Stepping up to the plate

By Matthew Rachek

Lindsey Montemarano and the Michigan Wolverines came just one win shy of winning the Women’s College World Series last month against the University of Florida.

Montemarano, 20, of Seaford, has the opportunity to live her dream playing Division I softball with a highly competitive program. The rising junior played third base for the Wolverines this season and had a pivotal role in the team’s postseason run this year, starting 56 games.

“It was unbelievable. I don’t even know the words to describe the feeling,” Montemarano said when discussing the experience of playing in the College World Series. “It was an overwhelming feeling of pride and all the extra hard work that paid off.”

Not only was the 2015 campaign successful for the Michigan softball program, which lost the championship, 2-1, in a three game series with the Florida Gators, but it was also a successful season for Montemarano. She had career highs in batting average, runs, hits and RBI.

Now entering her junior year, Montemarano is an upperclassman and will be called upon to lead her teammates and mentor the younger players and incoming freshmen. She says that she has been blessed to have older teammates teach her how to lead and is excited to bestow their wisdom upon younger teammates.

Despite improving her batting average from her freshman year, Montemarano said she wants it to further rise. She also said a goal for the 2016 season is to not allow any opponents to successfully lay down a bunt on her at third base.

Montemarano not only was a highly touted softball player in high school as a member of the Lady Vikings, but she said that she was also one of the top skiers in Vermont. However, by high school, she knew that softball was her true love and the sport that she would pursue to play at the next level.

“There is something that I really love about softball,” Montemarano said. “I really like the team atmosphere, but also liked the idea of it’s you against the pitcher at the plate. The combination of the team and individual aspects make it a great sport.”

While many athletes today specialize in one sport, Montemarano still played several other sports in high school such as basketball and soccer. She said that she knew softball would always take priority, but she also believes the other sports really helped improve her overall athleticism.

“Her work ethic is second to none and she has the heart of a warrior,” said Rob Perpall, Montemarano’s high school softball coach. “Her ‘never quit’ attitude made her a tremendous role model for the younger kids and made our team better on a daily basis.”

Montemarano said many other premier softball teams around the country recruited her. The process was a very important time for her, she said. According to Montemarano, she met with different people to figure out what the best decision for her would be.

In the end, Michigan proved to be the best choice. “I remember stepping onto the campus and seeing the Big House and it gave me chills,” she said when describing her time visiting Michigan.

So far Montemarano has loved her time at Michigan and believes she made the right choice.

She is currently enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in English and minoring in marketing. Montemarano said that one day she hopes to be an ESPN SportsCenter news reporter, or a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Montemarano credits much of her success to her parents. “They always believed in me and pushed me,” she said. “They drove me to accomplish my goals.”