Former BBHHS softball player helps Zips move up to next level
by Dan Holland
For Broadview Heights native McKayla McGee, being part of the University of Akron softball team that captured the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth was a memorable experience.
Entering the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed, the Zips hosted the event in Akron May 7-9. Akron opened the tournament with a 6-5 victory over Ohio University, defeated Western Michigan 4-2 in the semifinals and claimed the championship with a 3-1 win over Western Michigan at Firestone Stadium.
The title secured an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Softball Regionals, marking the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
The Zips opened NCAA Regional play May 15 with an 8-0 loss to No. 4 LSU in Baton Rouge before rebounding with a 1-0 victory over South Alabama the following day. Akron’s season ended with a 7-6 loss to No. 14 Virginia Tech on May 16.
McGee, a Walsh Jesuit High School graduate and exercise science major, is a power-hitting first baseman for the Zips. She chose Akron because of its proximity to home and the strength of the softball program.
“I feel like I met with the expectations I had for this season,” said McGee. “When I did have my chances on the field, I played to my highest ability. Coming in as a freshman, I figured that I probably wouldn’t play that much, but I was appreciative of the chances I did get to play. I ended up hitting two home runs during the season, so that was really exciting to get those under my belt to feel a little more comfortable.”
McGee appeared in 19 games and made seven starts during her freshman season, batting .258 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Both home runs came in multi-RBI performances, helping her make the most of limited opportunities in the lineup.
Two of Akron’s victories in the MAC Tournament came on walk-off home runs by teammates.
“That’s what we were known for all season: that we could battle back at any point in time, and those two walk-off home runs showed what we are capable of,” she said. “We’re a very good hitting team, believing that we’re always in a game – even when we’re down – and we know that we can fight our way back into the game. Also, our pitching was very strong this season despite an injury to one of our top pitchers.”
One of McGee’s biggest takeaways from her freshman season was learning what it takes to compete at the Division I level.
“My biggest takeaway was how all the teams were, how their pitching was and how the teams played,” said McGee. “Just seeing how all that works in college is quite a bit different from high school. But knowing now what I need to work on and getting better in those areas will hopefully help to get more playing time and more at-bats next season.”
Head Coach Craig Nicholson, who was named MAC Coach of the Year after leading Akron to back-to-back 30-win seasons and the MAC regular-season title, praised McGee’s development during her first year with the program.
“McKayla had a very good freshman season,” said Nicholson. “She developed, worked hard on a daily basis and has become a much better player. She played a limited role on game day but had some big hits for us throughout the season. I would expect her to play an increased role moving forward, continuing to get better and likely seeing her opportunities to get at-bats continue to grow.”