Roaring Fork’s Meg Nieslanik signs with Avila University for softball
Glenwood Springs Post Independent
Courtesy photo
Following a strong four-year career with the Basalt High School softball team that saw her hit .412 with 99 career hits, 75 career RBIs and 68 career runs scored, Roaring Fork High School senior Megan Nieslanik signed her National Letter of Intent Thursday to play softball at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri.
Nieslanik, the daughter of Mike and Lisa Nieslanik of Carbondale, follows in the footsteps of her older sister, Madeleine, who is currently a senior catcher at Avila University.
“I’m very familiar with the campus,” Nieslanik said following the signing ceremony at Roaring Fork High School. “I really like that campus is very small; you can’t really get lost. There’s very few buildings, so it’s easy to find my way around. It’s sort of like Carbondale.”
Last season for the Longhorns’ softball team, Nieslanik hit .311 in 19 games, recording 18 hits while driving in 18 runs on three doubles and a triple. Defensively, Nieslanik played all over the infield and some in the outfield, but as of now she’s planning on stepping in at first base for Avila next season.
“I’m hoping that’s where I’ll play next year, but I feel comfortable anywhere, really,” Nieslanik said.
Coming from a softball family, Nieslanik is currently dabbling in baseball for Roaring Fork this spring, where she’s holding down the first base job for the Rams under head coach Marty Madsen.
“I had a friend come to me and say we should play baseball,” Nieslanik said. “I didn’t really consider it at the time, but I figured I didn’t want to have a full year off from softball, so I’m giving it a try. It’s speeding up my reaction time, since the ball comes at you so much quicker. It’s very different, but it’s very fun.”
Aside from softball at Avila, Nieslanik wants to study radiology, largely because she wants to become an ultrasound technician upon graduation.
“Avila is actually one of the 40 schools that has radiology as a program, so it all worked out well for me; that was a huge bonus for me,” Nieslanik said.
For now, Nieslanik will focus on baseball and school to close her senior year at Roaring Fork before officially embarking on her journey with the Eagles next fall.
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