After winning the Big Ten tournament championship in 2013, the Wisconsin Badgers struggled for a few years to gain an identity as a contender on the national stage. Though they have yet to reach a firm plateau on national prominence, the program has seen particularly stable footing in the last couple of seasons, with back-to-back appearances in the NCAA tournament in 2017 and ’18.
The Badgers have reached that level of established contention thanks in no small part to pitcher Kaitlyn Menz. The junior right-hander has not ended a single season in her career without a trip to the NCAA tournament, and has earned thirty-six victories in fifty-eight career starts. She holds a 2.93 career ERA and an all-region honor from her freshman year.
Prior to kicking off her junior campaign in Madison, Menz sat down with JWOS to talk about her balancing academics with playing softball; how she handled the transition into college ball; what she loves about being a Badger; and more!
Justin’s World of Softball: Q: How did you get started playing softball? Did you play any other sports as a youngster?
Kaitlyn Menz: I started playing softball because a lot of my friends growing up played softball, as well, and I wanted to be a part of anything that my friends were doing. I participated in gymnastics until 8th grade, which I loved, and then played both volleyball and basketball for a while, into early high school.
JWOS: What led you to Wisconsin and made you choose the Badgers as your collegiate “home”?
Menz: The choice to become a Badger was made because of a few different aspects. First off, I thought that the campus was beautiful with the lakes surrounding it and the Capitol so close to everything. I also loved the coaches and wanted to be part of a softball program where I could make an impact. The academics are obviously really good, and while it would be a challenge, I knew that it would all pay off to get a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Overall, it just felt like home.
JWOS: You came into college like gangbusters, starting the second-most games of any pitcher in program history in your freshman season. Tell me about the transition from high school/club ball to Division I college ball and how you were able to make that so seamlessly.
Menz: The transition was definitely not easy. In high school, I was used to just throwing the ball as hard as I could and changing speeds, and was always pretty successful. Playing Premier club ball definitely helped to match-up against the kind of competition that I would face in college. Having teammates and coaches that fully supported me and believed in me was the biggest help in making the transition and being so successful. Yes, skill-wise I learned a lot and had to make a lot of improvements, but having a team that loved me and that I loved made it easier.
JWOS: Tell me about your preparation process and to what you attribute your ability to be so consistent in the circle.
Menz: The biggest thing I attribute to consistency in the circle, is being able to go back to the basics and trust my team behind me. In the offseason, I do a lot of mechanic work and break everything down so that when it comes to game time, I am able to just go out and throw, and trust my preparation. Being able to trust my teammates is huge. I am able to go out and throw my game, and trust that my teammates are going to make the plays behind me.
JWOS: What is your favorite career moment or memory, to this point?
Menz: I have quite a few favorite career memories that stand out, but my two favorites are beating Michigan in extra innings when Steph Lombardo hit a walk-off off of Megan Betsa to win 1-0. Also, last season, beating ranked Auburn was exciting and felt like it set the standard for our season.
JWOS: Talk to me about the experience of playing in the NCAA tournament. What was that like for you and your team?
Menz: Playing in the NCAA tournament is always something so special. Last season was even more special because we didn’t think that we were going to make it, but we did and took every opportunity to make that count. It’s such a big stage, and it’s so much fun to be able to go to battle with my team and show off all the hard work that we have put in throughout the season. My team and I always have fun traveling to different parts of the country and being able to experience playing some of the best teams.
JWOS: Tell me how, as a Division I athlete, you balance your academics and athletic endeavors? How deliberate do you have to be to maintain that balance, especially with pursuing such a field as psychology?
Menz: You hear it a lot, but I think being able to utilize my skills in time management has been key. Freshman year, I found myself staying up until 2am most nights, trying to catch up on homework and studying because I didn’t know how to manage my time. Throughout my time here, I have found it most helpful to write everything down in my planner. I plan out when I have class and practice, and between that, when I’m going to study, and even eat. At the end of a long day, I have found it helpful to give myself 30 minutes to an hour to decompress, but then get right back to work on homework. It’s definitely difficult but I think being able to balance academics and athletics is something that is necessary to help you succeed both on the field and in the classroom.
JWOS: What are your goals, both personally and for your team, for 2019?
Menz: Personally, my goals for 2019 are to find out how the rest of the pitching staff and I can best work together to throw innings and win games. I usually try to have number goals as well, and this year I want to keep my ERA under 3.00 in preseason and Big Ten play. As for the team, our overall goal is to make it to an NCAA regional. No Wisconsin team has ever gone to the regionals three years in a row, so we all have our eyes and minds on doing that. We also want to be Big Ten tournament champs. One of the games that we have circled as a team this year is Texas. We have beaten them in the past, but they also have quite a few transfers from Oregon, which we matched up with my freshman year. It’ll be fun to go out and battle them again.
