Scholar Stories: Difference-Maker Alexander Hungry to Regain B1G Title
4/25/2018 9:14:00 AM | Softball, Features
Continuing the popular series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Prairie Farms.
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Making a difference matters to Katie Alexander. She does it on the softball field and aspires to do it in the career she's chosen.
The junior catcher standout from nearby Saline High connects with her University of Michigan teammates, and she looks forward to doing that with children with disabilities in order to help them participate fully in school and social situations.
"There's a class taught by Dr. (Dale) Ulrich," Alexander said of Physical Activity and Pediatric Disabilities. "It was life-changing for me. I worked with special education kids, and that was really cool for me. I really want to go into occupational therapy because of that.
"It brings it back to coaching. I've helped a lot of kids in softball, and I really like to work with kids. I'm a friendly person and I smile a lot. I'm sure it's going to be hard, but what's driven me is the happiness of the kids. I'm looking to go to grad school in occupational therapy."
Alexander, an Academic All-Big Ten selection and a Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement Award recipient in 2017, has developed into one of the team's top hitters with a .358 batting average, five homers and 20 runs batted in, and she is excellent defensively. Alexander also was one of four Wolverines in all sports named this week to the National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American team.
"She's buying into the plan we've given her and has really been fun to coach," said Wolverines coach Carol Hutchins. "She's confident. She manages the game. She manages the pitchers. She does a fantastic job.
"I love her confidence more than anything. She's become not just our starting catcher, but a great catcher because she's confident now. She's getting confident at the plate and that's awesome. I've had a lot of good players, and Katie is as good a catcher as we've had. We've had a lot of good catchers, too. She's doing a great job."
Hutchins has coached three All-America catchers, and so Alexander is in pretty good company.
Alexander, after having those compliments relayed to her, said, "That is a confidence booster. But every day, even if she thinks I'm that good, she still expects more from me, and I expect more from myself.
"But like my dad told me growing up: 'There's always going to be someone better than you. Just give your best and don't count yourself out.' So, I look at all the catchers they've had, especially Lauren Sweet, and knowing how good they were. I even talk to Lauren now about how Hutch coaches us and how I can be better and play the way Hutch wants me to, and how that's going to help my team. That goes back to the culture we have here; it's the best. All the great people who came before you still help you out."
Sweet was voted either first- or second-team All-Big Ten three times, 2013-15, and left Ann Arbor as Alexander was arriving. Sweet currently is an assistant coach at Azusa Pacific.
Alexander has taken the mentoring and coaching input to become a team leader, motivating teammates with humor, candor and inspiration.
Freshman pitching ace Meghan Beaubien recalled a message Alexander had for her during a shutout win over Michigan State: "You were born to do this."
That enabled Beaubien to reach down for even more.
"She's awesome about getting us in the right mindset," Beaubien said of Alexander.
What does she do to accomplish that?
"We play a lot of games and a lot of innings," said Alexander. "So, I have to make sure that it's a one-pitch game out there. We want to win the Big Ten championship this year, and it's going to come down to every single pitch. I want to win that Big Ten championship, and so I want my team to be the best every pitch.
"And it helps that I'm always a funny person, making jokes and making sure that we're having fun while focusing on winning it. It's like what Hutch does with me. She's been telling me to try to hit it in the other dugout because that's made me on time. I'd been early all the time, but I'm hitting very well with that approach."
By imagining she wants to hit the ball a fraction of a second later and put it in the first base dugout, Alexander, a right-handed hitter, has found a remedy for her tendency to get ahead of the pitch and pull it foul.
"I mean, you wouldn't want to hit it over there," said Alexander. "It's a foul ball, but it's funny and works for me."
Hutchins calls Alexander "as good a catcher as we've had."
She primarily works with Hutchins on hitting but noted that everyone on the coaching staff has given her good advice.
"She'll throw me thousands of pitches," Alexander said of Hutchins. "She just wants me to be great, and knowing they have so much confidence in me is really awesome. I love to come in and work with Hutch because she makes me feel prepared. I feel the really strong connection that she believes in me.
"When I look down at her (in the third base coaching box) for the sign, I just know she has my back. So does the rest of the team."
Alexander said many have influenced her defensively but noted that Hutchins also is the primary coach for her and the team's other catchers.
Alexander has caught the entire game in six no-hitters by Beaubien, Megan Betsa, Tera Blanco and Sarah Schaefer, who completed the program's first perfect game since 2010 this season. Alexander also has shared catching duties in four other no-hitters.
"Seeing them get that last out is really cool to see," said Alexander. "And it's especially true with freshmen (Beaubien and Schaefer) because they did it and there's so much more they can do. And I know Tera -- a great all-around player -- has been working on that area of her game. So, to see her get that no-hitter, I was so proud of her. She deserves it because of all the work she puts in."
Michigan had its string of nine consecutive Big Ten championships broken last year by Minnesota, finishing a close second. But getting back on the title trail is the primary motivation for Alexander and her teammates.
"I just have so much drive to win the Big Ten this year because that was so sour last year," said Alexander. "We're just hungry. The atmosphere here when you win it, I just want it so bad."
Michigan (38-7, 13-1 Big Ten) has a pivotal three-game series this weekend at second-place Indiana (21-25, 13-2).
The Wolverines opened the season with 28 games spread among six tournaments in California, Florida, Ohio and Texas. The travel demands that come with that require the student-athletes to maintain academic focus while on the road.
Alexander also had a class this semester that necessitated her arriving after practice started twice each week.
"That stressed me out," said Alexander. "I want to be here practicing, but I'm also receiving an education. But (third baseman) Maddie Uden also is in the class and we came in and talked to Hutch, and she was just so understanding: 'School first. I understand where you're coming from. You guys can come in and get extra work. We'll work with your schedule.' The coaches being so flexible helps a lot. They are here whenever you want or need them."
Alexander also credited Michigan athletic counselor Emily Klueh for working with her and the entire team in order to balance schedules and offer "really good tactics to overcome stress."
"That's a big resource we're given," said Alexander, "and (Klueh) has helped me so much in the sport aspect and the life aspect."
There are two teachers in particular --Ulrich and Kathy Kern -- whom she credited for the "passion" they bring to teaching and for their impacts on her. She invited Ulrich to a teacher appreciation function and Kern to a recent softball game.
Academics and athletics have gone hand in hand at Michigan for Katie Alexander, who makes a connection every which way she turns.
