SANTA CLARA, Calif. – With the 2015 softball season coming to an end this weekend, Santa Clara head coach Lisa Mize spoke about the five graduating seniors. Mize talked about what each player brings to the team on and off the field. Senior Day is Sat., May 2 at 12 p.m. vs. BYU.
"Breezy Bernard is an impact catcher that has been an impact catcher for us for four years. She definitely brings a presence when she steps on that field, and is known throughout the conference as a marquee catcher that nobody is going to steal on. She is very much a leader on the field as well. I can't say enough about her. She's game savvy, very smart behind the plate, calls the game, knows our pitchers in and out, and is a marquee player for the program. Off the field, she's someone that the players really look up to as a great personality. She is light hearted, so the girls are really able to joke with Breezy quite a bit. She's a well-respected player on the team."
"Ashley Haney is a very versatile player. Ashley has been able to play third, second and short and then this year has spent a lot of time in the outfield. Off the field, she's quiet but very well respected by all of the girls. I look at Ashley like that grounded kid that is everybody's friend. I think a lot of people don't know that she's funny, but a lot of those girls really look to Ashley and like her demeanor and her cool sense of humor."
"Jenna Krummen on the field is great in terms of being solid at third base and she's won some ballgames for us with her bat this year, and that has been great to see. Off the field Jenna has been our team mom. We can count on Jenna for being responsible in terms of getting the team together and organized and what they need to do to get us ready for a game. Jenna is always the one that is responsible in terms of organizing everything for us. Jenna has been there for those younger girls."
"Jordan Newell is a leader on the field. She's probably the most vocal on the infield. She's a great player who has been able to play at third base, to play at first base, and she even came in as a middle infielder. She is just very athletic and game savvy in terms of being able to transition to different positions, especially this year. Never playing first base before, she kind of just dove right in and did a great job of taking on that position and being a leader there. Off the field she brings that leadership quality. I think a lot of the younger players can look to her and talk to her if needed. She's been our leader in terms of giving us direction when needed, just guiding those guys and when we are in need of a team meeting or anything like that, she is the one that leads the charge in that sense."
"Briana Rios gives us that off speed lefty look from a pitching standpoint, which is always great to have a lefty in our pitching battery. Obviously off the field, Bo is just our energy in the dugout and brings a fun personality to the team and keeps things light. You can always hear her voice and I think a lot of us look to her when the team is a little flat and we need an extra surge of energy. We are always really counting on Bo to bring that."
