St. John's University Athletics
St. John’s Softball “Super-Seniors” Relish Second Chance
11/20/2020 10:56:00 AM | Softball
Captains Gretchen Bowie, Kaitlin Mattera and Marissa Rizzi all return for fifth year with Red Storm
Second chances in life, especially sports, can be hard to come by. The three captains of the St. John's Softball program, however, have been granted just that by the NCAA. Gretchen Bowie, Kaitlin Mattera and Marissa Rizzi bring six First Team All-Big East selections and a wealth of experience back to Head Coach Bob Guerriero's program for a fifth year in 2021.
When the 2020 season ended abruptly due to COVID-19 on March 12, it was unsure whether or not senior athletes would be granted an extra year of eligibility until the NCAA voted to do so on March 30. Sadness and uncertainty quickly turned to jubilation for Bowie, Mattera and Rizzi.
"When I heard that I was given another year of eligibility, I was ecstatic," said Mattera. "Coach and I had a conversation and his first question was 'Do you want to come back?' and I did not hesitate for a second to respond. Marissa red-shirted our senior year, and Gretchen and I were already sad that us three would never play together again. Gretchen and I are in the same five-year education program together, so we were already coming back to finish school, but when we received another year of eligibility, it was all starting to come together."
Mattera's experience is invaluable to St. John's both behind the plate and in the batter's box. The graduate student earned First Team All-BIG EAST honors in both her sophomore and junior campaigns. She may have been on her way back there in 2020, as the catcher led the Red Storm in hits before the season was called off. Mattera is a lifetime .319 hitter, and showed her knack for the big moment as early as her freshman year when she launched her first career home run in the BIG EAST Championship Semifinals.
"Kaitlin is one of the top catchers that we have had at St. John's," said Coach Guerriero. "She is also so intelligent in that she can call her own game, and that makes a coach's job easier. Kaitlin is a tremendous leader on the field for our team."
The Red Storm also returns Bowie, a third baseman who will go down as one of the all-time greats in St. John's softball history. Bowie is the only player in program history to boast three top all-conference team honors, being named to the All-BIG EAST First Team three times (2017, '18,'19) as well as BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. This season, Bowie will be chasing program records in runs, triples, doubles, and home runs before her time with the Red Storm is finished. On top of that, Bowie is an exemplary leader for her team off the field, having been named a representative on the St. John's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) along with her teammates Mattera, Kamryn Tiumalu and Angela Saric.
Finally, St. John's returns the powerful bat of Rizzi, who set career marks as a junior in 2019 with a staggering .403 batting average and 12 home runs, both team-highs, all while settling into a regular role at first base. Rizzi missed the entirety of the shortened 2020 season due to injury, but has fought hard to get back to her form from two years ago.
"Staying mentally prepared through my injury and the pandemic was hard and emotionally draining," remarked Rizzi while reflecting on her long road to recovery. "I was thankfully able to do rehab throughout the season and the pandemic and when things got tough, I had some great teammates to rely on."
That preparation has been noticed early on this fall by teammates and coaches alike, including Bowie, with whom she is spending her fifth season at St. John's.
"Marissa is back on the field looking the same as she was before she was injured," said Bowie. "Personally, you wouldn't truly know from an outside perspective that she faced an injury because her level of play certainly has not been compromised."
These three fifth-year athletes are taking it day-by-day while making the most of their final fall practices in a St. John's uniform before the season gets going.
"Personally, I am just happy to be given another opportunity to play the sport I love," added Mattera. "I was not ready to say goodbye in May of last year, never mind two months earlier in March. My expectations for this year are to just have fun because this really is going to be my last year and I want to go out happy in May. As for the team, let's have fun, win, and get that ring."
While the season remains a couple months away, the Red Storm's leadership group feels as if special things are on the horizon.
"We want to win," said Bowie. "The chemistry this team has is unmatched and we have the attitude to win it all. I want that ring and I know my teammates are hungry for it as well. Personally, I am training to pick up right where I left off and have the goal to finish my collegiate career on a high note, making it my best season yet."
The Red Storm will be a team to watch this spring with Bowie, Mattera and Rizzi leading the way.
When the 2020 season ended abruptly due to COVID-19 on March 12, it was unsure whether or not senior athletes would be granted an extra year of eligibility until the NCAA voted to do so on March 30. Sadness and uncertainty quickly turned to jubilation for Bowie, Mattera and Rizzi.
"When I heard that I was given another year of eligibility, I was ecstatic," said Mattera. "Coach and I had a conversation and his first question was 'Do you want to come back?' and I did not hesitate for a second to respond. Marissa red-shirted our senior year, and Gretchen and I were already sad that us three would never play together again. Gretchen and I are in the same five-year education program together, so we were already coming back to finish school, but when we received another year of eligibility, it was all starting to come together."
Mattera's experience is invaluable to St. John's both behind the plate and in the batter's box. The graduate student earned First Team All-BIG EAST honors in both her sophomore and junior campaigns. She may have been on her way back there in 2020, as the catcher led the Red Storm in hits before the season was called off. Mattera is a lifetime .319 hitter, and showed her knack for the big moment as early as her freshman year when she launched her first career home run in the BIG EAST Championship Semifinals.
"Kaitlin is one of the top catchers that we have had at St. John's," said Coach Guerriero. "She is also so intelligent in that she can call her own game, and that makes a coach's job easier. Kaitlin is a tremendous leader on the field for our team."
The Red Storm also returns Bowie, a third baseman who will go down as one of the all-time greats in St. John's softball history. Bowie is the only player in program history to boast three top all-conference team honors, being named to the All-BIG EAST First Team three times (2017, '18,'19) as well as BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. This season, Bowie will be chasing program records in runs, triples, doubles, and home runs before her time with the Red Storm is finished. On top of that, Bowie is an exemplary leader for her team off the field, having been named a representative on the St. John's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) along with her teammates Mattera, Kamryn Tiumalu and Angela Saric.
Finally, St. John's returns the powerful bat of Rizzi, who set career marks as a junior in 2019 with a staggering .403 batting average and 12 home runs, both team-highs, all while settling into a regular role at first base. Rizzi missed the entirety of the shortened 2020 season due to injury, but has fought hard to get back to her form from two years ago.
"Staying mentally prepared through my injury and the pandemic was hard and emotionally draining," remarked Rizzi while reflecting on her long road to recovery. "I was thankfully able to do rehab throughout the season and the pandemic and when things got tough, I had some great teammates to rely on."
That preparation has been noticed early on this fall by teammates and coaches alike, including Bowie, with whom she is spending her fifth season at St. John's.
"Marissa is back on the field looking the same as she was before she was injured," said Bowie. "Personally, you wouldn't truly know from an outside perspective that she faced an injury because her level of play certainly has not been compromised."
These three fifth-year athletes are taking it day-by-day while making the most of their final fall practices in a St. John's uniform before the season gets going.
"Personally, I am just happy to be given another opportunity to play the sport I love," added Mattera. "I was not ready to say goodbye in May of last year, never mind two months earlier in March. My expectations for this year are to just have fun because this really is going to be my last year and I want to go out happy in May. As for the team, let's have fun, win, and get that ring."
While the season remains a couple months away, the Red Storm's leadership group feels as if special things are on the horizon.
"We want to win," said Bowie. "The chemistry this team has is unmatched and we have the attitude to win it all. I want that ring and I know my teammates are hungry for it as well. Personally, I am training to pick up right where I left off and have the goal to finish my collegiate career on a high note, making it my best season yet."
The Red Storm will be a team to watch this spring with Bowie, Mattera and Rizzi leading the way.
Players Mentioned
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