College softball in Minnesota and elsewhere remains primarily White. Annual NCAA data show six percent of softball players are Black — it was five percent from 2014 to 2019.
The MSR last weekend, in separate games, talked to the only three Blacks on the state’s two Division I softball teams. One starts at Minnesota, and two are first-year players at St. Thomas. All three Black females are acutely aware that they are the only ones out there either on the field or in the dugouts, as their respective opponents had zero Blacks on their rosters.
Gophers’ Breezy Burnett
Breezy Burnett’s third Gopher season concluded last weekend. The 5’7” junior outfielder along with her teammates braved the March-like temps (in the low 40s at game time) and defeated visiting Michigan 4-0 at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
“I’m just staying moving,” said Burnett afterwards. She started in centerfield and got on base via a walk in the victory last Friday. “I use a lot of HotHands,” she admitted as a way to cope with the cold. “I got HotHands in my back pocket. And I just try to mentally block it out because I’ve played in very worse conditions.
“I always compare it to games where it was like 10 times colder than it was today,” noted the Jacksonville, Fla. native. She caught one of six fly balls the Wolverines hit and kept a Michigan runner from advancing.
Starting pitcher Sydney Schwartz pitched a masterful gem, striking out five and only giving up three hits in her complete game win.
“She works hard day in and day out, and just literally mowed down [opposing batters] every game,” marveled Burnett of her teammate. “It’s no surprise to me because I knew she can do it.”
It also came as no surprise that she didn’t see any other players that look like herself, added Burnett, who has been a regular with the Gophers during her entire college career thus far. She started every game this season, had a .400 slugging percentage — almost 30 points better than her career average — and went 2-for-2 in base stealing, 17-for-18 for her career.
“I definitely always notice,” said Burnett. “I always look just to see if there’s another one. That’s crazy.”
Burnett said she looks forward to next season, her final at Minnesota, and hopes one day of seeing more Blacks playing softball at non-HBCU schools. “I still got next year, so I’m excited to keep chipping away.”
Tommies’ Wichman, Trotter, and Crawford
The University of St. Thomas Tommies clinched their first-ever Summit League softball title last weekend by defeating North Dakota State in two of three games at South Field.
Freshmen Miley Wichman and Zoe Trotter, along with senior pitcher Christina Crawford, represent the team’s Black student-athletes, contributing to both the team’s success and its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
In the decisive 9-0 win last Saturday, both Wichman and Trotter played key roles as pinch runners, with Wichman scoring one of the team’s nine runs.
“We flushed it and we came back stronger,” said Wichman, a 5’7” utility player, referring to their mindset after splitting the Friday doubleheader. Saturday’s win not only sealed the title but also marked Senior Day.
“We’re playing for them…and letting the day take us where it takes us, and just really enjoying it together,” added Trotter, a 5’5” outfielder.
Trotter and Wichman first connected during their recruiting visit. “We had our visit together,” said Trotter. “Everybody just has the same goal in mind—just here to win, have fun, and compete. That’s what we were excited to do.”
On being two of the three team’s Black players, Trotter emphasized the culture of inclusivity: “Our coach does a great job of recruiting good people and building a diverse team. She knows that’s really important.”
“I think that is their goal,” Wichman added, noting the value of diversity in collegiate athletics.
Crawford, a senior pitcher and fellow member of the team, rounds out the trio of Black players making an impact—helping shape the future of Tommies softball while making history of their own.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
This article is nothing more than race bait! Very clever way to avoid the fact that most if not all Softball teams have Asian, Hawaiian, Hispanic, White and Black players. Not to mention the number of multi-racial players that pepper the league. You should be embarrassed!