As Kennedy Hodgman’s senior year comes to a close, she looks to continue her success from the last softball season into this season. Hodgman’s successes helped leap her into a chance to play college softball at the University of Wisconsin, Stout.
During the recruiting process, Hodgman’s biggest challenge was the choice between her schools and which one felt like home. Hodgman said, “I had a couple of schools that interested me but UW-Stout felt like home.”
Hodgman has been playing softball for 11 years and it has always been a dream of hers to play softball at the collegiate level. Hodgman said, “It is a really big accomplishment and it was a goal of mine for a long time and it felt good to finally fulfill it.” Hodgman wants to play softball for as long as she can. Playing at the collegiate level continues her love for the sport.
No matter the level, playing collegiate athletics is difficult. You have to have two separate lives and somehow make time for both. Hodgman said, “Knowing how to juggle my school work and athletics will be a challenge, but with help and good time management skills all will go well.”
Hodgman’s coaches and the community helped show her the way to continue to excel as a person and as an athlete. Hodgman said, “The Owatonna community and my coaches pushed me to be my best and it helped me achieve my goal of playing in college.”
Hodgman loves to mentor the youth and be involved in activities to help younger kids achieve their goals. Hodgman said, “My advice to people who want to play at the next level is to always work hard no matter what. The harder you will work, the more goals you will achieve.” Given Hodgman’s hard work and dedication to the sport, it catapulted her into a position where she can continue her athletics at the next level.
Hodgman’s coach was also very ecstatic for her commitment. Head softball coach Jeremy Moran said, “Pitching in softball takes so much extra effort to get to the level Kennedy is at. All her hard work over the past few years has paid off. I am very proud and excited to see what she can accomplish.” Coach Moran has coached Hodgman for many years and is very excited to see what she can do this season and at the next level.
Hodgman plans to major in biology, she has been interested in biology for a long time. She has taken lots of biology classes in high school which gave her an even better understanding of biology going into college.
