Abby Zawadzki’s Path to Ohio State

1 month ago 0

Abby Zawadzki from St. Charles North made a pivotal decision in her softball career. Facing uncertainty, she chose to bet on herself, putting in the hard work necessary to succeed. On June 30, she committed to Ohio State, joining coach Kirin Kumar’s team. This decision reconnects her with Sara Tarr, a former teammate and alum of West Aurora.

Zawadzki had initially committed to Ole Miss but reopened her recruitment in September. Changes in NCAA rules prompted her to reconsider. A hard roster limit of 25 players affected Ole Miss, where she originally planned to play. She was one of several pitchers in a class of 13 recruits. In light of these developments, the coach withdrew her offer.

Throughout this process, Lauren McNulty, coach of the 18U Dennison Silver Hawks, provided crucial support. McNulty’s connections and advice were instrumental. “She has a lot of contacts,” Zawadzki acknowledged, emphasizing the importance of staying active in recruitment through camps and social media outreach.

Meanwhile, Coach Kumar at Ohio State expressed a strong interest in Zawadzki. Kumar, in her second season with the Buckeyes, had previously worked with Tarr at Miami of Ohio. Tarr, having transferred to Ohio State with Kumar, became a significant presence on the team. Her freshman year performance included a .206 batting average with four home runs.

Zawadzki also reconnected with area players, such as Yorkville’s Madi Reeves, underscoring the coach’s success in recruiting local talent. Zawadzki expressed excitement about rejoining Tarr, saying, “We traded texts and talked,” demonstrating her enthusiasm for the upcoming season.

During her senior year, Zawadzki excelled with a 12-0 record and a 2.07 ERA. Additionally, she showcased her batting skills with a .420 average, 11 home runs, and 45 RBIs, earning the Beacon-News/Courier-News Softball Player of the Year title.

Coach Kumar has offered Zawadzki the opportunity to both pitch and hit. Zawadzki looks forward to this challenge, ready to produce results on the field.