Courtesy of Morgan State Athletic Communications
This is the second in a series of interviews with Morgan State senior student-athletes regarding the impact amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and what the future holds for MSU.
The NCAA canceled all winter and spring sports for the remainder of the academic calendar year.
The second student-athlete is softball senior pitcher Stephanie Rundlett, who still resides in the Baltimore area as she completes her internship for graduation.
A native of York, Maine, Rundlett transferred from Fordham University to Morgan State for her sophomore season (2017-18). In her first year as a Lady Bear, she collected 12 wins in 21 starts, while throwing a season-best 111 strikeouts to help Morgan State to a school-record 28 wins and the program's only MEAC Northern Division crown. She finished her career appearing in 71 games, making 57 starts, while recording 30 wins and three saves. Rundlett, who went the distance 27 times, threw 211 strikeouts in 339 innings pitched.
Rundlett discussed some of the impact of the coronavirus, the season getting cancelled and plans for the future.
Questions are in bold, and are followed by Rundlett's responses.
Q: What was the emotion of having your season cut short due to the coronavirus?
A: When we found out the season was cut short it was very heartbreaking. This whole year we have worked so hard to be where we were and it felt like it was all taken from us in the matter of minutes.
Q: How did you first find out? And what was it like getting the news from Coach Larry Hineline?
A: At first we were just told the season was postponed, but we all knew it was only a matter of minutes before it was completely cancelled because all of the other Division 1 schools were cancelling their seasons. It slowly kept falling apart. At first our practice was cancelled, then our Friday games were cancelled, then our Friday and Sunday games were cancelled because those teams cancelled their season, and then the whole weekend was cancelled, and then we found out the whole season was cancelled. I was guessing our season was going to be cancelled eventually because my friend from Norfolk State texted me asking about all the cancelations and said they were probably going to cancel our games versus Norfolk the next weekend (March 21-22).
We got the news from Coach Larry after we all knew because he called for a meeting. It was still heartbreaking even after hearing him say it. As a senior group, we stayed after asking a bunch of different questions because we were all heartbroken it just ended our senior season.
Q: What will you do in the meantime?
A: In the meantime, I will be finishing up my classes for school. One of my classes this semester was an internship class so I will be traveling to Pivot Physical Therapy for my internship so I can graduate. It is sad because I am able to go to my internship at times that we should be having games or practice.
Q: How would you describe this season and the first four weeks?
A: I would describe the season and the first four weeks as a success. These four weeks we all figured out how great we were as a whole against some bigger teams. We worked together very well against these bigger teams, rallied against them and we never let ourselves down. People were trusting themselves and their softball talent. The last weekend of play we ended up sweeping the weekly MEAC awards with Jali [Jalian Young] getting Player of the Week, Ellen Ebbers getting Rookie of the Week, and myself getting Pitcher of the Week. Before this week other players on the team got weekly honors as well, so we were pulling together as a team very well and we would have gone far if we were still playing.
Q: You all were picked 6th in the MEAC preseason poll...How good do you think this team could have been?
A: I believe this team would have been very good, much better than 6th place. I know it's the team I am on so I should have high hopes, but even others I have talked to not on the team. I believe we would have won the MEAC tournament, or at least been in the top two. Over the last couple weeks we were coming together very well. We had the talent and we all knew we had the talent, but we needed to work together as a team. It was definitely happening the last couple of weeks as a team. We stuck together and came from behind in situations. I do not think there was ever a time where we just gave up.
Q: As a departing senior, how would you like to be remembered?
A: I would like to be remembered as someone who was determined to do whatever she could to help the team the most I could. I love pitching and I always wanted to work on it. I loved the game of softball in general and whatever I could do to help out my team I would do. If anyone asked for extra work I would be there to help. The game of softball has been my life for the last 16 years and I want to be remembered as someone who would do whatever to help her team succeed.
Q: If your collegiate career has to come to an end this way, how much more meaningful is it for you to go 2-0 in your final week of competition and be named the last MEAC Pitcher of the Week for the season?
A: It is very meaningful to me because I would be leaving on a positive note. It would always be something for me to remember going 2-0 and getting Pitcher of the Week my last weekend of play this 2020 season. I will always remember this season getting cut short because of the coronavirus, but I will always remember my last weekend of play. If I knew it would be my last weekend of play I would have probably remembered a couple more things from the game, but overall it was a memorable weekend having those stats.
Q: How do you feel the coronavirus will affect the team heading into the 2020-21 season?
A: I believe the coronavirus will affect the team in a positive way for 2020-21. It cut our season short so everyone will want revenge. The coronavirus took away a chance at winning for us that we all believed we could do. Especially since there were four seniors on this team, there are a bunch of returnees coming back and they will want it more than anything since we got cut short this season.
Q: Outside of the disappointment of not finishing the season, getting to compete in any MEAC contests or a chance to reach another MEAC Softball Tournament, is there one game or one moment that stood out to you that you can share regarding this brief season?
A: The game we played against Clemson will always stand out for me. It was one of my better games pitching and one of the better games we played as a whole team. We were losing by one run and when we went up to bat we immediately attacked the ball and got the run back to tie up the game. This game I believe shows how much we would stick together as a team. There is so much more to this game but that is one moment that stood out to me during that game.
Q: What are your thoughts regarding the University's response to the coronavirus?
A: I believe the University is handling the coronavirus well. They keep sending out information about what they are doing and how to stay safe and they are not leaving any questions about anything. They are giving lots of information and not putting anything in brief terms. Yes, everything that is happening stinks, but the University is doing everything they can to make it the best for us and them. For example other schools have already cancelled graduation, but Morgan State has just postponed graduation. They are working hard especially figuring out all these online classes since we started back up with classes this week.
Q: How has your family been impacted? And thoughts regarding the limited travel on airlines etc.?
A: Right now my family is very spread out. My dad is still in Texas where we live, my mom is in Massachusetts staying with my grandma for the time being, and my brother is in California at Camp Pendleton. My family is working from the homes they are in and once this is all over my mom will go back to Texas. My dad actually works for the airlines so we knew something was happening we just did not know the complete details of it. I hope the limited travel on the airlines and the other things that are being limited will help the whole situation quick. I hear all these states going on lockdown and Tarrant County, which is where I live in Texas, has a shelter in place in order. I hope all these different things that are taking place works quick and helps out the world with all this.
Q: How has this first week of online/virtual learning been going so far? Any advantages or challenges?
A: From the beginning of this semester all of my classes have basically been online. I have my internship class and an abnormal psychology class this semester. I still have to go to my internship this semester and everything that we have to hand in was already online. My abnormal psychology class had all the work online as well, we would go to class so she could answer questions and go over a PowerPoint which is online as well. So overall, my semester hasn't had much change. The only change I have is not having to juggle all this with softball.
Q: What's your message for fellow Morganites while they're away from campus during this pandemic?
A: My message would be don't take online classes for granted. Make sure you are completing all your work especially seniors so you can still graduate. Don't let online classes be a reason for not graduating this semester. Also be safe. Be careful what you are touching at public places and don't disregard this whole situation because as the days go on there are getting to be more and more cases.