Skyhawk softball team members pose for a candid shot after learning they had been chosen to finish first in the Ohio Valley Conference this season. | Photo courtesy Shyanne Sheffield
Editor’s note: The author of this story, Shyanne Sheffield, is a member of the UT Martin softball team but is out for her senior season because of an injury.
As the preseason favorite to finish first in the Ohio Valley Conference, UT Martin’s softball team made a strong debut in their 4-1 win against Kennesaw State on Feb. 10 and has had a mixed bag of wins and losses against non-conference teams since then.
Regardless, the Skyhawks, who finished third in conference play last year, have big expectations to end on top in their 2023 season.
Head coach Brian Dunn, who’s entering his third season at UT Martin, believes the team will be the one to beat. He said although being predicted first in the conference gives “a boost of confidence” to the players, he “must do a good job of reminding them that the best team doesn’t win the games but the team that plays the best.”
Dunn said to separate themselves from the others, “[They] are spending a lot more time on the emphasis of team chemistry and building a strong sisterhood.” Last year, the softball team suffered crucial losses by just one or two runs, lowering their overall conference ranking.
“The more connected we are, the more we will be willing to fight for each other and win those close games,” Dunn said.
Graduate infielder Kallie Pickens was chosen as the OVC Softball Player to Watch among some of the other top contenders in the league. She holds a high leadership role on the team and has consistently been a high performer athletically and academically in her years at UT Martin. Pickens said that with Murray and Belmont leaving the conference, their primary competition this year will most likely be SEMO.
“I think we have the potential to win every game,” Pickens said. “I think what’s going to separate us is our connection off the field and doing the little things to progress every day.”
The Skyhawk softball team practices about three hours a day, and one could imagine the challenges of overcoming the frigid January weather on the field. Junior infielder Anna Hazlewood explained, “When it’s cold outside you feel stiff and it’s almost hard to move, and when it’s hot it seems like all your energy is drained as soon as the sun hits you.”
One of the team’s standards is to bring energy every day even when they don’t feel like it. Hazlewood fully embodies that, consistently spreading positive talk and being a huge voice for the team.
“When we practice in harsh conditions, it gets our bodies and minds accustomed to all different weather possibilities and makes us all-around better athletes,” Hazlewood said.
Clinging to that champion mindset, the Skyhawk softball team is looking forward to finishing their preseason strong at the Saluki Invitational this weekend (March 4), as well as continuing their success when conference play starts March 12. They highly encourage students and fans to attend games and support them as they pursue a winning season.
