IUPUC softball players warm up with some fielding drills during practice at Ceraland in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Feb. 10, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
The first IUPUC softball team has a definite local flavor.
The head coach, Tommi Stowers, played at Columbus North.
The assistant coach, Keshia Loweth, played at Columbus East.
Two of the 13 players, freshmen Rachel Cowan and Taylor Hadley, played at North, and another, junior Katie Taylor, played at Hauser and Columbus East.
Two other players, freshman Katie Mahoney from Jennings County and junior Taylor Poling from Brown County, are from nearby.
“I’m just really excited for this opportunity and blessed that I can stay closer to home and be a part of history,” Hadley said.
“I chose to come here because it’s a lot closer to home, and just the aspect and culture of everything really makes it feel like home,” Poling added.
Stowers was an NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete at Western Kentucky before finishing her college career at Monmouth. She was working for Columbus Parks and Recreation and spent a year as assistant coach at Seymour under former North coach Jerry Burton, who now is an assistant at East.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, so it’s actually really awesome that I can give back from a different aspect,” Stowers said. “I did umpire, I did work in the parks department, so I was always involved in softball, even in giving lessons when I came back home for summer vacation. So as soon as I got a call from (IUPUC athletics director) Zach (McClellan), I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, am I ready for this?’ because I (coached) one year of high school softball, and that was a little challenging because I am a little bit closer in age (to the players).
“But once I got that year under my belt from Jerry Burton, he became kind of my mentor, and I was like, “OK, I can do this,’” she added. “I have a lot of knowledge. It’s just making sure it’s very organized and well-thoughtout because I do have a lot to give back, so it’s really just kind of piecing it together. Not everyone has the same cookie-cutter swing or throw, so you have to work with their strengths.”
Sydney Owens (Jr., Orleans), a transfer from Spoon River College in Illinois, and Cowan are the top pitchers. Gracie Holok (Soph., Roncalli), a transfer from Midway (Ky.), and Morgan Steineker (redshirt-sophomore, Shelbyville), a transfer from Olney Central, will do the catching.
Steineker and Poling, a transfer from Lincoln Trail (Ill.), will see action at first base. Poling and Macy Hussung (Soph., Franklin), a transfer from Anderson), can play second.
Elyse Goad (Soph., Bloomington North), a transfer from Lincoln College (Ill.), will be the starting shortstop, with Holok also possibly playing there. Katie Taylor is the third baseman.
“Definitely, I feel like being a part of something so new, everybody has to find their role and their place,” Katie Taylor said. “So I just feel like it’s opened up a good opportunity for me to be a leader, as well as my other teammates. Just getting to be a part of something you’re proud of really helps you find your place and reflect and portray your values and goals that you have an athlete for the younger athletes and the other athletes in the community that maybe want to be a part of this someday. We want to create something that more people want to be a part of.”
Hadley will anchor the outfield in center. Possibilities in right and left are Mahoney, Hussung, Kaydence Brewer (Fr., Linton) and Goad.
The Crimson Pride open the season with a doubleheader Sunday at Kentucky Christian. They host doubleheaders with Calumet on Feb. 24 and Indiana Wesleyan on Feb. 25.
“Existing is No. 1,” Stowers said of the team’s goals. “Second, I want to make sure that these ladies know that for however long that they’re here that they have a family. I just want to create a really good culture. Winning or losing is kind of off the table, especially this year, just because if they’re having fun and they’re competing, we should be winning ballgames. As long as the culture is good, and it’s set strong for the first year and years to come, I believe that we have a really good chance as being super-competitive in NAIA.”
Stowers plans on being around for those days, however long it takes.
“The biggest thing for me is, I don’t plan on leaving here, ever,” Stowers said. “I want to be here 25 years from now, and I want to still be the coach for IUPUC softball because everyone around Columbus, I used to be ‘Tommi, the softball player.’ Well now, I’m ‘Tommi the coach.’ There’s not a lot of girls named Tommi, so it makes me stay in a straight line and it makes me represent this community very well. I’ve always had that, even when I went to school, but now, it’s just a higher level.”
Stowers talked about being a part of history. She concludes her emails to every recruit by saying this is her hometown, and she wants to make it shine inside and outside of the classroom.
”I’m just grateful because all these girls, Katie Taylor and Taylor Hadley especially, I’ve known them forever,” Stowers said. “My little sisters played with them, I’ve played with them. It’s just great that I can give them that knowledge without having to go back to school after three months and then just see them hit-and-miss.”
“I’m just really excited to have the opportunity to play again, and I’m really thankful for everyone that’s made this happen,” Katie Taylor added. “I feel like we’re building a great culture here, not just athletics or softball, baseball, cross-country. We’re all one big family and support each other, and I just like the community that’s here.”
The 2023 IUPUC softball schedule:
Sunday;at Kentucky Christian (DH);1 p.m.
Feb. 24;Calumet (DH);Noon
Feb. 25;Indiana Wesleyan (DH);Noon
Feb. 28;at Campblesville (Ky.) (DH);2 p.m.
March 3;at Brescia (Ky.) (DH);3 p.m.
March 5;at Indiana Tech (DH);2 p.m.
March 7;at Oakland City;7 p.m.
March 11;at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (DH);2 p.m.
March 13;Missouri Baptist;TBA
March 14;Aquinas (Mich.);7 p.m.
March 17;Concordia (Mich.);9 a.m.
March 19;at St. Francis (Ill.) (DH) 2 p.m.
March 30;at Huntington (DH);3 p.m.
April 2;St. Francis (Ind.) (DH);1 p.m.
April 5;Thomas More (Ky.) (DH);3 p.m.
April 10;Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (DH);2 p.m.
April 19;at Indiana Southeast (DH);2 p.m.
April 26;at Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (DH);4 p.m.
April 30;St. Francis (Ill.) (DH) 2 p.m.
