As UNC Greensboro’s seniors celebrated their academic achievements at Commencement last Friday, five graduating seniors were in Chattanooga instead, fighting for another collegiate award: the Southern Conference (SoCon) Softball Championship.
For Kaylyn Belfield and many of her teammates, this season has been a destiny they’ve been working towards since they were children.
“I started attending big-time college softball games and conference championships as young as 9 years old,” she remembers. “It has been a dream of mine to not only play Division I softball but to help a team win a conference championship and an NCAA berth. I am grateful to Coach Breneman and the staff and UNCG for being a part of this program.”
Update:
After an incredible SoCon Championship run, the 41st Spartan softball team (“Team 41” as they call themselves) went on to win the Spartan’s first ever NCAA tournament game in a 1-0 nailbiter versus 6-seed Clemson before falling to Georgia and Clemson on Saturday. Check out the stats of their games in the NCAA regional tournament hosted in Athens.
The past two weeks of postseason play have been an emotional whirlwind that began with a special ceremony on the team’s sacred outfield.
Unfinished Business
On Tuesday, April 28, the five seniors on the team, Kaylyn Belfield, Rhyann Jones, Madelyn McKinnon, Salem Ward, and Rylie Williams, received their diplomas in an early commencement ceremony in the outfield of the Spartan softball stadium.
For all but Jones, who returns after an injury for one final season while she finishes her master’s degree, this would be the last event on their home field. Kinesiology professor and the team’s beloved trainer, Dr. Aaron Terranova, delivered a heartfelt address. Family, friends, coaches, and teammates joined the celebration with flowers, hugs, and proud smiles for the camera.
Jones officially graduated in December but waited until spring to walk with her teammates. She was touched by the ceremony. “Having that special commencement before postseason travel gave us a chance to pause and celebrate not only our accomplishments on the field, but also everything we’ve overcome and achieved academically,” Jones explains. “Being surrounded by teammates, support staff, and family made it even more special.”
Unlike their other classmates, this commencement ceremony would not mark the end of these scholar-athlete’s college days. They had a regular season to finish, a conference tournament to win, and, hopefully, a NCAA tournament to play before they would become Spartan alumnae.
A Season to Remember
After the team’s commencement, they traveled to Birmingham, Ala. for a final series versus Samford University. Their win capped a 39-17 season that crowned the ladies SoCon regular season champions.
“What makes this team so special is how deeply we care about one another both on and off the field,” says Ward. “Everyone bought into the same goals and pushed each other to be better every single day. We have built such a strong bond and culture for this program, and it is so rewarding to see the hard work payoff.”
Seniors reached milestones in the final game on both sides of the ball. Ward stepped on to the mound for the 47th start of her career and won her 11th victory of the season, reaching 40 career wins as a Spartan. And at the plate, Belfield surpassed 200 career hits when she went 2-for-3 to beat Samford in the last regular season game.
Belfield credits her strength this season to the support of her teammates. “Proverbs 27:17 says, ‘iron sharpens iron’, so one person sharpens another,’” she explains. “Being surrounded by winning coaches and other talented players inspires me to be the best version I can be, and it inspires me to encourage my teammates to be their best.”
Tenacity and skills start at the top and flow through this team of standouts. Coach Janelle Breneman reached her 600th career win in April, 469 of those with the Blue & Gold. She was named SoCon Coach of the Year for her leadership in this team’s storied season. Also honored at the postseason awards were Brooklyn Shroyer, SoCon Pitcher of the Year, and Avery Bouquin, SoCon Freshman of the Year.
“We are playing with a ‘team first’ mentality,” says Breneman. “The seniors have done a good job of acclimating nine new players to this program (seven rookies, two transfers). We have also utilized our sports performance coaches and have strengthened the mental side of the ballgame, which has improved our toughness and response to failure as a team.”
Survive and Advance
This team’s determination continued as they traveled from Birmingham to Chattanooga, Tenn. for the SoCon Tournament. Here, every win would give them one more chance to play together.
“What makes this team so special is the people,” Jones explains. “Everyone is striving for something bigger than themselves, and that culture started with Coach Breneman and our staff. The individual records and accomplishments are amazing, but I think they were possible because of the trust, confidence, and selflessness within our team.”
In the end, they swept the tournament with wins over Wofford and two shutouts against Samford for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The win marked the Spartans’ eighth SoCon championship in program history and the first shutout in a championship game. Shroyer, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, teamed up with senior catcher McKinnon to give up only one hit.
“A lasting memory I will have from this team is the moment we won on Sunday,” says McKinnon. “The relief, joy, and sense of accomplishment after we made the last out was a feeling I’ll never forget. Throughout the whole weekend, the energy and vibes were high. The dugout was loud, everyone had each other’s back, and we competed every pitch. There was no stopping this team!”
One More Ride
On the way home from Chattanooga, the bus took a detour to Buffalo Wild Wings in Bristol, Tenn. so the team could watch the NCAA selection announcements and find out who they would play next. After a call from Assistant Coach Brynne Dordel , the restaurant manager quickly made room for the Spartans, cued up the selection show on ESPN2, and blasted “We are the Champions” as the team was seated.
“Celebrating on Sunday after the championship is a moment I will never forget,” says Williams. “I have had the most fun of my life playing with this team and breaking many records this season together as one team. Being here all four of my college years has been a great experience and going out as champions has made it even better!”
Next up for UNCG is a trip to the Athens Regional where the Spartans match up with Clemson on Friday in the NCAA Division I Championship. They departed campus with high hopes for a win, but Belfield was simply looking forward to one more bus ride with her teammates.
“My favorite thing about this team is our singing on the bus before games,” she says. “We love to get hyped to our own little version of ‘Dixieland Delight.’ Team 41 will always be special. I hope we can continue to celebrate together for many years.”
Jones agrees: “Winning the SoCon Championship was unforgettable, but the relationships and memories we built throughout the journey are what make it truly special! This has truly been an amazing year, and we aren’t done yet!”
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photos submitted by UNCG Athletics.
