May 12, 2025 • 5 mins
The Big East Player of the Year on winning the programs first Big East Title since 2001 and what the seaosn has been like for her
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What were your emotions like when you caught that last
pitch from Peyton to end it, and after everything you
had been through, the close calls the previous couple of years,
what was that emotion Like?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
It was so amazing, you know, it was kind of
like all of our hard work had paid off. There
was no doubt in my mind that we weren't going
to win that game. There was no ounce of defeat
or really just like contemplating if we were going to
do it or not, like we were going to do it.
And that game felt like any normal game. It didn't
(00:31):
feel like there was an immense amount of pressure. But
catching that last pitch like, I'm so happy it was
a strikeout because I was able to rent out with
the ball in my glove and hug Payton and dog
pile with my team on the field, Like it's it's
an incredible feeling.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
You still have the ball?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Oh yeah, well, like I gave it to coach V
so it'll it'll be up in our in the suite
for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Right. The approach that this team took offensively change significantly
this year with the power. What changed with you? Was
there a little bit of an a that changed you
from just a hitter to a power hitter.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, after our season last year, in my eggs of
meeting talking to Coach Mac, She's like, what do you
want to work on over the summer and what do
you want to come back on and work on? And
I said, I want to be able to hit that
inside pitch. I want to be able to hit that
inside pitch not only get a single, but hit it
over the right field fence. And so I went to
work over the summer. When I came back in the fall,
(01:24):
Coach Mac and I worked really hard in the cages.
There were some moments where I would leave an individual
and I didn't barrel up one ball like one ball.
It was hard, but I think that that was the
philosophy for everyone on our team was it's going to
be hard in the cages and it's going to feel
easy on the field. So yeah, for me was to
be able to hit that inside pitch for power, and honestly,
(01:44):
like this lineup is insane to be able to step
up to the plate and feel absolutely free and not
have to worry about like it's all my shoulders, Like
every single person in our lineup can contribute. So that's
another thing too, being able to step up into the
box and feel free and not be a friend of
failure because I know the girl in front of me
and behind me has my back.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Tell me about the Tennessee weekend. How much of a
confidence boost did that give you and your teammates?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
It was. It was so much fun, you know, playing
those kinds of teams. Obviously they're super competitive, The atmosphere
is incredible. You know, they had the fans, and you know,
I grew up watching Tennessee softball on the TV, so
to be able to actually play on that field is incredible.
But the confidence was insane. I mean, we came back
an absolutely dominated Big East play. We realized, wow, if
(02:30):
we can compete with one of the top teams in
the nation, like, imagine how much we can dominate in
our own conference. So a lot of confidence for our
pitching staff are defense. I think we turned like five
double plays that weekend. So yeah, great, great weekend. Was
the Saint John's.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Weekend just kind of a bit of a bummer, but
knowing that you guys had the bats that this past
weekend was more than doable.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yes, I think the Saint John's weekend definitely was disappointing,
but it didn't affect us in years past. He kind
of bounced back super quickly and we realized like, hey,
you know, we had two run run games against them.
We put up a good fight, we came back, and
our attitudes I think was the difference in coming into
the Big East Tournament. We were not afraid. We wanted
(03:12):
to play Saint John's. Obviously we didn't get to, but
it was more so we were on the offense the
entire time, not on defense. Grace.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I saw the podcast you did with Jared, Yes it
was last week, but you brought up a good point.
There's a lot of pressure to win here at Yukon
based on what happens here in this building, what happens
at Campbell, what happens with football and soccer and that,
and you talked about that being kind of a motivator.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Is that kind of how you guys as a team
approach it.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Absolutely? I think you know, when you look around and
people are winning the regular biggiest championships left and right,
and they're winning the conference tournaments and softball you know
has been on the bandwagon. We've almost made it, you know,
the past couple of years. It's in my career. Here,
we've been knocking on the door. But finally, you know,
we got the key, we unlocked it, and it's awesome.
(04:00):
You know, you walk around and finally you can be like, yeah,
like we want our tournament too, because we're all just
we're all just so good. And you know, if if
you're not striving to win the conference tournament, you know,
like why are you here at Yukon? Like truly? So yeah, no,
it's it's awesome. It's amazing to be surrounded by champions.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Were you ever in this duty section at Campbell to
watch Page? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
What was it? Like? What's it like to have somebody
that I guess a magnetic personnelity that people can just
gravitate too, in the influence that she has and a
talent that she has.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
She's awesome. I mean as a fellow student athlete. You know,
when I go home and people ask, oh, like what
school do you go to? I say Yukon. They're like,
do you know Pagebeckers? That's the very first question I
get and I go, you know, I've talked to her
a few times. I would hope that she would know
my name, but it's It's so cool, you know, to
be able to, you know, watch her in the w
NBA now and be able to say, hey, I was
(04:55):
I was one of her classmates. Like I I went
to school with her. It's huge. It gives Yukon the
recognition it deserves, specifically as a mid major. You know,
she she brings so many people from all around the world.
Uh as fans of Yukon so
What were your emotions like when you caught that last
pitch from Peyton to end it, and after everything you
had been through, the close calls the previous couple of years,
what was that emotion Like?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
It was so amazing, you know, it was kind of
like all of our hard work had paid off. There
was no doubt in my mind that we weren't going
to win that game. There was no ounce of defeat
or really just like contemplating if we were going to
do it or not, like we were going to do it.
And that game felt like any normal game. It didn't
(00:31):
feel like there was an immense amount of pressure. But
catching that last pitch like, I'm so happy it was
a strikeout because I was able to rent out with
the ball in my glove and hug Payton and dog
pile with my team on the field, Like it's it's
an incredible feeling.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
You still have the ball?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Oh yeah, well, like I gave it to coach V
so it'll it'll be up in our in the suite
for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Right. The approach that this team took offensively change significantly
this year with the power. What changed with you? Was
there a little bit of an a that changed you
from just a hitter to a power hitter.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, after our season last year, in my eggs of
meeting talking to Coach Mac, She's like, what do you
want to work on over the summer and what do
you want to come back on and work on? And
I said, I want to be able to hit that
inside pitch. I want to be able to hit that
inside pitch not only get a single, but hit it
over the right field fence. And so I went to
work over the summer. When I came back in the fall,
(01:24):
Coach Mac and I worked really hard in the cages.
There were some moments where I would leave an individual
and I didn't barrel up one ball like one ball.
It was hard, but I think that that was the
philosophy for everyone on our team was it's going to
be hard in the cages and it's going to feel
easy on the field. So yeah, for me was to
be able to hit that inside pitch for power, and honestly,
(01:44):
like this lineup is insane to be able to step
up to the plate and feel absolutely free and not
have to worry about like it's all my shoulders, Like
every single person in our lineup can contribute. So that's
another thing too, being able to step up into the
box and feel free and not be a friend of
failure because I know the girl in front of me
and behind me has my back.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Tell me about the Tennessee weekend. How much of a
confidence boost did that give you and your teammates?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
It was. It was so much fun, you know, playing
those kinds of teams. Obviously they're super competitive, The atmosphere
is incredible. You know, they had the fans, and you know,
I grew up watching Tennessee softball on the TV, so
to be able to actually play on that field is incredible.
But the confidence was insane. I mean, we came back
an absolutely dominated Big East play. We realized, wow, if
(02:30):
we can compete with one of the top teams in
the nation, like, imagine how much we can dominate in
our own conference. So a lot of confidence for our
pitching staff are defense. I think we turned like five
double plays that weekend. So yeah, great, great weekend. Was
the Saint John's.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Weekend just kind of a bit of a bummer, but
knowing that you guys had the bats that this past
weekend was more than doable.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yes, I think the Saint John's weekend definitely was disappointing,
but it didn't affect us in years past. He kind
of bounced back super quickly and we realized like, hey,
you know, we had two run run games against them.
We put up a good fight, we came back, and
our attitudes I think was the difference in coming into
the Big East Tournament. We were not afraid. We wanted
(03:12):
to play Saint John's. Obviously we didn't get to, but
it was more so we were on the offense the
entire time, not on defense. Grace.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I saw the podcast you did with Jared, Yes it
was last week, but you brought up a good point.
There's a lot of pressure to win here at Yukon
based on what happens here in this building, what happens
at Campbell, what happens with football and soccer and that,
and you talked about that being kind of a motivator.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Is that kind of how you guys as a team
approach it.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Absolutely? I think you know, when you look around and
people are winning the regular biggiest championships left and right,
and they're winning the conference tournaments and softball you know
has been on the bandwagon. We've almost made it, you know,
the past couple of years. It's in my career. Here,
we've been knocking on the door. But finally, you know,
we got the key, we unlocked it, and it's awesome.
(04:00):
You know, you walk around and finally you can be like, yeah,
like we want our tournament too, because we're all just
we're all just so good. And you know, if if
you're not striving to win the conference tournament, you know,
like why are you here at Yukon? Like truly? So yeah, no,
it's it's awesome. It's amazing to be surrounded by champions.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Were you ever in this duty section at Campbell to
watch Page? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
What was it? Like? What's it like to have somebody
that I guess a magnetic personnelity that people can just
gravitate too, in the influence that she has and a
talent that she has.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
She's awesome. I mean as a fellow student athlete. You know,
when I go home and people ask, oh, like what
school do you go to? I say Yukon. They're like,
do you know Pagebeckers? That's the very first question I
get and I go, you know, I've talked to her
a few times. I would hope that she would know
my name, but it's It's so cool, you know, to
be able to, you know, watch her in the w
NBA now and be able to say, hey, I was
(04:55):
I was one of her classmates. Like I I went
to school with her. It's huge. It gives Yukon the
recognition it deserves, specifically as a mid major. You know,
she she brings so many people from all around the world.
Uh as fans of Yukon so
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