WILMINGTON, Ohio - Throughout the coming months, the Wilmington College athletics department will be highlighting senior student-athletes who had their senior seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Today's senior salute is Grace Shell. A three-year member of the program, Shell's name is throughout the Fightin' Quakers' record books as one of the best pitchers in school history. Shell has a 3.28 career ERA in 243 innings pitched to go along with ouver 200 strikeouts and 21 victories. In 2020, she boasted a 4-1 record in 31 innings with a 0.68 ERA and a staggering 10.61 strikeouts-per-7-innings ratio.
What is your major? - Biology
What is your favorite class at Wilmington College? - Abnormal Psychology
What is your favorite memory with the softball program? - The 2020 Florida spring trip as a whole, especially the last day of games. There were so many highs and lows in such a short period of time this trip, but it really showed how much love this team has for each other and what we can overcome together. The last 2 games were amazing team wins that were played with a lot of heart and a bittersweet way to end the season together.
What are your plans after graduation? - Attend the University of Dayton's DPT program and become a physical therapist
Do you see yourself returning to Wilmington to compete in 2021? - Unfortunately not. As much as I want to, I am already accepted into the DPT program at Dayton starting in the Fall of 2020.
What is your message to underclassmen on the impact of COVID-19? - The COVID-19 pandemic has made me realize what a special place Wilmington College is and what a special team we had this year. It hurts that all of my "lasts" already happened without even knowing it, and everything I was looking forward to as a senior student-athlete was taken away without any warning at all. With that being said, it opened my eyes to how impactful everyone at WC is in my life and how every little moment matters and should not be taken for granted. The things I will miss the most are the things that don't seem to be important at the time such as: getting ready in the locker room before practice, the bus trips to games, braiding hair before games, tarping the field and doing silly cheers in the dugout. Don't overlook these details because in the end they will have mattered more than the wins and losses, I promise. I am so thankful that I have such amazing people in my life including teammates, coaches, parents and other personnel that sacrifice so much time and energy to support the team. That made this situation so hard to stomach, and I wish I would have realized all of this and cherished it more before it was all taken away.