Offering some of the best facilities in the Midwest Conference, a strong schedule, and the ability to balance athletics and academics makes the Prairie Fire women's softball team a rising program at Knox College. An extended spring trip is part of the Prairie Fire's demanding softball schedule.
The Prairie Fire softball program places an emphasis on finding players who are versatile and can play more than one position. A team-oriented approach gives the opportunity for many athletes to get involved in competition. Prairie Fire softball has had its share of individual standouts in the past.Â
Knox offers one of the best constructed softball fields in the region -- a game can be played on the same day as a heavy storm -- as well as access to the state-of-the-art E. & L. Andrew Fitness Center, which is one of the best training facilities in the Midwest. The team is also able to make use of the indoor hitting cages inside T. Fleming Fieldhouse and the Knosher Bowl for infield practice.
Prairie Fire softball players have gone on to a wide variety of successful careers, including Deborah DeGraff '80 (Economics), an associate professor of Economics at Bowdoin College. Gwen Lexow '90 (History) is the head softball coach at Bates College. Jolene Seitz '85 (Physics) is a nuclear engineer for the U.S. Department of Energy. Kristi Bachman '92 (Mathematics) is a civil engineer and Senior Designer for the Missouri Department of Transportation. Amy Shachter '85 (Chemistry) is the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Santa Clara University.
For more information, submit the Recruit Me form or e-mail head coach Erin Rutledge at eerutledge@knox.edu, or call at (309)-341-7284.Â
