College softball: Bremen's Erin Coffel continues amazing career at Kentucky
Kentucky softball coach Rachel Lawson uses superlatives like "elite," "great" and "legend" when discussing her star shortstop Erin Coffel.
But it's the word "team" that finds its way into the conversation the most when talking to Lawson about the former Bremen High School product.
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"With Erin, it's always about the team first," said Lawson in a recent phone interview from Lexington. "She's just a selfless teammate who always makes the best decision for her team.
"She's just a great team player, first and foremost. I think that all comes from her family. It starts with them. They are such a cool family that is all about team first. The thing about Erin is that she just will not be outworked. Her work ethic is off the charts"
Coffel, a two-time All-American, is now in her senior season. The former Indiana state champion has led her team to a 19-8 overall mark. No. 23 Kentucky is 0-3 in the Southeastern Conference and heads to Florida for a conference series Friday through Sunday.
Coffel is batting .350 with nine doubles, nine home runs and 21 RBI. She has struck out just twice in 80 at bats with 18 walks. A season ago, she batted .440 with 19 home runs, 55 RBI, 10 doubles, 60 runs scored and 64 walks with just 15 strikeouts.
"Things are going pretty well in that our team has been clicking offensively and that's been fun to see," said Coffel by phone. "I don't feel like I've been hitting up to my standard, but it's a long season and I know that I will."
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Coffel has put up big time career numbers at the dish. She is hitting .388 for her career with 64 home runs, 38 doubles and 200 RBI. She has scored 173 runs, walked 126 times and struck out just 65 times. She has a career on base percentage of .516 and a slugging percentage of .817.
Coffel led the nation in walks a year ago and has batted leadoff at times this season.
"I have to be super patient at the plate," said Coffel of her mindset this season. "I have to make sure that I'm ultra focused and ready for that one good pitch I may get. "I've been a little anxious. I want to hit.
"I go into every at bat thinking every pitch is going to be a strike. That's key for me. I think that last year prepared me for this year.
"But the great thing is that all of my teammates back me up. It's not about just one hitter. We have 23 others who all can get it done for our team. My focus is just on what I can do to help my team win."
Coffel etched her name into the program record books March 3. She blasted her 62nd career homer in the fifth inning, a no-doubt shot over the centerfield fence, of an 8-1 win over UNC Wilmington to pass Abbey Cheek's former mark. Coffel hit a state record 50 homers in high school in just three seasons. The former NIC MVP and Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year did not have a senior season at Bremen in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The records are cool, but they do not mean much if I'm not helping my team win," Coffel said. "That's always my focus."
Coffel, the daughter of Rob and Missi Coffel, says she tries not to let the pressure get to her.
"I try to see it as a really cool opportunity," said the Kentucky captain of always being in the spotlight as one of the nation's best players. "I just want to go out there and have fun with my teammates and play the game that I love and have a passion for.
"It's not about one individual. I really do not like the attention being on me. This is a team sport that takes a lot of people to be successful. Fortunately, I have a great village here with great teammates and great coaches all around me."
Coffel, who led Bremen to a Class 2A state title as a junior in 2019, has earned numerous accolades. She was named to the All-Pan Am Team last summer after helping USA Softball win a gold medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games. She was the only current college player on that squad.
Lawson, now in her 17th season at Kentucky, says the sky is the limit for Coffel before her illustrious playing career is done.
"Erin will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, player in Kentucky softball history," Lawson remarked. "She's an elite UK athlete in any sport here, not just softball. She's an elite shortstop now. One of the best to play anywhere, ever.
"The thing is that her softball career is not close to being done. There's no doubt in my mind that she is good enough to be an Olympian. That's a very small pool of players, but she will be in the hunt. She's just so fast and powerful and versatile."
Coffel, has just one goal in mind as she readies for her final few months in a Kentucky uniform. That's earning her team a berth in the College World Series in Oklahoma City come season's end.
"I want it really bad," said Coffel of a trip to the World Series. "It's been my goal since day one of coming here. We say OKC together as a team after every practice.
"It comes down to all of us just trusting all of the work that we have put into this. We have to focus on just one game at a time."
Lawson knows that No. 21 will be right there leading the way as her team tries to make the World Series.
"I just want to see Erin relax, not put too much pressure on herself to try and do too much and just enjoy the day," Lawson said.
"We're just fortunate to have her here."
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Erin Coffel is having a stellar senior softball season for Kentucky
