After ending the 2022 season with 18 wins and 37 losses, the Winthrop softball team is ready to show their fans the outcome of their hard work over the past year.
The team will begin their season by competing in the Elon Softball Classic in Elon, NC on Feb. 10, 2023. They will be competing against University of Southern Indiana, Morgan State University, and Elon University.
“Our team has worked hard day in and out to prepare for this season” red shirt junior Ansley Lee said. “As a team, our goal is to win the Big South Championship and compete in a regional.”
Lee is a transfer student from Louisburg College where she received an All-American award and was able to compete in a Junior College National Championship in Oxford, Alabama.
“I chose to transfer to Winthrop not only for softball, but for the college experience,” Lee said. “I had met so many life-long friends prior to transferring, and I could not pass up the offer. I love it here!”
This season Lee hopes to continue to excel and looks forward to playing against Radford University as two of her former teammates are on the team.
“My goal for this upcoming season is to not only be a leader, but a team player,” Lee said. “I want to produce for our team in ways that will lead us to the Big South Championship.”
Sydney Boulware, a returning sophomore pitcher, looks forward to seeing how her hard work has improved since last year and facing teams from last season.
“I am looking forward to refacing some of the teams that I have already faced last year,” Boulware said. “[I want to] see where the outcome lies this time and strive to beat them all. I am also looking forward to some of the away games with traveling to different states.”
This season, Jamie Stierstorfer will begin her first season as the Associate Head Coach of the women’s softball team at Winthrop University this season.
Stierstorfer has been with the Winthrop softball team since 2018.
“I have loved watching our players gain more confidence in their abilities every year,” Stierstorfer said. “I believe we have a great group of Freshmen and transfers who are eager to learn and have meshed well with the returners. We also have more seniors this season and feel we have more people to lead. The team definitely has higher expectations for themselves and are learning how to deal with their mistakes.”
As the season starts soon, the team encourages students and those in the Rock Hill community to attend home games, practices and scrimmages.
“We would love to see more fans from other sports, as well as families and young softball fans to become familiar with our players,” Stierstorfer said. “We would appreciate the support from local businesses, and we would love to give our old jerseys to businesses so they can hang up.”
This season the team added a new member, Addison, an 11-year-old who is associated with Team Impact.
“Team Impact matches children who are facing serious illness and disabilities with college sports teams, which creates a long-term, life changing experience for us all” Stierstorfer said. “Coach Ansley is in contact with her family and a few of our players are her leaders who stay in contact with her, and also attend some of her games.”
The Eagles will compete on their home field in the Winthrop Eagle Classic on Feb. 16, 2023, through Feb. 18, 2023. Over these few days, the team will compete against Queens University, Marist College, University of Nevada and North Carolina A&T.
More information about the 2023 softball season schedule can be found on the Winthrop Athletics website. Attendance is free for students who bring their Winthrop ID.
