University of Delaware Athletics
The Legacy Of Anna Steinmetz Goes Beyond The Long Ball
5/2/2019 9:57:00 AM | Softball
Nobody in the history of Delaware softball has hit more home runs than senior catcher Anna Steinmetz has. A natural power hitter with the ability to change a game with one swing, Steinmetz will finish her Blue Hens career with her name written all over the Delaware record book for a number of offensive feats.
Although she has been a prolific hitter throughout her four years (her career OPS is 1.047), her legacy will extend well beyond the long ball. One of the few seniors on a team with a first-year head coach and a roster full of freshmen, Steinmetz has been crucial in changing the culture and ushering in a new era for Delaware softball.
"I've definitely taken more of a leadership role this year than I have in the past because almost half the team is freshmen," Steinmetz said. "I want them to be in the right mindset to build this program where it could go and where it should go."
Steinmetz typically bats in the cleanup position behind Hanna Garber, Halle Kisamore and Brooke Glanden, who are all freshmen. Those fresh faces are helping inject an energy and work ethic into the program.
"Having fun with it," Steinmetz noted of what the freshmen have added to the culture. "There's girls that show up an hour early to practice to do their own thing, go through a three-hour practice, then stay two hours after. Bryce [Parry] in equipment is begging us to get our stuff in. We're always out in the field."
Even with renewed energy, the Blue Hens have leaned on Steinmetz for her leadership and experience. While she tends to lead by example, Steinmetz knows that her voice carries weight with her teammates.
"There's been some critical moments this season where, especially during games, if she pulls them to her they listen," head coach Jen Steele said. "They all stand there wide-eyed listening to what she has to say. Someone who doesn't speak just to speak, she speaks when she has a message."
Steele pointed to a handful of key moments throughout the year where Steinmetz' leadership shone through. The first was at the beginning of the year, when the team was choosing its core values, one of which was ProUD.
"We asked: were we proud of our program?" Steele said. "She stood up and said 'I am proud of this program. I still believe in this program. We maybe haven't had the team success we've wanted in the past three years, but I'm really proud of this university. I'm really proud of this program. I want to make it something special; I want to make it relevant.'
"From that day on, I was like okay, we've got her. This one's behind us and this one's going to help push us in the right direction."
The Friday night before the April 27-28 series at College of Charleston, the team met to prep for the weekend. Assistant coach Amy Bellisari asked Steinmetz what she would share with the younger players about balancing their desire to win with the inevitable moments of failure that come throughout the course of a softball season.
Steinmetz delivered a message that in a sport where hitting .300 (and thus failing 70% of the time) is considered successful, you can't run away from failure. Once you accept failure as a part of the process, you will have more success.
The Blue Hens won two of their three games in Charleston, the first time in program history they've won a series against the Cougars.
"They respect Anna. To look up to her and have her say that was pretty profound," Steele said. "I think it was a big reason we found success this weekend, honestly, was that Friday night."
Steinmetz will have plenty of memories to carry with her when she graduates. She's one base knock away from 200 career hits. She can still picture the ball going out to left field at Hofstra her sophomore year when she broke the program home run record. Most of all, the time spent with her teammates will stand out.
But possibly the most significant takeaway from her career in Newark is the knowledge that she laid the foundation for Delaware to be a program that competes for championships.
"When I heard the coaches coming in, I knew right away this program is going to flip around," Steinmetz said. "I don't need a ring to say that I was a part of it."
"She's going to go down as one of the best players to ever come into the program," Steele said. "It's my hope that when we get to the point where this program is really competitive within the league, and hopefully at the Regional level, you can look back at who are those people that really laid the foundation for you? Who are the people that started it and got the ball rolling and got you to attract high-level players for them to carry on the tradition? Anna Steinmetz will be a name that you remember."
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Although she has been a prolific hitter throughout her four years (her career OPS is 1.047), her legacy will extend well beyond the long ball. One of the few seniors on a team with a first-year head coach and a roster full of freshmen, Steinmetz has been crucial in changing the culture and ushering in a new era for Delaware softball.
"I've definitely taken more of a leadership role this year than I have in the past because almost half the team is freshmen," Steinmetz said. "I want them to be in the right mindset to build this program where it could go and where it should go."
Steinmetz typically bats in the cleanup position behind Hanna Garber, Halle Kisamore and Brooke Glanden, who are all freshmen. Those fresh faces are helping inject an energy and work ethic into the program.
"Having fun with it," Steinmetz noted of what the freshmen have added to the culture. "There's girls that show up an hour early to practice to do their own thing, go through a three-hour practice, then stay two hours after. Bryce [Parry] in equipment is begging us to get our stuff in. We're always out in the field."
Even with renewed energy, the Blue Hens have leaned on Steinmetz for her leadership and experience. While she tends to lead by example, Steinmetz knows that her voice carries weight with her teammates.
"There's been some critical moments this season where, especially during games, if she pulls them to her they listen," head coach Jen Steele said. "They all stand there wide-eyed listening to what she has to say. Someone who doesn't speak just to speak, she speaks when she has a message."
Steele pointed to a handful of key moments throughout the year where Steinmetz' leadership shone through. The first was at the beginning of the year, when the team was choosing its core values, one of which was ProUD.
"We asked: were we proud of our program?" Steele said. "She stood up and said 'I am proud of this program. I still believe in this program. We maybe haven't had the team success we've wanted in the past three years, but I'm really proud of this university. I'm really proud of this program. I want to make it something special; I want to make it relevant.'
"From that day on, I was like okay, we've got her. This one's behind us and this one's going to help push us in the right direction."
The Friday night before the April 27-28 series at College of Charleston, the team met to prep for the weekend. Assistant coach Amy Bellisari asked Steinmetz what she would share with the younger players about balancing their desire to win with the inevitable moments of failure that come throughout the course of a softball season.
Steinmetz delivered a message that in a sport where hitting .300 (and thus failing 70% of the time) is considered successful, you can't run away from failure. Once you accept failure as a part of the process, you will have more success.
The Blue Hens won two of their three games in Charleston, the first time in program history they've won a series against the Cougars.
"They respect Anna. To look up to her and have her say that was pretty profound," Steele said. "I think it was a big reason we found success this weekend, honestly, was that Friday night."
Steinmetz will have plenty of memories to carry with her when she graduates. She's one base knock away from 200 career hits. She can still picture the ball going out to left field at Hofstra her sophomore year when she broke the program home run record. Most of all, the time spent with her teammates will stand out.
But possibly the most significant takeaway from her career in Newark is the knowledge that she laid the foundation for Delaware to be a program that competes for championships.
"When I heard the coaches coming in, I knew right away this program is going to flip around," Steinmetz said. "I don't need a ring to say that I was a part of it."
"She's going to go down as one of the best players to ever come into the program," Steele said. "It's my hope that when we get to the point where this program is really competitive within the league, and hopefully at the Regional level, you can look back at who are those people that really laid the foundation for you? Who are the people that started it and got the ball rolling and got you to attract high-level players for them to carry on the tradition? Anna Steinmetz will be a name that you remember."
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