The Iowa softball team graduated five seniors this season, but with saying goodbye comes the opportunity to highlight and remember those unforgettable seniors. Third-baseman Avery Jackson is one of the Hawkeyes’ most impactful infielders, not just this season but over the past four years.
“It meant a lot to be here for four years, I love the culture from all the sports and even the college atmosphere,” Jackson said. “Our fans are just so supportive of us, and it’s always motivating to look up to the stands and see all the little girls that look up to us.”
The Kankakee, Illinois, native started 143 of the 173 games she has played in, racking up 64 hits, 14 doubles, two triples, and seven total home runs. Jackson has also scored 60 runs over her career in addition to her 41 RBIs, having only struck out 64 times in her 347 at-bats.
“You can know what you are capable of, but if you don’t have the confidence that is not going to be shown throughout your play,” Jackson said. “I have had a few hitting coaches over my career, but still deep down I knew I had that confidence inside me.”
Defensively, Jackson has remained consistent over her four seasons, earning 178 putouts, 290 assists, and recording just 23 errors. This consistency has allowed her to have a .953 fielding percentage over her career, something she notes is because of how she prepares in practice for games.
“It always comes to effort and attitude, you will not make every play, and you’re going to make a mistake here and there,” Jackson said. “You just have to keep a positive attitude and give your best effort, especially charging a ball as hard as you can every single time.”
At third base, Jackson continually needs to be ready not only for the slow and easy grounders or sky-high pop-ups, but also those hard and fast grounders and line drives that some batters may hit her way. Getting these outs and making these plays is something Jackson continues to pride herself on.
Jackson credited her high effort to attempt to make a play on every ball hit her way, even if it’s in foul territory.
Through all the ups and downs, changes both in roster and in coaching staff, Jackson has remained at Iowa, something rare in today’s ever-changing college transfer world.
“It’s easy to get up and walk away to somewhere else, but I think it would have been hard for me to leave my girls,” Jackson said. “I have spent so much time with all of them, and I wouldn’t have been able to get through all the adversity without them in my life.”
Her coaches continue to praise her focus in practice and in games. Leading to her consistent putouts and fielding, always being ready to help her team win, whether at the plate or at third base.
“Any time she is on the base path, she is a weapon,” head coach Stacy May-Johnson said. “She is so aggressive and instinctual out there, including how she performs at third base.”
Her fellow seniors praise her open and warm-heartedness in addition to her competitive side that can be seen in both practice and in games.
“Being a transfer senior, I didn’t know how they all would react, but they all, including Avery, were so open and welcoming and made me feel like I was part of their family, making this experience that much more exciting and special,” fellow senior Serayah Neiss said.
Even her underclassmen note her drive for being the best she can be every single day, regardless of what happened in the game, play, or series before, something not just her but the entire senior class continued to do.
“They all are genuinely my best friends, and I have enjoyed every single win and moment with her and the other seniors,” junior Devin Simon said.
Though Jackson and her team ended their season at home against Purdue, she is excited for the future as she will graduate with a major in Sport and Recreation Management with a specified area in Media and Public Relations.
“All the seniors have done right by this program and are leaving it better than when they arrived, and that is something we are truly proud of, and they have put this program in great shape for the future,” May-Johnson said.