certain mental aspects of the game that she didn’t understand. Following the decision to switch was a rough couple of years where she always played with older girls. Surprisingly, Wheeler started playing baseball at a young age and didn’t switch to softball until later. There’s no discussion about it,” Wheeler said when recalling what her father said to her during her recruiting process. “I know you love softball but I’m going to make your academics come first and that’s that. To her, and especially to her parents, academics is more important than softball, even though the sport means a lot to her. Wheeler hopes to major in biochemistry with a concentration in neuroscience but also has an interest in economics. Like many other Pioneers student-athletes, she was drawn to Grinnell for its academic rigor offered side-by-side with a chance to play competitive sports for an extra four years. She then moved to Felton, Delaware, then to Chicago before finally settling in Evanston, Illinois. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she has had a fair share of transitions. I’m really excited that I’m off to a great start to my final four years,” Wheeler said.Īdjusting to Grinnell might come more naturally to Wheeler than some other Grinnellians. “I came to the school expecting to do big things … this meant a lot to me. She couldn’t help but smile when talking about her accomplishments. The confidence shows not just in Wheeler’s actions but also in her words. She’s starting to show us what kind of impact she can make.” The crazy part is that she hasn’t even hit her ceiling yet. ![]() “I wouldn’t say I’m surprised I knew she is capable of doing things like this. Head softball coach Amanda Reckamp expects nothing less from the freshman, who is only a few weeks into her career as a collegiate softball player. Of the 18 home runs the Pioneers have hit this season, she accounts for 10 of them. 458 and going 11-24 at the plate with four doubles, 13 RBIs and seven runs scored. took him by surprise,” Wheeler said.Ĭold streaks aside, her performance was impressive enough to garner national attention, getting her name in the “Top Performances” list of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).īy the end of the Florida trip, Wheeler tied the school’s season record of six home runs while hitting. She was surprised and knew right away the one person she would get an earful from after the match - her dad, who over time became a motivating force in her growth as a softball player. Photo by Andrew Tucker.īy Quan one point in first-year Darice Wheeler’s record-breaking hitting stretch during the Pioneer softball team’s spring break trip, she went on a cold streak, batting 0-7. Darice Wheeler ’21 already has a school record for home runs in a season.
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