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Morrow delivers in her team's championship run

Rogers 2009 graduate Nicole Morrow turns in sensational freshman year on the softball field

Jeff Allen

A local high school graduate recently helped her college win the NCAA D-II Women’s Softball National Championship.

Nicole Morrow, a 2009 Rogers High graduate, was a regular starter for the Hawaii Pacific Sea Warriors despite only being a freshman.

“We did really well throughout the whole season and we knew that if we played to our potential as a team we could beat anyone,” Morrow said. “We have great batting and great defense so that’s what it really came down to.”

Morrow led the team with a .355 batting average and was named PACWEST Conference Freshman of the Year. She was also named to the Division II World Series All-Tournament team for her contribution to the championship run. Morrow played catcher in high school but was recruited to play other positions for the Sea Warriors. Partway through the season she returned to her comfortable position behind the plate.

“They picked me up as a third baseman or an outfielder and I didn’t expect to catch at all,” Morrow said. “I thought my catching was done with. When I got the chance to play (catcher) I was really happy with my performance but I know I just can do a lot better next year.”

The Sea Warriors finished the season with a 50-8 record, and after losing their first game in the Super Regional against Cal State-Chico, won six straight games to claim the championship. Hawaii Pacific rallied from down 3-0 to beat Valdosta State 4-3 in the championship game.

Morrow said it was hard at first adjusting to a new life away from the comforts of Washington.

“I was really nervous at first,” Morrow said. “With my select team and my high school team I knew everyone ever since I was a little kid. So going to a new state with a bunch of new girls was really scary at first but it didn’t really take that long to mesh well. It made playing a lot more fun.”

Her relationship with her teammates and coaches also helped her improve on the field.

“I had my ups and downs but (I played well) because of the girls and the coaching staff,” Morrow said “If anyone was in a slump we would ask each other for advice on what they would do and seeing the ball better. It was really just confidence because I didn’t really have confidence going in at first because I was the new freshman.”

Morrow said her only goal entering her first season of college softball was to get better.

“I played more than I ever expected as a freshman in my first year coming in there,” Morrow said. “Just getting better hitting-wise and defensive-wise and the coaches helped me with that. That was my all-time goal, and I feel like I achieved it.”

Entering her sophomore season as a defending national champion will put high expectations on Morrow and her teammates. She said the close-knit relationship the team has well help make next season successful.

“As long as you get along on and off the field, that’s what makes a good team,” Morrow said.