Jan. 11, 2016
by Noelle Colligan, South Carolina Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant
COLUMBIA, S.C. – “Expectations are always for other people. Those accolades were for last year, and now it’s time to focus on this year.”
First-Team NFCA All-America, First-Team All-SEC, First-Team NFCA All-Southeast Region are just a few of the titles that Gamecocks outfielder Alaynie Page acquired last season. But to the senior from Boiling Springs, South Carolina, there’s much more to accomplish this season than personal records and titles.
“This program has worked really hard and made big steps to make the standard going to the NCAA Tournament. I want that to translate into making it to regionals, going to super regionals and eventually Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series. It’s not really about my success, but if I can push the team to Oklahoma City then good things will come along with it. I have all the faith in the world in my teammates.”
Photobombing the head coach’s ESPN interview, and singing and dancing in left field don’t seem to be the traits of someone who tears through the SEC with a season batting average of .421, but for Page, she doesn’t know any other way.
“I’m outgoing, and I love to have fun. If I’m not loving something, I’m not going to want to do it. I have such a passion for this sport, this team, and my school. Of course I’m going to goof off and have some fun!”
Sophomore Jordyn Augustus has seen up close how Page has helped lead the team to recent success and has the upmost respect for her recent accolades and outgoing personality.
“Alaynie is driven, and she brings an infectious fire with her to the field every day. She gets everyone riled up and pushes us to be our best.”
Page hopes to enter the National Pro Fastpitch league when she graduates in May. But if it comes time for playing days to be over, she’s not ready to hang up the cleats just yet. She plans to stay at the University and become a graduate assistant to head coach Beverly Smith. Then later down the road, Page aspires to be a stadium manager or head of operations at an arena, which she credits to a successful internship last summer at Colonial Life Arena.
As one of four seniors on this year’s roster, Page has watched the South Carolina softball program grow before her eyes. She credits the new state of the art facilities, great recruiting classes, and the guidance of Coach Smith to the programs growth and recent success. But her expectations and vision for the future of South Carolina softball goes beyond her personal statistics and the current season, as she leaves her legacy this season.
“When South Carolina was in its prime, going to the NCAA Tournaments every year, that was great, and I want to help bring the program back to that. We need stepping stones to get there, and we’ve set the standard here now and that’s the legacy that we have started here. I want us to be that team that got the school back to Oklahoma City, or that team that got the farthest in the NCAA tournament in years. I could care less about my accolades. It’s more important to get South Carolina softball back to that success, and I think we definitely have the team this year to do it.”
Story originally appeared in the Nov. 28, 2015 football game program vs. Clemson
