Rendon Makes Noise in National Pro Fastpitch Rookie Season
September 17, 2007 | Softball
Sept. 17, 2007
Story by Dan White
The Louisville softball team's elimination from last season's NCAA Regional was only the beginning of a life-changing few days for senior third-baseman Audrey Rendon. It signified the end of her prolific college career - she owns school records for hits, batting average, triples, and stolen bases - while also propelling her into a whirlwind of dream-making changes.
It was February of last season when Rendon got the news she'd been drafted by the Rockford Thunder of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) softball league. She become U of L's first softball player to be selected in the draft and only the second in the program's eight year history to play professionally. Former Cardinal pitching standout Aja Sherman (class of 2005) played for the Arizona Heat in 2005.
Though excited about her call to fame, one reality was crystal clear: the conclusion of the 2007 season would send her packing, out of Louisville and into Rockford, Illinois. The only shock came at how quickly it all transpired.
"There was no break," Rendon recalled with a smile the events after Louisville's Saturday night loss in the NCAA's. "We arrived home Sunday. Then I left Tuesday morning for Illinois, and had my first practice that afternoon."
That's commonplace in professional sports. When a team has a need, they move quickly to fill that hole. Rendon brought just what Rockford needed, a rocket-armed third-baseman with a consistent bat. She was quickly groomed into the pro game and was starting for the Thunder in no time.
Her most difficult task may have been earning the respect of her veteran teammates and opponents, but the personable Rendon made quick work of that, too. It could have been a nerve-wracking task, considering the history she's had with many of the league's stars.
"I have been a fan and looked up to so many of the players I see in the league," said Rendon of the numerous household names filling NPF rosters. "Amanda Freed, an Olympic gold medalist, is on my team, and Jenny Finch plays for the Chicago Bandits."
Freed and Finch may be names on the national radar, but Rendon made great strides for stardom herself in her initial season. Finishing third on the team in batting average with a .281 mark that included a double, triple, and eight RBI, Rendon outpaced the totals of many of her veteran teammates. When trying to determine the source of her early successes, Rendon gave much of the credit to her college and its coaches.
"Louisville has such great support of women's athletics with Tom Jurich and the southern hospitality makes it a nice place to be," noted Rendon, who joined the team in only its fifth year of play, "and the coaches do everything in their power to get you ready for the next level."
Rendon's words ring true when it comes to coaches doing everything they can to help their players. It was Louisville softball head coach Sandy Pearsall who really got the ball rolling for Audrey to be chosen on draft day, once she knew of her star third-basemen's desire for the next level.
"Coach Pearsall dealt with all of it; she knew it's what I wanted to do, so she spoke to different general managers and got a feel for my chances of being drafted," said Rendon.
Learning from great coaches will help Audrey outside of playing softball as her sights are set on becoming a college coach herself one day. It's a profession many of the NPF's players pursue given that the pro season plays out during the summer when the college teams are just wrapping up. Rendon's first taste of the coaching lifestyle will come during the 2008 season, and she'll be calling out orders from a very familiar dugout.
"I have no idea where I want to coach in the future," Rendon admitted, "but the staff at Louisville has asked me to stick around during my off-season to be a volunteer assistant in 2008."
It will be a welcome experience for the former Cardinal, coming back to the place she has called home for five years, and the younger players are looking forward to being coached by their old teammate.
"They asked me the other day during practice if I missed being out there with them, and I do, but really I felt like it was my time to move on," Rendon admitted, "but they are excited for me, to see a young player in the pros. You work so hard, and don't get recognized a lot, so it's exciting."
What Rendon does miss however is her familiarity with the city of Louisville, and the fans that routinely made it out to Ulmer Stadium to watch her teams play. The fan base in Rockford is growing, but the long bus rides, new living arrangements, and new city can be taxing on a young player's body and mind. Still it seems Rendon wouldn't have it any other way.
"The lifestyle can be compared to minor league baseball," said Rendon. "I drove around some when I first got to Rockford and ended up taking a lot of scenic routes that first month."
But the overall experience of working towards a goal since childhood and finally realizing that she made it to the top of her sport can only be summed up in one way for Audrey Rendon; a truly fulfilled "dream come true."
