This is the fourth in a series of weekly question and answer sessions with members of the ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ softball team conducted by team play-by-play announcer Ted Rossman. Each week a different Raider will be in the spotlight. Previous spotlights have featured Stacy Mui, Dorothy Donaldson, and Kate Howard, and are available on the ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ Athletics site (www.Go¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵRaiders.com). 'xml:namespace prefix = o ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office' />
Starting shortstop Nichole Rawson (Palmdale, Calif.) has meshed well with the team since transferring from Marist College at the beginning of this school year. Rawson, a junior, was elected as one of the Raiders’ captains in this, her first year on the team. Nichole’s twin sister, Natalie, starts at second base for ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ. Her older sister Melissa graduated last year from ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ, and finished her four-year softball career as the Patriot League’s all-time home run leader with 30. Nichole has started each of the Raiders’ first 13 games, and ranks third on the club with a .333 batting average. She has five runs batted in, and ranks first on the club with two stolen bases. The Raiders’ 11-2 start is the best in school history.
Ted Rossman: What factors led you to leave California for the east coast’
Nichole Rawson: I felt like it was my one opportunity to get out of Palmdale to go anywhere I wanted. I’ve always had big ideas about New York. Initially I decided to go to Marist because it’s a bigger school [than ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ], where I thought there would be more to do. Also, their softball team was, believe it or not, better than ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’s when I first went there, but a lot of players graduated that year. Also, I really liked their coach, but he left right before I got there, too, so I guess that didn’t really work out.
TR: Why did you decide to transfer from Marist to ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’
NR: Well it was really hard leaving my close friends at Marist. But one thing was that ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ has a better softball team. Really, though, all I ever really need in life is my twin sister [Natalie]. It was really hard being away from her while I was at Marist.
TR: Was it hard choosing Marist two years ago, knowing that Natalie was going to ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’
NR: I thought it would be good to be away from each other for once. But what I realized was that I need her. Our personalities are so similar; everything I do she does too.
TR: What did you know about the ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ softball team when you were at Marist’ Did you know any of the players through your sisters’
NR: I knew they had a really good team, but I didn’t really know many of them personally. The player I knew the best was Amanda Brickell [who graduated last spring and now works as an Intern in ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’s Athletic Communications Department]. I knew they were a great ballclub, and a real powerhouse hitting team. It was funny, because at Marist we all hated [¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ catcher] Stacy Mui. She’s awesome, but she’s the kind of hard-nosed player that opponents don’t like that much. I’m a lot happier having her on my team now.
TR: The Rawsons have built quite a softball dynasty at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ. Is Melissa the person who got you into softball’ Are there any other Rawsons on the way’
NR: [Laughs] No, I’m the youngest in the family. Besides Melissa, Natalie, and I, we have an older sister, Jennifer, and an older brother, Christopher. I can remember playing various sports in the backyard with Christopher, but him and Jennifer didn’t play any organized sports. Melissa just started playing tee-ball, and I guess it started from there for Natalie and me.
TR: What are your impressions of ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ so far’
NR: I like it a lot better than I thought I would. My first impressions were that there would be nothing to do, and that it would be boring. I’m so busy! I’m taking five classes this semester [most ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ students take four], and I’ve realized that there’s plenty to do here. I spend a lot of my free time at the Coop [a student lounge/dining hall] doing work and eating.
TR: Do you have any thoughts about what you want to do after ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’
NR: I’m majoring in Political Science; that’s something I decided a long time ago, even before I was at Marist. I hope to work in the government someday, like in the CIA. I’m trying to find an internship in politics and government in Washington or New York for this summer.
TR: How special was it for you to be elected a captain in your first season here at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’
NR: It was great because I have so much heart, determination, and love for the game. I was happy that everyone noticed that.
TR: Is there a particular player whom you have always admired’
NR: Definitely my twin sister [Natalie]. She’s someone I’ve always looked to in terms of my mental game. Leaving her was very difficult; I call her my confidence. She was always the person growing up who let me know how good I was. When I was at Marist, I felt like my confidence had left me, and it was really hard to keep my mental game [on track].
TR: If you could plan a dream day, what would it include’
NR: First of all, I’d love to sleep in for once. Then I’d want to get out and enjoy this beautiful campus ‘ it could be a sunny day, right’ I’d just want to hang out on the green and enjoy the beautiful scenery, maybe get my sister [Natalie] and her boyfriend out to play some football or something like that.
TR: Do you have a favorite movie’
NR: I really like Remember the Titans. I’d say that’s my favorite movie. I watched it like every night my freshman year, and it would give me chills. I like a lot of sports movies.
TR: Who on the team always seems to lighten the mood’
NR: There are two players on the team who always make me laugh. Bri [Tsukamoto] makes the whole team laugh. She always has a smile on her face, and just has a great attitude. For me, though, [freshman first baseman] Danielle Soule always makes me laugh. I guess we have some sort of personal connection; she’s like a little sister to me. A lot of the things she says make me laugh. She’s a real character; she has a great personality.
TR: Do you have a most embarrassing softball moment’
NR: [Laughs] Yeah, I do, actually. Last year, when I was at Marist, we were playing Virginia Tech. They did this trick play where the catcher fakes a pickoff to third, and everyone pretends that the ball went into left field. So I start running home, and the catcher’s standing there with the ball. It was very funny later, but at the time I felt really stupid.
TR: Have you been looking forward to this week’s Florida trip’
NR: Oh, I’ve so been looking forward to it! My parents are coming from California, and it’s probably going to be the last time that they’re going to see Natalie and me play before we graduate, because it’s such a long trip from California.