Senior Friday Feature: Softball Outfielder Alyssa Wiebel

Photo courtesy: goredbirds.com

NORMAL, Ill. – Even though she grew up in the Hawkeye state, Alyssa Wiebel felt at home when she came to Normal.

“I wanted to compete in softball at the highest caliber of play possible. ISU gave me the amazing opportunity to do that,” said Wiebel. “Everything just fit together perfectly: the campus, the people, the coaches/program, and the feel of Normal was exactly what I was looking for.”

She added that the longer she played softball, the longer her love grew for the sport. However, Wiebel wasn’t just a softball player. She also played basketball but decided her freshman year of high school that she was meant to play softball.

“It’s a beautiful game and I couldn’t imagine my life without it,” said Wiebel.

Without the game, she wouldn’t have run into her favorite softball athlete, former teammate Kendyl Lindaman, who’s currently a senior on the Florida Gators softball team.

“I played travel ball with her for about 4 years and know her well,” said Wiebel. “She is so humble and gracious and plays with such confidence. She has just turned out to be an UNREAL softball player.”

Just like her former teammate, Wiebel got to be a standout softball player throughout her 4 seasons as a Redbird.

She started in 57 games as a freshman while batting .259 with 44 hits and 27 RBIs. Wiebel also hit 8 home runs and led the team with a pair of triples. Her collegiate debut came against USF where she went 3-4 from the plate and 7-16 for the tournament to help her earn the MVC Newcomer of the Week. As the team’s third baseman, Wiebel turned in a .915 fielding percentage with 43 putouts and 150 assists.

After transitioning from the infield to the outfield in 2018, Wiebel posted a .949 fielding percentage with 47 putouts and 27 assists in 51 games. At the plate, she had a .343 slugging percentage with 17 RBIs and 7 games with 2+ hits, including a series-clinching double over Indiana State in extra innings at home. Her sophomore season ended with a selection to the All-MVC Second-Team and an MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention.

Wiebel played in every game for the Redbirds her junior season and started in every game but one. She slugged .440 with 39 hits 29 RBIs and 6 home runs, 2 of which were grand slams. She also finished with 9 multi-hit games, 19 runs, and was second on the team with 5 stolen bases. Her 2019 ended with on the All-MVC Second Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention for the second straight season.

While starting in all 23 games in 2020, she batted .319 with 23 hits 6 home runs and 2 stolen bases. Defensively, she had a perfect fielding percentage with 20 putouts and 1 assist. Wiebel got the chance to play against Lindaman during the USF Tournament but fell to the Gators 4-1.

Wiebel has made various memories throughout her softball career and wants her teammates to enjoy every moment because it will be gone before you know it.

“Everyone says it, but these 4 years truly fly by,” said Wiebel. “Take risks, make mistakes, have fun, study, and learn from all you do.”