A Word From The Coaching Staff

Katy Gannon:
We were pretty disappointed when Katy told us she wasn’t coming to Saint Mary’s because we knew we were losing a very talented softball player. After a semester at another university, she called and said she had changed her mind and wanted to transfer to SMU. How could we say no? We were thrilled. We knew she’d be an instant starter for us. And she fit in with the team right from the start.

She’s been rock solid for us in the infield and has been a mainstay in the top of our lineup. She brings amazing confidence to the plate. She’s one of our best bunters, can hit line-drive singles and can also change the game with one swing of the bat with one of her many home runs. Defensively, she runs the show from the shortstop spot and gives 100 percent on every play.

The senior class gives us great leadership and Katy is more of the quiet leader. She doesn’t like to rock the boat, but instead leads by example and her teammates follow her. Katy will do anything her teammates ask of her and has the ability to connect with everyone on the team individually.

We will miss her pure athleticism, her strong work ethic, her sense of humor and her love for the game.

Kellie Simons:
We met Kellie at an exposure event and were as impressed with her personality afterwards as we were with her skills during the event. She approached us with a list of questions and had a clear plan for her future. We knew Kellie was a class act and had her head on straight.

When she picked SMU, we knew we were getting an outstanding third baseman. Although she played a few innings in the outfield her first year, we knew she would be a huge factor at the corner for us. We are confident in her every time the ball gets hit to her and count on her to help us offensively wherever we put her in the lineup. She has had a bunch of huge, game-winning hits for us over the years.

She’s the vocal leader of the senior class and can be counted on to pick up our team whenever we need it. She never quits and always believes in her teammates.

We will miss her dedication to the sport, her support to each of her teammates, her talent on the field and her voice.

Jo Mangan:
Social media helped us get Jo on our roster. After her freshman year, Mal Betzold told us about this girl she has a few classes with that “says she’s pretty good at softball.” With Mal’s help, Jo talked with the coaches on Facebook and pretty soon we had a new, talented sophomore catcher on our team. Jo fit in right away with her sassy Chicago style and willingness to work hard.

She came in at the perfect time and did everything she could to earn the starting spot. Jo is extremely coachable and does anything you ask of her. We have a ton of confidence in her when she’s behind the plate and her hitting has improved every year. She’s come through with some clutch hits for us and shows that our lineup is solid from top to bottom.

Her leadership style is laid-back but still important. She’ll do anything to help out the other catchers and each and every pitcher. She works hard, never complains and leads by example. When she does speak up, her teammates listen.

We will miss her reliability behind the plate, her sense of humor, her ability to reach out to the new members of the team each year and her willingness to put the team first.

Mal Betzold:
We officially met Mal at an exposure event in the Cities, but CBray had coached against Mal for years at the high school level. We knew Mal had the talent to be an everyday player at the collegiate level and were thrilled when she confirmed to Saint Mary’s.

Mal is a force at the plate for us and we are constantly hearing from other teams about how they hate pitching to her. She’s probably our best bunter, has the ability to draw walks, can hit line-drive singles and also has the power to hit bombs. She’s extremely solid at first base and has been a huge factor in our success from the mound. Mal’s a “gamer” and does her best when the pressure is highest.

She’s gone out of her way to help lead the pitching staff this year both with the physical and mental side of the game. There’s nobody more mentally prepared for a game than Mal – she knows the ins and outs of her opponents and excels at the strategic side of the game.

We will miss her presence out on the field, her ability to dig deep and push through injuries, her sense of humor and her passion for the game.