Mackenzie Brennan is a graduating senior on the Softball team here at Ursinus. Over her four years, Mackenzie has left everything out there on the field. She came in her first year ready to make an immediate impact, which she did with flying colors. With a career batting average of .389 and 118 career hits, Brennan has really left her mark on the Ursinus Softball Program. I recently spoke with Mackenzie to get a better understanding of her experience as a collegiate athlete. Here is how the conversation went:
James: How would you describe your overall experience here on the Softball Team?
Mackenzie: My experience as a member of the Ursinus softball team has been unforgettable. I have learned many valuable lessons on and off the field and have pushed myself to be a better person and player. I value all the friendships and connections I have made with my teammates and coaches throughout my four years and wouldn’t change this experience for the world.
James: Did the previous seasons lost make you hungrier for a full season this spring?
Mackenzie: Covid was a challenging time to be a student athlete. I watched basically two seasons of softball be stripped away from my teammates and I. I had no clue what to expect in the next season to come and that was scary. This obstacle taught me to persevere through any challenge that comes my way and work as hard as possible to reach my goals. I knew that this experience would make me more resilient in the end and prepare me for the time when we could play a full season again.
James: What was the most rewarding part of your four years on the softball team?
Mackenzie: The most rewarding part of my four years on the softball team is the friendships I have made along the way. I have had the opportunity to meet and play with so many different groups of people that I can now call my lifelong friends.
James: What have you learned from your time on the softball team that will best prepare you for life after Ursinus?
Mackenzie: My time on the softball team has taught me many life skills that have prepared me for life after Ursinus and in my future career as an Occupational Therapist. I have learned to effectively communicate, collaborate/work together with my peers, improve my organization skills and preserve through any obstacle in my way which are all important skills in the field of OT. Being a part of this team was special and has prepared me to be a very passionate, determined, and goal-oriented individual in life after Ursinus.
James: Do you ever think about how many more hits you would’ve had if the last two seasons weren’t cut short?
Mackenzie: Unfortunately, I never can experience four full seasons of softball at Ursinus. My goal from freshman year was to reach 200 career hits as I was short by 23 hits of that milestone in high school, so I think of that missed opportunity often. Despite not playing four full seasons, I will always be thankful for my teammates and coaches who have pushed me day in and day out of practice so that I could achieve that 100-hit milestone.
James: What will you miss most about softball at Ursinus?
Mackenzie: In addition to the friendships that I have made at Ursinus, I am going to miss the competition. I have always been a competitor all my life no matter if it’s softball, basketball, or a friendly game of scrabble. There is no doubt I am going to miss competing against other teams and experiencing that feeling you get from a big team win. I will never forget the excitement of walking up to the plate with my team cheering me on or my team picking me up after a bad play. This team is a family, and I am going to miss competing by their sides no matter if we win or lose.
From this, it is easy to tell just how much Softball gave to Mackenzie and how she gave softball just as much, if not more than she got from it. Brennan was a force on the diamond and an even tougher out in the batter’s box. An attitude like this in the medical field is only going to improve on the footprint left behind by #1 on the softball field.