By Trevor Wenners
Assistant Director of Sports Information
You can learn a great deal about someone from watching how they respond to adversity.
What we found out about McKenzie Brunel of the LaGrange College softball team is that her competitive spirit goes far beyond the confines of a sports' field.
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| McKenzie Brunel has high expectations for her senior season in 2020. |
The outfielder earned USA South West Division First Team honors for the Panthers in 2017 as a rookie. She put up even better numbers as a sophomore through 18 games, but everything changed on March 10, 2018. In a game against Covenant at the LC Softball Complex, Brunel was trying to steal third, but a line drive made her immediately change directions. The young woman heard her knee snap on the abrupt turning motion, resulting in a torn ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus.
"Knee injuries were always my biggest fear of playing sports, so mentally I struggled a lot with my injury and recovery," said Brunel. "I spent the whole next year rehabbing with our athletic trainers Katie Daniel and Rob Dicks, along with doing my own stuff on the side. This injury made me strong mentally and physically."
Brunel had season-ending surgery on April 3, 2018, as the road to recovery is not a smooth one but can empower people. She showed that she might get knocked down occasionally, but nothing will break her.
"Softball is something that I have always turned to when I needed a break from other things, like school and stress," said Brunel. "Not being on the field was new, so I tried to find extra ways to support my teammates and help out in any way."
Brunel was cleared to play in February 2019 and was one of four Panthers with a batting average (.312) over .300 last year. She finished with 24 hits, 19 runs, eight stolen bases and seven RBIs.
As a rookie, Brunel ranked first on the team in stolen bases (12), second in batting average (.360), second in runs (15) and tied for second in hits (27). The Broxton, Georgia, product recorded back-to-back, three-hit games against Huntingdon and Agnes Scott in 2017.
Brunel batted .413 in 2018, finishing with four hits and three stolen bases in a game against Judson. The nursing major earned 2018 USA South West Division Second Team laurels.
The Panthers qualified for the USA South Tournament in each of Brunel's first three seasons. The 2020 season begins with a doubleheader against Agnes Scott on Sunday, Feb. 16, at the LC Softball Complex. The senior captain talked about her emotions and expectations.
Q: What are your thoughts going into the season?
A: I am excited to get this season going, but a little sad since it is my last one. I am passionate about the sport, so softball never gets old. This year, I finally feel like the old me again. As a captain, being the best me possible is important to our team's success. We want to be 110-percent driven and focused every day. Every day is another opportunity to get better and improve our overall game.
Q: What is the culture of the 2020 team?
A: We have a decent number of upperclassmen, with good experience under their belts. We have some talented underclassmen that are going to develop more as the year progresses. We have a great mixture of personalities and talents that will all come to light in the right moments. Our strength and conditioning coaches have been preparing us with the strength and nutrition that we need to stay healthy through a long season.
Q: Does the team have a goal of making it past the first round of the USA South Tournament this year?
A: Our goal is to not only make the tournament, but to win it. Our coaches and strength coaches are constantly reminding us of how much the final losses in the past three years have hurt. We do not like to feel defeated after being close, so this year, we simply do not see it as an option for us. We have great coaches and four influential seniors to help guide us through the season and into the tournament.
Q: What makes head coach Jennifer Claybrook unique?
A: Coach Claybrook's coaching style is always optimistic. She is our No. 1 cheerleader, which keeps the whole team's spirits up throughout the entire duration of practices and games. She wants all members of the team to be a part of at least one other campus organization. It allows us to take that mental break before coming back to the field.
Q: What does it mean to put on a Panthers' uniform?
A: Putting on the Panthers' jersey reminds me that I am part of something bigger than myself. We are a close-knit family. As Panthers, it is expected that we are tenacious and persistent every time we step on the field. We are hardworking and do not ever quit.
Q: What is your favorite component of the game?
A: My favorite part is batting. I love being a slap hitter because it is my specialty. I have worked a long time on this technique, so it is always fun for me.
Q: What are your superstitions on game day?
A: I must play with a hair tie on my left wrist. I wear my hair a certain way with a certain headband and bow. I listen to a certain playlist of music. In the batter's box, I draw a line in the dirt out in front of the plate and twist my bat around until I have the spot where I wrote a Bible verse facing me.
Q: What are your hidden talents?
A: I have played four sports my whole life until college, and I loved track hurdles in high school. I won state a few years. I can take a nap at any given time of the day.
Q: If you could invite five people to dinner, who would they be?
A: My dinner guests would be Lori Greiner, Tim McGraw, Ryan Reynolds, Carrie Underwood and Mia Hamm.
Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
