Oregon junior pitcher Cheridan Hawkins has quite the resume.
Through two and half years in a Ducks uniform, she has already been chosen as an All-Pac-12 performer twice, Pac-12 pitcher of the year and a first team All-American. Not only does she boast a 67-13 career record, but her ERA sits at 1.38.
Before Hawkins hangs up her cleats in the green and yellow, she hopes to win a national championship. Her 0.32 ERA this season is doing a lot to bring Oregon back to the Women’s College World Series.
Hawkins discussed her goals, the status of the team and her favorite things to do away from softball with the Emerald.
What’s the main difference between last year’s team and this year’s team?
I don’t know, I just feel like it’s a really different team. We lost some people from last year but got some freshmen and new transfers in. I feel like this year’s team is a little bit more aggressive. We have some really good hitters — not that we didn’t have good hitters last year — but I just think we have a great lineup. We also have a lot of depth in our pitching, going from three pitchers to five so that’s been huge. There is a lot of competition at every spot because we have so much depth.
Halfway through the season, how are you feeling and what more do you want to improve on?
At this point and right now, you don’t really focus on mechanical things. For me, I feel really good and it’s all about winning. I’ll do whatever it is for us to win whether I’m pitching or not, I want us to win. Personally, it’s about fine tuning everything I’ve worked on and focusing on hitting my spots a little bit better.
What was it like to play for the U.S. National team (Hawkins made the team in 2013)?
It was fun to make the team and just a really good opportunity. It was a chance to travel the world and play the game you love, so who wouldn’t want to do that? It was such an honor to represent my country and wear those three letters across my chest.
What is your favorite class at Oregon?
Oooooh — I’m actually in my major classes (family and human services) this year and my favorite class I took was FHS 330 — it was like a class on how to counsel people. I found that really fun because it helped me build better relationships with my family, my friends and my teammates. It’s just about how to talk with people better and I just found that interesting because it’s not about a lot of stuff that you would learn elsewhere.
What’s your favorite type of food? Favorite type of movie?
That’s easy because my favorite type of food is Chinese, anything Chinese. I’m going to try Kowloon’s because I hear they have some great Chinese food. As for movie, that’s really hard. My favorite Disney movie is easily Little Mermaid because I just like mermaids. My favorite normal movie would be A Walk to Remember — I like Nicholas Sparks and I love reading.
What’s one thing people should know about you, but don’t?
I’m from a really small town and I have my own hunting license. I’ve killed a deer, a pig and a turkey — I’ve killed a bird that was a point larger than my dad’s and it was awesome. People don’t know that I like to hunt, fish and things like that.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka
At the U of O, a program was put into place called Ducks Do Something. The Division of Student Life created a video challenge to students for their “voices to be louder than the statistics and give examples of how their communities are actively a part of the commitment to make real change,” according to the program’s mission statement. (Illustration by Kenneth Osborn)
