Northwestern Softball welcomes three first-year student-athletes to the family this season, which starts February 10 in Tucson, Arizona. We will introduce you to each one this week, continuing with pitcher Morgan Newport from DeKalb, Illinois!
Morgan Newport is a student of the human body and how it functions. Since early in her high school career, she has enjoyed learning how everything works together and how athletes can teach their bodies to do more. It all has led to a desire to pursue a pre-med track at Northwestern.
"I wanted to help people, and working with athletes is a great way to stay connected with sports when you can't play them anymore," Newport says. "One of my goals for this summer is to shadow an orthopedic surgeon, and scrub in if I can."The lefty pitcher has long been fascinated with athleticism. Though softball has always been her favorite sport and the one she played at the highest level, Newport grew up competing in anything she could find.
"You create a new kind of athleticism playing other sports and trying new things," Newport says. "It helped me become a better athlete in general. I definitely think it helped me become a better softball player."
Hers is a cerebral approach to performance, and one that Newport brings full circle to connect her academic interests to her ability to help her team as a student-athlete.
"Being athletic has helped me understand my body. I'm able to be a defensive pitcher, to field my position well. That is important for our team's success."
The biggest physical pursuit for Newport off the diamond has been weight lifting: Olympic weight lifting. While working with a personal trainer at a gym in her hometown of DeKalb, Ill., Newport was introduced to the coach of a local team. She learned the Olympic events of snatch and clean and jerk, and she got into it from there."The team dynamic is fun because it's a family atmosphere with males and females of all different ages pushing each other," Newport says. "Tyler (Jorgensen, NU's sports performance coach for softball) and I have had a lot of fun talking about it. He has that background and can see things that my coach at home might not see."
Newport's path to Northwestern's sports performance facility and Sharon J. Drysdale Field was slightly circuitous. Originally committed to another school, she opened up her recruitment following a coaching change and immediately reached out to Kate and Caryl Drohan.
"We felt it out," Newport says. "I started really believing everything happens for a reason. I'm in such an awesome place right now. You really can't beat Northwestern: you are playing Big Ten softball with coaches who have so much experience and success, and you are getting a world-class education."
Speaking of that education: "You can prepare as much as you want, but there is nothing you can do for the level of classes you are taking in the science department. I feel much better this quarter!
She's a quick study!
NEWPORT FILE
HOMETOWN: DeKalb, Ill.
FAMILY FACT: Family members are longtime NU Football season ticket holders
SPORT OTHER THAN SOFTBALL: Olympic Weight Lifting
INTENDED MAJOR: Pre-Med track
SUMMER GOAL: Scrub in for an orthopedic surgery
QUOTABLE: "I've always loved Northwestern, and to be here means so much more to me now."