The Utah Statesman, March 13, 2023

Claire Ott is a third-year student studying journalism with an environmental studies minor. Claire enjoys the outdoors, photography and music. She hopes to see the world someday and do lots of cool things.

USU Softball primed for conference slate

By Jake Ellis and Emma Becerra SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF REPORTER

Utah State Softball relied on the long ball and two workhorse pitchers to fnish fourth in the Mountain West Conference in 2022 with a record of 13-11. This year, the Aggies will have to overcome the loss of fve integral athletes and train their rising stars to have a shot at making the conference tournament come May.

USU has a lot to prove after being predicted to fnish last by the conference’s nine coaches. That skepticism has some merit, considering the Aggies’ losses of shortstop Lexi Orozco, USU’s all-time leader in RBIs and home runs, and pitcher Kapri Toone, who led the team with a 2.89 ERA. Both transferred out of the program during the offseason.

“Predictions don’t mean anything,” head coach Steve Johnson said. “I didn’t think we’d be last, but when you lose a pitcher who had as many innings and wins as Kapri did, and you lose some of the bigger names that we had, I mean, yeah, it’s not unexpected, but they don’t mean anything. It’s a matter of where you fnish at the end of the year instead of somebody predicting it.”

Despite the personnel change, Utah State has two promising frst-year players already making an impact. In the frst week of the season, pitcher and outfelder Hailey McLean was honored as the Mountain West Pitcher and Freshman of the Week after tabbing a single-game, program-record 20 strikeouts in her collegiate debut against CSU Bakersfeld.

“Hailey has so much heart when she’s on the feld,” senior catcher and infelder Gabriella Jimenez said. “Just being behind that, it pumps me up, and I know like, she’s in it and we’re all going to be behind her. And she just brings us this personality that I feel like we needed.”

Two weeks later, outfelder Jaden Colunga won Mountain West Player and Freshman of the Week honors when she hit .667, a home run and six RBIs against Montana and South Dakota.

“She comes in and she does her work every single day, and she wants to make the team better,” Jimenez said of Colunga.

Johnson said both players’ potential is “sky high.” “Both of them are learning how to go through games and live life as a Division I athlete,” Johnson said. “As long as they continue to learn and grow from every opportunity, they are going to have a great season.” Even with some veteran losses, Jimenez, Utah State’s home-run leader last season, elected to use her extra eligibility from the coronavirus for a ffth collegiate season. “I decided to come back because I felt like I wasn’t done here at Utah State, and I wanted to give back to those that were coming in and just continue for one more year with this team,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez earned First-Team All-Mountain West and started in all games last year for the Aggies. She currently holds the program’s single-season home run record with 15 in 2022. So far this season, she’s appeared in almost all games and hit her frst bomb against Montana. The infeld seems to be one of Utah State’s biggest question marks, as Johnson has tried a few different looks

during the frst few tournaments.

“The frst 20 games before we get into conference play, it’s all about learning for who’s going to be our regular, everyday starters,” Johnson said.

USU is looking for underclassmen to take a leap. Johnson said he’s already seen infelder Claudia Medina making strides and being a vocal leader.

Infelder Claire Raley is another sophomore who has found success in the early season. Through the frst three tourneys, Raley batted .364 with a .947 OPS in 33 at bats. She also hit her frst career home run against Montana.

The Aggies return a lot of experience in the outfeld with seniors Tyler Thornton and Mazie Macfarlane, though Macfarlane has yet to play this season. Johnson called them “vocal leaders,” along with catcher and infelder Makenzie Macfarlane, Mazie’s twin, and pitcher Jessica Stewart.

The Aggies’ starting rotation is headlined by sophomore Mia Reynolds. In her frst collegiate season last year, Reynolds threw 129.1 innings and tallied three complete games, including two shutouts. She also led the Aggies in strikeouts with 94, but her ERA hovered above fve due to tough outings against North Dakota State, Dixie State and UC Davis.

Reynolds has already shown improvement from her 2022 campaign, recording a 2.73 ERA in 33.1 innings through the frst three tournaments this season.

“She’s super consistent, super level-headed,” said Alyssa Millemon, a senior pitcher. “I think she brings a ton to the pitching staff.”

McLean and fellow frst-year Tess Bumiller rounded out the starting rotation through the frst few weeks of the season.

In the bullpen, the Aggies return Jessica Stewart, Nya

Laing and Millemon.

Millemon transferred from Salt Lake Community College last season and has taken a “step up” after dealing with the pressure of transitioning from JUCO to D-I.

“I think last year, it was a bit of a slap in the face coming from JUCO and just experiencing a lot of nerves,” Millemon said. “I think I just kind of wanted to step up and just get over the nerves myself, and just go out there and throw like I know how and not apply extra pressure.” She started in two games and appeared in 13 last year. Through the frst three tournaments of the season, Millemon posted a 0.64 ERA in 11 innings of work.

USU plays the frst game in the Beehive State this year at Utah Valley on March 14, and then they start the 22game long Mountain West slate. To make the conference tournament and get a chance at an NCAA Tournament bid, the Aggies will need to be in the top six of the Mountain West. That can be a lot of pressure on a young team, but Millemon said if they keep things going, she likes their chances.

“I just like to compete and win,” Millemon said. “I think if we go out there and compete, get our bats going, keep the defense, keep pitching where it’s at right now, I think we’ll do really well.”

Jimenez added that she thinks the conference will be “really competitive.”

“It’s always competitive every year, but I feel like we have a good chance of being in that tournament at the end of the year for sure,” Jimenez said.

The Aggies are set to host their home-opening and conference-opening series on March 17 against New Mexico at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson feld, weather permitting.

Baker: Tips if you’re thinking about studying abroad

Last summer I fulflled my dream of going on a study abroad program. Over the course of a month in Italy and England, I earned 6 credits, all while having an amazing time. I can truly say that I learned more than I could have ever imagined, both academically and by having new experiences in foreign countries.

I was able to see incredible sites and entertainment: I saw the Vatican, toured Doge’s Palace, and watched professional plays. Not only this, but since I was taking classes in architecture and theater, I was able to truly understand what I was seeing. But that doesn't even begin to describe my experience: I ate amazing food, had interesting conversations with foreigners, explored palaces, and so much more!

If you have ever imagined yourself studying abroad, I would encourage you to look into it, even if it seems like an unachievable goal. The USU Global Engagement website not only shows long-term programs, but also has information on programs in the summer and during winter and spring breaks. For those concerned about money, many programs are based on USU tuition and fees and the USU Global Engagement website also has a scholarship resource page to help fund your trip. You may fnd that studying abroad is more practical than you would have previously thought. I personally never thought I would be able to attend school overseas until I received the Gilman Scholarship. The Gilman Scholarship is a U.S. Department of State grant program where Pell Grant-eligible students can be awarded up to $5,000 (or $8,000 if studying a critical need language) for their study abroad or internship program.

Congratulations to those who are planning to study abroad or who are in the process of preparing for a study abroad program! I've prepared four tips for you before you travel to a new country.

Tip

1: Get Your Passport ASAP

Applying for a passport around the time you apply for your program is an important task to complete. It appears so simple, but it is easy to overlook while preparing for your program. When traveling between countries, you will need it, and you may be required to submit a photo of it after booking your fight. Your passport will arrive within 6 to 9 weeks. However, there may be processing delays, and processing can take up to 4 months.

Tip 2: Get a Credit Card with No International Fees

I was very confused about how I was going to access my money before I left for overseas. At frst, I considered trading currency with my bank or using my debit card abroad. However, I discovered that trading currency with banks often comes with a hefty fee, and some cards (including mine at the time) will charge a foreign transaction fee: a fee incurred when using your card abroad. I would recommend using a credit card that

does not charge an international fee. Make sure you get one that is widely accepted in your chosen country; Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. To be eligible for many of these credit cards, you must frst establish credit. If you intend to use cash, fnd out if you can use ATMs while abroad so you can withdraw smaller amounts at a time. Having multiple methods of accessing funds is helpful in the event that your card is lost or frozen. Remember to notify your bank or credit card company of your plans so that your card is not frozen.

Tip 3: Get a SIM Card

One of the biggest mistakes that I made while preparing to go abroad, is that I did not get a SIM card for calls and data. SIM cards allow you to make calls, text, and use data outside of the U.S. While I did buy international roaming data from my phone company, it turned out that my phone company does not work well abroad. I ended up being unable to access data outside of the U.S.

Investigate whether your phone company offers roaming data that works well in other countries. If not, you can purchase an international SIM card or a local SIM card online or upon arrival at your destination. Local SIM cards are less expensive than international cards, but they only work in one country. If you intend to buy a new SIM card, make sure your phone is unlocked before you leave.

Tip 4: Allergies and Dietary Restrictions

For people with dietary restrictions, traveling abroad can be diffcult to say the least. As someone with Celiac disease (a severe gluten intolerance), I was very afraid that I would constantly be sick. If you are going to a country where few people speak English or they do not understand your restrictions, you may want to consider printing off a card explaining what you cannot eat in their language. You can fnd and print off many of these cards online.

When you go to a restaurant, show your server the translated dietary card. I didn't use my card much in Italy because the Italians are very familiar with Celiac disease and knew what I could and couldn't eat. However, if your dietary restriction is uncommon in your country, a card may be useful.

One of the most useful things I did was mark restaurants on a map where I could eat. If I knew our group was going to a specifc area before we left, I would look up all the restaurants in that area and either mark them on a physical map or 'favorite' them on Google Maps. When everyone started getting hungry, I could pull out my map and see where the nearest safe place to eat was. In the end, I did end up eating something I shouldn't have, so be prepared in case you get sick.

Overall, studying abroad required a lot of planning, but it was well worth it. If you have any questions about studying abroad or applying for the Gilman Scholarship, please contact me at hmbaker7777@gmail.com.

Heather Baker is a senior at Utah State University majoring in public health. She enjoys running, hunting, and playing the guitar in her free time.

— hmbaker7777@gmail.com