Badgers softball’s trio of central Wisconsin players

Gainesville, Fla. (WSAW) – Three central Wisconsin gamers will probably be donning the Badgers softball jersey when the staff opens NCAA event play tomorrow.

Lauren Foster, a Wausau native, is the staff’s shortstop. Ally Miklesh, a former SPASH participant, is the staff’s outfielder. And Megan Donahue, a Marshfield alum, is the staff’s catcher.

However the first connection inside the trio began when Miklesh was simply 14 years outdated. She performed with Donahue on her dad’s FirePro summer season softball staff.

“Taking part in with Ally was all the time actually enjoyable. The second the ball was hit within the air, I used to be like ‘Ally’s bought it,’” Donahue recalled

That continued into the season when Miklesh’s Panthers would play Donahue’s Tigers in Wisconsin Valley Convention play.

“You realize Marshfield, SPASH. We’ve slightly rivalry, particularly in softball. There was all the time slightly little bit of banter,” Miklesh mentioned.

The connection between the 2 continued by way of highschool and commencement. However whereas Miklesh was a Wisconsin Badgers’ recruit, Donahue deliberate to go to a junior school to play softball for 2 seasons. Neither thought there was an opportunity they’d play collectively once more.

Till earlier than the 2020 season, Donahue walked on to the Badgers as a catcher.

Donahue grew to become the third central Wisconsin native on the staff, becoming a member of Foster, who was born and raised in Wausau for 9 years, and Miklesh.

“I want we had extra youngsters, you understand. Three shouldn’t be sufficient. We’d like extra youngsters from Wisconsin to go be a Badger,” Foster mentioned.

Within the final two seasons, the Trio has began a mixed 189 video games, powering the Badgers again to the NCAA event for the fourth time in 5 seasons.

“We take a number of satisfaction in growing our expertise and being pretty much as good as different Athletes from hotter states,” Donahue mentioned.

The three ladies are seniors and close to the top of their school careers, however they hope the legacy they constructed continues at dwelling.

“It’s attainable that regardless that you’re from a small city in the course of Wisconsin, you possibly can nonetheless obtain your goals,” Donahue mentioned.

Desires that started at 14 years outdated proceed on the large stage because the group appears to be like to maintain making central Wisconsin proud.

The staff opens NCAA event play Friday at 2 pm in opposition to Georgia Tech.

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