Mikulin set for senior season
1/27/2010 11:51:00 AM | Softball
Senior pitcher Morgan Mikulin knew what the routine of college softball looked like before she ever finished high school, she had just never experienced what it felt like. Mikulin graduated from Huntsville High School lettering in softball and volleyball and had two sisters who played softball at Sam Houston State. While the transition from high school to college may be tough for some athletes, Mikulin handled it like a pro.
"My transition into college was not very hard for me because I was from Huntsville and I knew what to expect because my sisters had played for Coach Brock and was aware of his coaching style," said Mikulin. "It took my entire freshman year to work on a new pitching style.
"I realized that the players were good and that I was not going to be able to just strike people out all of the time like I did in high school, I was going to have to develop new ways to improve my game," she said.
Mikulin is an education major and a three-time All-Southland Conference honoree for the Bearkats. Head coach Bob Brock is impressed by how much Mikulin has grown since she first arrived at SHSU.
"When Morgan first got here she came to my pitching clinic already knowing what she was going to have to do from watching her sisters, she had just never been through it before," Brock said. "One of the hardest things that she had to learn was that she was not going to be able to strike everyone out because there were some good batters on the other teams. When she realized that she was going to have to step up her game she worked on continually getting better and now she is one of the best players on the team."
Mikulin has had to endure two injuries, which has proven to be one of the most difficult obstacles she has had to overcome. Through the support of her coaches and parents, she has remained optimistic.
"It is hard to play sometimes with my knee being the way it is," Mikulin said. "I want to be able to run like the other girls because I don't want to be disappointing to my team. My parents have always been there for me, through all of the practices, games, and surgeries they have kept encouraging me to do my best.
"Coach Brock has really helped me, especially when it came to transitioning from playing high school softball to playing on a college level. It is also nice to have coach (Selena) Collins around because she was a college athlete and she understands what we are going through," she said.
Mikulin has been an optimistic leader for her teammates and her coaches. Coach Brock is hopeful that she will have a great senior year and continue to set an example for her team.
"Morgan has always had leadership qualities," Brock said. "She always competes at the highest level and gives a 100 percent effort. She leads by example and has really made an impact on this team."
When Mikulin graduates she wants to stay close to Huntsville and pursue a career in education. She wants to get a job as a teacher at Huntsville High School and coach softball.
"I have no desire to leave Huntsville," Mikulin said. "It is important to me to stay close to the girls on my team and my coaches. Everything that I want to pursue is in this town."
