By Vanity Delbridge
Midway through the season, the NJCU Women’s Softball team are headed in the right direction. Their current record is 6-10.
“They’re jumping ship to what is really right, and understand what they need to do a little more as a team,” said Coach Quimpo, who begins her ninth season as head softball coach at New Jersey City University.
In her head coaching career at NJCU, she has developed seven All-New Jersey Athletic Conference players, three first-team, and four second-team selections. This includes the 2010 NJAC Rookie of the Year, Rebecca Satz, 20, Media Arts, from Morris Plains. The Knights have also had nine selections to the academic All-NJAC squad during her tenure as well.
The softball program brags the highest cumulative grade point averages and graduation rates of all athletic teams at NJCU, which is something Quimpo is most proud of, and stresses, “First a student, second an athlete. Getting good grades is just as important as swinging at good pitches. Performing as a team inside the classroom is a reflection of the hard work we put into study hall everyday.”
The top three players/hitters are “Satz,” Marissa Bariso, 21, Elementary Education, from Hewitt, and Megan Ginter, 22, Health Sciences, from Nutley. They are “key to the team’s successes,” said Quimpo.
She also noted that Casey Perez, 19, Education, from West New York, is the fastest player in the NJAC. Aside from the injuries she has sustained so early in her career, she still managed to set a single-game school record of 5 stolen bases.
“She’s truly a special person and really tough,” said Quimpo.
Does she feel any pressure to uphold such stats?
“I always feel pressure, but I am trying just to focus on hitting the ball hard and getting my job done,” said Bariso.
Voted First-Team All-NJAC at the start of her collegiate career, she speaks of the assistant coaching staff, “They are very knowledgable and all former softball players, who were very good when they played. They all have our very best interest at heart and do anything they can to help us succeed, we are lucky to have them.”
Ginter thinks highly of her teammates, “These girls on this team are amazing individuals, I would do anything for each and everyone of them, and I have their backs not only on the field but in life, and I know that they would do the same for me.”
She is the 10th player in NJCU softball history to join the 100- hit club.
“Setting school records feels amazing because it shows that your hard work, dedication and all your determination is paying off,” she said. “But I honestly don’t check until the seasons over to see my statistics or records because softball is a team sport and it all comes down to winning, and one person is not going to win the game.”
For the remainder of her time here, Ginter hopes to make NJCU a top choice in many student athletes’ minds.
“I want NJCU to be ranked higher than 10 in the conference. NJCU has a great athletic program and should get recognized for it. NJCU has so much to offer and goes greatly unnoticed.”
Looking ahead, they all have the same mindset: they all know what it takes to win.
“Coach gives us everything we need to know about how to win, we just need to apply everything in the games. We need to be more focused and listen to what each and everyone has to say,” said Ginter.
“This is the best team and best group of players I’ve ever associated myself with,” said Quimpo. “My ultimate goal is to prepare them for the rest of their life so they can leave successful in every possible way once they’re done.”
