Nebraska Heads to Big Ten Tournament
Four Huskers Earn All-Big Ten Honors
Blog: Fans' a Cappella Tear Up Coaches
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For Nebraska senior catcher Steph Pasquale, Wednesday was another day she felt like pinching herself. She is, after all, a first-team All-Big Ten Conference softball player, the lone catcher on the 18-player All-Big Ten first team. A 5-foot-6 native of Pompton Lakes, N.J., Pasquale has multiple reasons to celebrate the luck, the life and the love she’s felt since leaving Temple.
Despite being the only All-American in Temple softball history and a three-time All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection, Pasquale had no choice but to leave the large, urban college in Philadelphia. Temple eliminated its softball program. “It was ironic that Steph still had one year of eligibility remaining,” Nebraska Softball Coach Rhonda Revelle said. “When Steph emailed me last spring, I got the go-ahead from compliance to contact her. She came to Lincoln on a visit, saw what we had to offer, and she was just blown away. She liked everything – the facilities, the support, the staff, academics…you name it...I think she just feels like pinching herself every day.”
Looking Back, Pasquale’s Broken Hand Became a God-Send
That is not an exaggeration. “I think about it every day – how great it is to get a second chance anywhere, let alone at a place like Nebraska,” Pasquale told me. “I really do feel like pinching myself every day. When it all came together, I just started crying. Sometimes, I still have that emotion. Everything we did to build the program at Temple was gone. It was all just pulled out from underneath us. Looking back, I would call it a God-send for me. I broke my hand my last season at Temple, so I redshirted. My friends still talk about how lucky everything was for me.”
Lady luck has enabled Pasquale to soak in every aspect of Nebraska softball history in her one and only short season as a Husker. Sitting in the dugout with Pasquale after a recent practice, I ask if she knows what’s on the signs surrounding Bowlin Stadium, the home of Husker softball. She knows every accomplishment that each sign portrays…59 NCAA Tournament wins, 29 Academic All-Americans, 24 All-Americans, 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, 19 conference championships, and seven magical opportunities to play in the Women’s College World Series.
Nebraska’s Fans Created a Whole Different Atmosphere
“My whole experience at Nebraska has been unbelievable,” Pasquale said. “At Temple, we were lucky to have parents inside the stadium for a regular-season game. Here, you get several hundred people for a scrimmage. It’s a whole different atmosphere. What a great second chance. When I was recruited out of high school, it came down to Temple and Fordham. I cried when we eliminated softball. I was devastated.”
Elation now replaces devastation. “It was humbling, but I’m very, very happy to be doing what I’m doing at Nebraska,” Pasquale said. “Nebraska has such a rich history in softball, and I’m so blessed to be a part of it, even it is only for one year.”
Pasquale's 36 RBIs One Short of Big Ten Conference Record
Make that one amazing year with astonishing individual results. This season, Pasquale hit .406 in Big Ten play. She has seven doubles, eight homers and 36 RBIs. You want history? Her 36 RBIs in conference play rank second in Big Ten history, one shy of the record. She also has a .855 slugging percentage and a .506 on-base percentage in league play. Overall, Pasquale is batting .373 this season with 10 doubles, 10 homers and 47 RBIs.
“As a graduate student, Steph really has taken advantage of everything that’s been available,” Revelle said. “She has a lot of passion and a lot of energy. From the first home game to the last, she could not have handled it all any better. She’s done everything we’ve hoped for and has absolutely met the work that it takes to help our pitchers. She might be a coach someday and could be one of the best because she’s totally passionate. That’s Steph!”
Edwards’ Graduation Left Husker Catcher Position Open
Pasquale plays with passion. A left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower, she broke her hand at Temple sliding into third base head first. That unfortunate injury became the catalyst for her fortunate landing in Lincoln. “I emailed every big school possible,” she said. “I was really panicky because people weren’t returning my emails and if they did, they didn’t have any scholarship money available. I was so lucky that Taylor Edwards played her last season last year and Nebraska needed a catcher. When I heard that, I thought, ‘Oh man, this could be awesome'. I couldn’t wait to talk to Coach Revelle.”
Having already taken visits to Texas Tech and Coastal Carolina, Pasquale waited until the Huskers lost in the NCAA Super Regional before emailing Nebraska. Everything else is history. “Coach Revelle is awesome. She has so much spunk about her,” Pasquale said. “I haven’t seen anyone anywhere who’s as passionate as she is. She has all the energy in the world. She may yell at you, but she’s still with you when you make a mistake. That’s what I love about her the most. Coach (Lori) Sippel and Coach (Diane) Miller are the same way. They’re the best.”
Pasquale Would Love to Coach with Husker-like Support
According to Pasquale, Nebraska’s on-the-field passion matches Husker fans in the stands. “I love it when our fans wear their rally hats. Their support is just awesome,” Pasquale said. “They cheer for everybody, and they’re ecstatic all the time. I love the way they yell ‘Go Big Red’ and ‘Huskers on the Pond’. Man, I’d love to coach someday with fans like them backing you up. If I don’t end up in coaching, I’d like to work with kids who have special needs.”
Having earned her undergraduate degree in exercise and sports science from Temple last August, Pasquale is studying special education as a graduate student at Nebraska. Pasquale feels she could have competed at the NCAA Division II level in basketball and soccer, but cannot imagine a more memorable collegiate experience that softball has provided.
Steph Says Her Mom Sharon Pasquale is ‘One Tough Lady’
Pasquale grew up watching her dad and brother play baseball, so she played baseball until transitioning to softball in high school. I ask if her spirit and toughness can be traced to her brother and dad. “Honestly, I get it from my mom,” she said. “She is one tough lady. She’s probably the toughest person I know.”
Sharon Pasquale is Steph’s mom (pictured above, second from left and flanked by husband John and daughter Steph; junior pitcher Emily Lockman is far right). Sharon is a caring, confident teacher at a private school. “She has to be tough to get done what she gets done,” Steph said. Here’s wishing Sharon Pasquale a Happy Mother’s Day, and may the force be with Nebraska’s All-Big Ten catcher at the Big Ten Softball Tournament this weekend in Columbus, Ohio.
Congratulations also to two Husker teammates earning first-team All-Big Ten status – junior center fielder Kiki Stokes and sophomore third-baseman MJ Knighten, one of six players to be a unanimous All-Big Ten choice. Lockman was a second-team All-Big Ten pick, and sophomore outfielder Lotte Sjulin earned a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
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