When you think of passion, perseverance, and a true love for the game, one name that shines brightly is Abigail Savoy. This junior for LSU Softball is not just a player; she's a symbol of unwavering dedication and resilience, a beacon of light for all LSU Softball fans to look up to. Hailing from the powerhouse of Notre Dame High School in Crowley Louisiana, Savoy's journey from a highly touted recruit to a dedicated teammate at LSU is nothing short of extraordinary.
Abigail Savoy's softball trailblazing began long before she donned the purple and gold of LSU. A veritable softball star, she was a pivotal part of three State Championships and earned the coveted title of a 3x All-State Selection. During her junior and senior seasons at Notre Dame High School, the numbers speak volumes - batting over .550 and crushing an impressive 44 home runs in her final two years of high school and was the nations RBI leader her Senior season with 81 ribbies . Savoy wasn't just a player; she was a force of nature on the field and came to LSU as the No.65 ranked recruit by Extra Inning Softball.
Transitioning from the high school spotlight to the competitive arena of LSU Softball presented a new set of circumstances for Abigail Savoy. Despite her impressive track record, Savoy faced the need to patiently wait for her opportunity in the lineup. The first base position was filled with talented players, such as Second Team All-SEC player Georgia Clark in her Freshman season and multi-year SEC All-Defensive Team selection Raeleen Gutierrez in her Sophomore season, both experienced Graduate Students. While this waiting period could be a pivotal moment for many, Savoy stood out as a true role model due to her positive attitude, resilience, and unwavering commitment to her team, both on and off the field.
The Heartbeat of LSU Softball
Abigail Savoy embodies the essence of a team player. Her altruistic nature has positioned her as the driving force behind LSU Softball. Spectators are captivated by her unwavering resolve and contagious passion for the sport. Whether in the dugout, she stands out as a vocal leader, rallying chants and backing her fellow teammates.
During our conversation, she shared her determination in handling the transition from high school to softball. We talked about her position on the team, and her role and she expressed her thoughts on it saying " a lot of the role that I play on our team, especially up to this point has been kind of intangible . I really pride myself on trying to
be a great teammate to everyone and all of my teammates knowing that they can
count on me for whatever they need. So up to this point, my role has been kind
of like the hype man on the team just making sure that everything goes along
smoothly and those kinds of things". She added " this year, I've seen that kind of
shift a little bit. We've been working only for a week now, but obviously with
the loss of the big senior class,there is kind of like more of a leadership role to be filled, so just really trying to be a good leader and a good role model, for some of the younger players coming in."
Regarding her goals for the season she shared with me her goals for the season saying "obviously I would love to be the everyday starter at some point, which I think is very possible. We have a few of us working there and I know we'll all get an opportunity at it. So I'm just really hoping that all of the work that I've put in for the past two years can pay off in that regard and try to be an everyday kind of person."
With her limited exposure so far, she achieved success in a small number of instances this season, having only 3 at-bats and hitting her first collegiate home run as a pinch-hitter against Austin Peay (Feb. 24). Moving forward, she aims to increase her chances and make progress this season.
Embracing Identity and Fulfillment Beyond Softball: Abigail's Journey
We discussed encouraging advice she has gotten over the last two years and she said "thinking back and coming through the past two years, one of the high points of my experience has been the relationships with all of our staff and my teammates .Being around really great people all the time encourages you to always go out and do your best and stay the course because whenever you're doing what you love with people that you love, like that's a really positive thing to be doing."
She reflected on something her high school coach Dale Serie always preached "this is
something you do, but it's not who you are." She said this is something she tries to embody and added " it's really easy for our identity to get really tied up in our sports and. especially with a sport like softball and like baseball where you're failing constantly all the time, like they call it a game of failure. You kind of have to look outside of just your results and your expectations of yourself in your sport and find your identity in other things."
During a period when it has become common for collegiate athletes to enter the transfer portal at the first sign of adversity, Abigail has opted for a more traditional approach and expressed her opinions. She reflected and responded with "the transfer portal is very real. It's playing a really big part in our sport right now. And so, I mean, it's just natural to think about it. But I can't, I can't say that I ever really was in a position that I wanted to
leave LSU because like, as I said earlier, finding identity and fulfillment and things outside of softball at LSU. I absolutely love my degree program. I love just being on campus and the culture over here, my teammates or my sisters and I would die for them,we have such an awesome staff and so many resources. And so. while like kind of all everyone sees from the outside looking in is like, oh, she's been here for two years and hasn't really played much like that must suck. But I think my life is so full in other ways so it never really made sense to me to leave because I was so happy with my life."
When thinking back on influences in her journey she said " first and foremost my parents are just my rock, especially in the past two years of transitioning into adulthood, they've been super integral and like just being my sounding board and encouraging me through all of it." She looked back on experiences with her high school coach Dale Serie and also Cat Osterman, and how she gained valuable insights and skills in softball. She detailed how coach Dale Serie empowered them as players, fostering trust and collaboration within the team. His interactive coaching style allowed them to take ownership and grow both on and off the field. Similarly, Cat Osterman's mentorship was invaluable, emphasizing game strategy and mental strength. She stated "their guidance shaped me as a player and enhanced my understanding of the sport. I am grateful for the privilege of learning from these exceptional coaches."
Empowering Faith and Resilience in Abigail's Journey
Something important to Abigail is her faith as she says "I met the missionaries at Christ, the King on campus. I started doing Bible study with them and I think to going
through. all of the trials and stuff of being here, like we're talking
about , not really getting opportunities and I think that you can take that one of two ways. And I used it to really grow in my faith and I just realized that like, God's got me all the time and like, even whenever I don't have an answer that I can trust that he's gonna give me the grace every day to get through what I need to get through. I continue to trust his plan and I just felt like he's never, never led me wrong."
Drawing inspiration from Mother Teresa's empowering quotes, like "do small things with great love" and "love them anyway," she derives faith and resilience against external pressures. Her belief in the idea that privilege entails responsibility, as illustrated in the book of Romans, provides her with strength. Viewing challenges as blessings, she embraces a mindset of gratitude and sees opportunities for growth.
The Impact of LSU Fandom on Generations
We ended talking about her love for LSU and growing up a fan as she said "I think honestly if I would have went anywhere else that my grandpa would not have worn the colors honestly, my grandpa is a super, super, super huge LSU fan. So I mean, I grew, grew up watching all of the games for really every sport, football, baseball, and softball."
She told me "I joke around with Sandra Moton. Well, she was Sandra Simmons at the time when she was playing and she's one of our coaches now and she doesn't really like, like attention and those kinds of things. But I tell her, I'm like Sandy, You know you're my
favorite player. Whenever I was little, I got your autograph and I thought you were so cool."
This season, keep a keen eye out for Abigail as she embarks on the next chapter of her LSU journey. With determination and passion, she is set to continue her academic and personal growth, pushing herself to new heights and embracing fresh challenges along the way.
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