Get to Know Your Raiders: Rachel Shumway

Playing for her hometown SU softball team, junior second baseman Rachel Shumway has been a source of power from the middle of the Raider lineup over the past two seasons.

The English major broke through as the team’s starting second baseman as a sophomore last year while leading the team with a .416 on-base percentage to go along with 30 hits, 13 RBIs and a .398 slugging percentage.

This season, Shumway is slugging .382 with a .469 OBP, and for her career, she’s started 60 games while totaling 42 hits and 25 RBIs.

The 25-6 Raiders – ranked second in this week’s inaugural NCAA Atlantic Region rankings – return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon with a 2:30 p.m. home doubleheader against West Chester from Robb Field.

Get to know Rachel Shumway…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

I enjoy getting mentally and spiritually prepared by praying to the Lord before we take the field as a team.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

Well, being a local from Shippensburg, I really like going to wing night on Wednesdays with my family.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

Art Appreciation. It was a lot of fun and I looked forward to learning more about the subject.

If you weren't majoring in English, what would your major be?

Exercise science because I really love sports.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

My favorite day of the week is Friday because it is the beginning of the weekend and I get to relax. It is the one day where I do not have to worry about anything.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

Kutztown and Bloomsburg because those two teams are tough competition, and I love a good challenge.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

They would tell you that I am an upbeat person who is willing to help anyone, and they would also say that I am a very funny individual.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

One athletic accomplishment that comes to mind is from my sophomore year. We were playing in the annual tournament in Salem, Va., and I hit two home runs in two days.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Time management, because you have to figure out what your priorities are and make sure academics come first.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

How to relate to and understand many types of personalities. This has made my character stronger and has taught me how to adapt in every situation.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

Look in the mirror. What do you see? I see another chance, another 24 hours to get it right, another chance to win the day. So there you have it...24 chances with every new day. What a gift.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in softball, what would you tell them they should focus on?

I would tell them to focus on the love of the game because if you aren't playing to have fun, then it won’t mean much to you.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

I would advise each individual to stay true to themselves and treat others the way they want to be treated.