Senior catcher Maddi Hackbarth, senior center fielder Kindra Hackbarth and senior pitcher Cielo Meza have all decided to exercise their extra year of eligibility that was granted to them by the NCAA due to COVID-19.
The Hackbarth sisters and Meza were instrumental to the team's success as all three were named top 100 players this season by Softball America.
Maddi Hackbarth
ASU softball senior catcher Maddi Hackbarth announced via Twitter on March 30 that she will be returning to the team next year.
Maddi said the team was on its way to a scheduled series against UCLA, the weekend of March 13, when they were told that the next two weeks of games were canceled.
Just 12 hours later, they were informed at a team meeting that their season was canceled.
After her senior season was cut short following a mere 29 games due to COVID-19, the team’s 2020 RBI leader was unsure if she had played her last collegiate softball game.
“At the time I was devastated. Obviously, a lot of emotions going on,” Maddi Hackbarth said. “I was angry, I was upset, crying of course just because you didn’t know what was going to happen after that. If I was going to be able to play again. If what I had done so far had been enough to get drafted. At the time I was very upset. The unknown of everything at the time was a lot to handle and take in.”
Then, on March 30, the NCAA passed a waiver granting an extra year of eligibility to all Division I spring-sport athletes. Maddi saw the news on Twitter while sitting on her love sack in her room and tweeted out the news that she was coming back just hours later.
“When I started reading it, I was full of happiness and joy. I was excited,” she said. “I wanted to get back on the field just as badly as when I found out I wasn’t going to be able to play again. I was just so excited to be able to have the opportunity again. It’s unreal. It’s just a blessing.”
When the 2020 season was canceled, the No. 17 Sun Devils stood at 22-7, leading the NCAA in home runs.
Hackbarth said that the team’s success and talent made the decision to come back that much easier.
“Sun Devil softball is just such a big part of my life. Over the past years it’s been my drive to get up every morning and to go work out, to be better and to be myself. It’s my family and my home,” Maddi said. “I wouldn’t want to play with another team for my last go around. The potential that this team had and where we were headed was something for the record books.”
With the 2020 season now in the past, Maddi is looking to the future. She still has her sights set on the ASU home run record and taking the Sun Devils to the Women’s College World Series.
But, as for right now, she has one message for Sun Devil nation.
“I’m coming back. My story is not done," she said. "I have so much more to give to this sport, to this program, to myself, to my family, to my teammates, to my coaching staff and I think that’s why I was so quick to make that decision. Maddi Hackbarth is not done here at ASU.”
Kindra Hackbarth
On April 3, Kindra Hackbarth announced via Instagram that she would be returning to the team next season.
Kindra said she decided to wait a couple of days after Maddi announced her return because the Sun Devil outfielder was waiting to hear more information on the team’s situation from head coach Trisha Ford.
“I was waiting for more answers, more news and just to get more educated on the situation from coach Ford,” Kindra Hackbarth said. “Even though we have another year, scholarships are here and there. I didn’t want to jump to it right away.”
One of the main opportunities that Kindra was keeping her eye on was the National Pro Fastpitch league. After taking a look at the league, Kindra decided to return because she believes her senior class has more left to accomplish before they leave.
Just three days after she announced her return to the team, Kindra and Maddi Hackbarth were both named All-Americans by Softball America.
Kindra said she was especially happy for her sister because it was her first time ever receiving the award.
“I got it last year and it was something I’ve always wanted and dreamed of and then finally seeing your sister be able to get that title too is incredible,” Kindra said. “It warmed my heart being able to see how happy Maddi was to receive that.”
Kindra is convinced next year’s team will have what it takes to get to the WCWS because of the team's returners, as well as a strong incoming class. She is especially excited to start working with the freshman outfielders.
“I think we have a really good group coming in. I love working with new outfielders and the outfield in general,” Kindra said. “I think that we have a lot of upperclassmen to help these underclassmen because we basically have two senior classes.”
Cielo Meza
Senior pitcher Cielo Meza announced that she would be returning for a fifth year on April 11.
Meza said that she is even more motivated to achieve her goal of making it to the WCWS because she has now had two seasons cut short, one due to injury and one due to the coronavirus.
“We all influence each other with this motivation to get to a World Series," Meza said. "That’s always been a goal of mine and I feel like I would sell myself short if I didn’t try every option possible to get to a World Series. The hard work is going to pay off someday in the future. There’s a lot of unfinished business that I hope to accomplish this next season.”
Meza said when she heard the news that they were canceling the UCLA series, she was devastated. Meza is from California and her family was going to be in attendance.
“I was really frustrated," Meza said. "I just remembered calling my dad and just telling him ‘We’re turning back around and I’m not gonna be able to play in front of you guys.’ It was just heartbreaking to not be able to play in front of my family.”
Another reason why Meza decided to return was because of her dad.
“He’s a big role model for me. It’s been a journey. We’ve been through up and downs," Meza said. "That’s been the goal for the both of us, to get to the World Series, to just dominate in the circle. That’s definitely who I play for.”
These three announcements leave only two seniors, pitcher Samantha Mejia and outfielder Allison Tatnall, left to announce their decision.
Reach the reporter at cfahrend@asu.edu and follow @chris_drop_ on Twitter.
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