St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Softball Senior Spotlight: Mackenna Neuroth
3/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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QUEENS, N.Y.- Before opening conference play this weekend, Red Storm Sports had the opportunity to sit down with senior MacKenna Neuroth to take a deeper look into her four-year career with the Red Storm.
A two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, Neuroth has appeared in 138 games for the Red Storm in her career, making starts in 112 of them. During that time, Neuroth has accumulated 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 21 RBI while earning 24 walks and 11 hit-by-pitches. This season, the senior has made six appearances including a pinch-hit double against Rhode Island on March 8.
Catching Up With MacKenna Neuroth
Q: What has been your favorite part of being a member of the St. John's softball team for the past four years?
A: My favorite part about being on the team would definitely be the friends that I've made. I know I can count on them to have my back no matter what and that our friendships will last for a very long time.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment on the softball diamond during your time at St. John's?
A: My most memorable moment on the field would probably have to be beating Georgetown last year in the semifinals to get to the BIG EAST Championship game. They always play hard against us and they made it a good game. I hope that I will be able to change my favorite moment by winning the BIG EAST Tournament this year and make it to NCAA Regional for the first time in St. John's softball history.
Q: Over the past three seasons, what has been your favorite field to play on and why?
A: My favorite field we've played on would have to be San Diego State. It wasn't the most extravagant stadium and may not have had the best environment, but it's where my family and friends got to see my play softball for the last time in my home state of California so having them there meant the world to me.
Q: What game are you most looking forward to this season?
A: I'm looking forward to this weekend's DePaul series the most. They were chosen to finish first in the BIG EAST again this year and we were chosen to finish second, so that series (which just so happened to be our opening conference series) gives us a chance to prove to everyone that we're the best team in the BIG EAST and that we are a force to be reckoned with.
Q: What is your personal goal for the season?
A: My personal goal for the season is to just enjoy playing the sport I've loved since I was five for the last time. Not a lot of girls can say that they were a Division I college softball player and I want to enjoy being able to say that while I still can.
Q: Off the field, what has been your most memorable moment at St. John's?
A: There have been so many moments I've loved that it's so hard to choose. If I have to pick one, it would probably be last year after we got back from the BIG EAST Tournament. We had the entire team over at our house and made everyone put their phone in a bucket up on a high shelf in the kitchen so everyone just enjoyed being with each other in the moment. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard or had that much fun in my life. Nobody was worried about their text messages or taking pictures or tweeting. It was just our team, our family, laughing and having a good time and I could not have been happier in that moment.
Q: What piece of advice would you give to an incoming freshman looking to play softball at St. John's?
A: Manage your time well when it comes to school and softball, but don't forget to put yourself out there and make new friends. The friends you meet now are more likely to stay your friends longer than some of your friends from high school. Always remember to have fun, because your four years here will fly by faster than you think.
Q: What are your plans come graduation in May?
A: I don't have any set plans yet. I've applied for several jobs all over the country and abroad as well as Grad School, but this summer I will probably go back to South Carolina to continue working with a professor at the University of South Carolina Beaufort on the marine biology research he is conducting.
Q: If you didn't play collegiate softball, what do you think you would be doing instead?
A: If I didn't play collegiate softball, I honestly don't know what I would have done. Since I was 11, all I have ever dreamed about was playing college softball, so I don't think there is any path I would have chosen other than to play softball in college, whether it was at a DI, DII, DIII or NAIA school, I would have made it happen somehow.
Q: What is one piece of advice you want to share with your team before heading into your final season with the Red Storm?
A: For the underclassmen, I want to say to enjoy these four years while you can because in the blink of an eye, you'll be answering these same questions that I am now. I know everyone has probably told you this, but I can't stress it enough. These four years will probably be the best four years of your life. To my fellow seniors, Fran, Ellen and Erin, let's leave it all out on the field for ourselves and for our teammates. Let's show everyone why we are the team to beat this year. This is our year. I love you guys.
Throughout the course of the season, Red Storm Sports will join the team's other two graduating seniors as they make their final journey to Rosemont. Check out all of the softball senior spotlights by clicking below:
Francesca Carrullo
MacKenna Neuroth
Ellen Czuba (coming soon)
Erin Burner (coming soon)
The Red Storm will return to action this weekend as it hosts defending conference champion DePaul in a three-game series on March 21-22 in a rematch of the 2014 BIG EAST Championship.
For all the latest news on the St. John's softball team, log on to RedStormSports.com and follow the team (@StJohnsSoftball) on Twitter. You can join the conversation with the hashtag, #SJUSB. If you would like to be added to the
