By Louis Galdos
Elm Staff Writer
Coming into her second collegiate season, sophomore Rachel Butler already has racked up quite a few accolades.
As a freshman, she made the 2017 All-Centennial Conference second team, she earned Shorewoman of the Week one time, and was a four-time Goose Nation TV Shorewoman Player of the Game last season.
She hopes to keep up the momentum, not just individually. Butler said she hopes her team will make it to the Centennial Conference playoffs and win the championship this year.
Head Coach Lacey Lister said during her freshman year Butler focused on hitting and playing in the outfield— and was successful.
“This year we are asking more from her in the circle, which she has done a great job with so far,” she said.
She also said the coaching staff has discovered Butler has a talent in batting.
“Her bat is a threat that we want in the lineup, so we practice her in multiple places so that she is always prepared,” she said.
Butler said the team’s time in Florida helped her focus on skills like these and pushed the team to become more connected on and off the diamond.
“I really think that our team is starting to come together and create good chemistry on and off the field,” Butler said.
Butler said playing the quality teams during their spring break trip in Florida has made them more prepared for the second half of games this season.
Butler said that a team goal is to see how far they can go in the Division III tournament after conference play.
“We have some great players in the senior class who we will miss next year and just want to take advantage of the talent that we’ll be losing next year,” she said.
Butler said she wants to set good examples for her teammates, as she is approaching one of these leadership positions.
“I think one of my personal goals for this season would be to set good examples for others and learn to be the best teammate that I can be,” she said.
Butler pitches, and plays outfield as well as first-base.
This well-rounded player hails from York, Penn. Before Washington College, she attended Central York High School where she was a two-sport athlete, playing softball and basketball. In her senior year, she was named 2016 All-State first team as a pitcher. She was also named the Game Time PA Softball Player of the Year in 2016. In 2015, she earned all-county second-team honors.