2014: Started every game at third base ... Northwestern's Big Ten Medal of Honor winner and NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee ... Northwestern's first-ever top-9 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award; honored at a ceremony in Indianapolis in October of 2014 ... All-Big Ten first-team and All-Defensive Team selection at third base ... Had one of the finest defensive seasons for an infielder in school history, making just two errors in 164 chances amid a myriad of spectacular plays ... 2014 Capital One Academic All-America second-team and Academic All-District first-team honoree ... Big Ten Distinguished Scholar ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Had a 13-game hitting streak from April 16-May 4 ... Drove in a career-best five in a game against Boise State (2/8) with all five RBIs coming in the first inning via an RBI single and a grand slam ... Had a 2-for-3 day in a win over No. 18 South Alabama (2/15) ... Later that day, was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and a home run against George Washington ... Went 2-for-3 with a double against No. 3 Washington (2/21) ... Later that day finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs, a double and a run versus No. 18 Oklahoma ... Was 0-for-1 against LIU Brooklyn (2/22) but walked twice, was hit by a pitch, scored twice and stole a base ... Went 2-for-2 with a solo home run, a walk, a hit by pitch and two runs scored in a run-rule win over UC Santa Barbara (3/1) ... Finished 3-for-3 with a single, double and two-run home run against LIU Brooklyn (3/8), driving in four total ... Knocked in a pair versus Western Michigan (3/8) ... Doubled and drove in two against Wisconsin (3/21) ... Did not record a base hit, but knocked in a pair in a run-rule victory over Northern Illinois (3/26) ... Finished 1-for-2 with a double and two runs in a run-rule win over No. 19 Nebraska (3/28) ... Walked twice and scored twice against UIC (4/2) ... Doubled, drove in a run and scored at Iowa (4/5) ... Matched her career-high with three runs scored at No. 14 Minnesota (4/11) ... Batted .625 in a sweep of Indiana ... On Friday, was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a historic home run (4/18) ... Her 2-run blast in the game reached the roof of McGaw Hall, which houses NU's Welsh-Ryan Arena bordering Sharon J. Drysdale Field beyond left field, making her the sixth member of the NU "Roof Club" in the 33-year history of Drysdale Field ... Continued the series with a 2-for-2 day including another home run and two runs scored on Saturday (4/19) ... Named Big Ten Player of the Week on April 21 ... Went 3-for-6 with six RBIs in a doubleheader sweep at Illinois (4/22) ... Clubbed a home run and a single to knock in three in game one before hiting a sacrifice fly and a two-run single in game two ... Knocked in a pair at Ohio State (4/26) before hitting a solo home run the next afternoon in Columbus ... Hit .571 in a series sweep of Michigan State (5/2-5/4), starting with a 2-for-3 performance with a double and an RBI in the opener ... Scored a career-best three runs and swiped two bases while going 1-for-1 with two walks in game two ... Was 0-for-2 but scored twice in a quarterfinal game against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament (5/9) ... Doubled, homered and drove in three in an NCAA Tournament elimination game against BYU (5/16).
2013: Started 51 games at third base ... All-Big Ten second-team ... Capital One Academic All-America second team and All-District V first-team ... Big Ten Distinguished Scholar ... Academic All-Big Ten ... NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete ... Had a 10-game hitting streak from April 2-20 with 20 runs, 15 RBIs, seven doubles and four home runs during that stretch ... Scored at least one run in 11-straight games from April 5-21 ... Clubbed a two-run home run in each of Northwestern's two opening-day games, first against No. 13 Arizona and again versus San Diego State (2/8) ... Went 2-for-4 with a run against No. 2 Oklahoma (2/10) ... Ripped a two-run go-ahead single as part of a 2-for-4 day at No. 13 Georgia (2/15) ... Went 2-for-4 with an RBI against Middle Tennessee State (2/16) ... Recorded a walk-off two-run single in a 3-2 victory over Georgia Tech (2/22) ... Smashed a two-run home run in a win against No. 4 Tennessee (2/22) ... Finished 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs against LIU Brooklyn (2/24) ... Finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run against Cal Poly (3/2) ... Ripped a solo home run and a double in a win against Cal State Bakersfield (3/3) ... Doubled and drove in two in a win over Saint Joseph's (3/8) ... Went 2-for-3 with three RBis and a home run later that night against Boston ... Crushed a ninth-inning, go-ahead, two-run home run in a 3-1 win versus South Carolina (3/9) ... Went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a walk and a steal at No. 25 Nebraska (3/22) ... Was 3-for-4 with a career-best three hits and a career-high three runs scored and an RBI against Minnesota (3/30) ... Batted .556 (5-for-9) in a three-game sweep of Illinois ... Finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs in game one (4/5) before clubbing a solo home run in game two (4/6) ... In the finale against the Illini (4/7), roped a grand slam ... Homered for the third-straight game during a 2-for-3 performance with three runs scored in a run-rule win against Notre Dame (4/9) ... Batted .559 with three doubles, a home run, six runs and six RBIs in a three-game series with Iowa (4/12-4/14) ... In game one was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring twice ... Finished game two 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs ... In the series finale, compiled four RBIs and two runs on a homer and a double ... In a nonconference win over Northern Illinois (4/16), doubled, walked and scored twice ... Doubled, walked, was hit by a pitch and scored twice in the opening game of a sweep at Penn State (4/19) ... Finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored in game two (4/20) ... Was 2-for-4 with a double in the finale of a series against Purdue (4/28) ... Smashed a two-run home run--the 30th of her career--against Indiana in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament (5/9) ... Doubled and walked in the B1G quarterfinals against eventual champion Wisconsin (5/10).
2012: Started every game at third base ... Won the Big Ten regular season batting (.414) and RBI (63) titles, finishing one home run shy of the conference Triple Crown ... Reached base in 38 straight games at one point during the year ... All-Big Ten first team, NFCA All-Great Lakes Region first team and NFCA All-America third-team selection ... NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete ... Big Ten Distinguished Scholar ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Finished the year ranked ninth in the NCAA with 1.17 RBIs per game and second in NU single-season history with 68 total ... Scored a pair of runs in the season-opener against Texas Tech (2/10) ... Hit a towering two-run home run at No. 1 Arizona State (2/10) ... Finished 2-for-2 with a double, home run and two RBIs against No. 12 Washington (2/11) ... Scored twice and hit a two-run home run against Louisiana Tech (2/17) ... Batted .563 with two triples and slugged 1.000 at the Cathedral City Classic, knocking in eight total runs ... Finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a triple against No. 21 Oklahoma State (2/24) ... In a win over Colorado State, was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs, two runs and a triple (2/25) ... Opened the scoring in a win over No. 11 Missouri with a first-inning three-run home run, ending up 2-for-4 with four RBIs in the game (2/26) ... Finished 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs against East Carolina (3/3) ... Also drove in two with a two-hit performance in a win over Southern Miss (3/4) ... Crushed a game-ending grand slam in a 12-1 (5) win against Fairfield (3/16) ... Finished 3-for-4 against Chattanooga (3/17) ... Had a 2-for-4 day with a run and RBI in a victory over LIU Brooklyn (3/18) ... Finished 1-for-1 with three walks, two RBIs and two runs against Massachusetts (3/20) ... Later that day, went a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk, two steals, a double, an RBI and a run versus Hartford (3/20) ... Went 2-for-2 with a solo home run, a two-run triple, three RBIs and two runs in NU's Big Ten opener at Nebraska (3/23) ... Went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the first game of NU's series at Wisconsin (3/31) ... Hit an extra-inning grand slam to give NU a win at Wisconsin in game two (3/31) ... Clubbed a solo home run at Notre Dame (4/4) ... Went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs in a doubleheader against Iowa (4/7) ... Finished 2-for-3 with a career-best three runs and three RBIs including a home run in a win over Iowa (4/8) ... Clubbed a three-run home run in the first inning of an eventual run-rule win over Minnesota (4/14) ... Collected two hits in all three games during a B1G series at Indiana (4/21-4/22), finishing 6-for-10 (.600) with seven RBIs, three runs, two doubles and a home run ... Drove in two with a 2-for-4 performance at Northern Illinois (4/25) ... Went 3-for-4 in the first game of a B1G series at Michigan State (5/5), scoring a career-best three runs and driving in one ... Finished the series at MSU with a 2-for-3 game, clubbing a first-inning grand slam and against scoring three times (5/6) ... Went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs in NU's regular-season finale win over Illinois (5/12) ... Went 3-for-5 with a career-high-tying four RBIs in an NCAA Regional winner's bracket victory over Houston (5/19).
2011: Started 42 games, missing only NU's April 17 game at Iowa due to injury ... Batted .348 (16-for-46) with 18 RBIs in her last 15 games ... All-Big Ten second team ... Ripped a double and scored twice against Bradley (2/11) ... Hit her first career home run as part of a 2-for-2 effort with a walk, a hit by pitch and two runs scored against North Texas (2/13) ... Drove in a pair of runs against Oregon State (2/26) ... Singled and scored twice versus Cal State Northridge (3/5) ... Finished 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a double against IPFW (3/6) ... Clubbed a massive three-run home run at No. 13 Stanford (3/21) ... Had a solo home run at Saint Mary's (3/22) ... Finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run against Loyola (Chicago) (4/2) ... Went a combined 4-for-6 with two RBIs and a run in a doubleheader at Wisconsin (4/9) ... Drove in two runs with a single against Michigan State (4/13) ... Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on 4/25 after a huge series against Ohio State (4/23-4/24), going a combined 4-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs and a homer ... Doubled and drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk at Illinois (5/1) ... Drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded single against Minnesota (5/4) ... Clubbed a game-winning, fifth-inning grand slam to defeat Big Ten-leading Indiana on Senior Day at Sharon J. Drysdale Field (5/8) ... Drove in a pair of runs at Penn State (5/13).
High School: Rated by OnDeck Softball as one of the nation's top-10 shortstop recruits ... ESPN Rise top-25 national recruit ... Invited to tryout camp for the USA Junior National Team ... Four-year starter at shortstop for high school, leading team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs and runs scored ... As a senior, named an Under Armour All-American, ESPN Rise third-team All-American, California All-State second team, All-County first team and Orange County Senior of the Year ... Los Angeles Times All-Star ... Batted .459, slugged .902 and had a .521 OBP as a junior ... Orange County Register top-10 junior ... A four-year All-Century League team selection ... Was team's offensive player of the year in all of her high school seasons ... Also a two-time Most Outstanding Player of the Year winner and team MVP as a junior ... Rated an OnDeck Softballtop 2008 National Elite Futures Recruit ... Played club with the So Cal Explosion Gold for two years ... Coached by Joe Weddle ... Team placed 13th at the 2010 ESPN/Premier Gold Nationals and third at the 2010 Boulder Independence Day Tournament ... National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation member ... AP Scholar ... Magna Cum Laude ... Has earned the Renaissance Award, honor roll and scholar athlete status all four years of high school ... National Society of High School Scholars member and People-to-People Student Ambassador.
Personal: Born Marisa Kiyomi Bast ... Daughter of Mike and Patti Bast ... Chose Northwestern over Stanford, Notre Dame, San Diego, Princeton and Virginia ... Majoring in learning and organizational change, and is enrolled the Undergraduate Leadership Certificate Program.
GET TO KNOW BAST
If you could be any other NU Athlete for a day, who would you be?...Nikki Parsley.
Favorite Athlete... This is a tough one--it's a toss up between Drew Brees and Kobe Bryant.
Favorite Food... any breakfast item (omelettes, pancakes, waffles, French toast, bacon, sausage, bread, bagels, cereal, crepes, yogurt, fruit...you name it).
Favorite Song... (I can't pick just one) "Gallery" by Mario Vasquez, anything by T.I., "Crawl" and "Forever" by Chris Brown, "Because of You" by Ne-Yo, "Better Together" by Jack Johnson
Nicknames... Ris, Risa, Maris, 2-1, Rissy Poo, A.
Hobbies... listening to music, soaking up the California sun, swimming, spending tons of time with my family, dancing like nobody is watching, singing like nobody can hear me.
Favorite Reality Show... Jersey Shore (Jerrzzzday with Sammy and Lambo).
Favorite actor/actress... Will Smith.
Favorite Movie... Remember the Titans.
If you could spend a day with any three people, alive or dead, who would they be?... My great uncle who fought in WWII and won the Medal of Honor, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus.
Favorite pro sports team... Los Angeles Lakers.
Favorite TV shows... Chopped, Iron Chef America, Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, NCIS, Suits, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives.
When I was little, I wanted to be a... veterinarian.
No one can believe that I... met Bill Clinton when I was seven years old.
I hate to admit it but I love... candy--I have a serious sweet tooth.
Secret talent... my photography (just got a new camera this summer and I am IN LOVE).
Pre game ritual... I usually get lost in my music and I ALWAYS eat at least one Jolly Rancher before every game.
If I could play any other sport at NU, it would be... basketball.
An artist that no one would believe I have on my ipod... Elvis Presley.
Favorite midnight snack... cereal.
If I could eat one meal for the rest of my life it would be... my grandma's pot roast (I ask for it every time I go home).
Favorite class at NU... Expository Writing with Professor Jeanne Herrick.
After I graduate I want to be... I still don't know...but hopefully involved in the sports industry.
Favorite Holiday Tradition... every Christmas, I hide a miniature red ornament in our Christmas tree for my uncle to find--one year, he couldn't find it and looked for almost twenty minutes!!!
Something that is on your bucket list... running the L.A. marathon.
A place I would love to visit... Japan
Facebook or Twitter?... Facebook but I am currently approaching my 700th tweet, so it's hard to choose :)
If I could be any character from a TV show or Movie I would be... Emily Prentiss from Criminal Minds.
Best thing about NU... the competition I am surrounded by, both academically and athletically--the atmosphere at Northwestern challenges me every day and I am blessed to be here.
Favorite NUSB memory... beating Cal in extra innings last year, playing against UCLA in front of hundreds of people (the atmosphere was unreal), beating Indiana on Senior Day (also happened to be Mother's Day) and breaking their 15-game winning streak.
If you were on the amazing race, what teammate would go with you?... Adrienne Monka...without a doubt.
Funniest person on the team? Paige Tonz...ask her to dance to the "Keyboard Cat" Youtube video.
Best dancer on the team? Sammy Albanese....anyone that has a chance of being a future Rockette gets my vote (no question about it).
Biggest prankster on the team? Amanda Mehrsheikh (although she is unsuccessful at times).
If you were on minute to win it, who would be your partner?... Kristin Scharkey or Emily Allard...can I have both of them there please?
If you got into the Cash Cab, which teammates would you want to be with you?... Mari Majam and Zo Zo!