Softball | 2/2/2023 3:31:00 PM

 By Paul Suellentrop
 
Caroline Tallent started her quest to play college softball with a narrow search. She prioritized her interest in engineering before athletics.
 
Wichita State fits the select number of schools with strong engineering and strong softball. Tallent knew about the school because of basketball, liked the Shocker mascot, and emailed coach Kristi Bredbenner.
 
"(Wichita State) is like literally the best place for the aerospace industry," Tallent said. "Whenever she replied and wanted to talk more, I was ecstatic. Once I found this place, I was like 'I really want to go here.'"
 
Two years later, Tallent, a sophomore first baseman from Jamestown, Tenn., is closer to turning her strength and athletic ability into production for the Shockers. Just as important, her selflessness, work ethic and skills at fixing and building make her a valuable teammate.
 
The Shockers open the season on Feb. 10 in the Bobcat Classic in San Marcos, Texas.
 
"Very disciplined and ambitious," said teammate Taylor Sedlacek. "I'm a freshman, so she swooped me off to do extra work with her. She took me under her wing without even knowing me. Throwing me front toss when I needed it. Hit me ground balls. Pop flys."
 
Tallent owns a Ford F150 white pickup truck, so she volunteers to ferry equipment from Wilkins Stadium to the Bombardier Learjet Indoor Practice Facility. When hitting mats need moving, Tallent carries them. If the Shockers need a bullpen catcher, Tallent volunteers for that thankless job.
 
"Being a part of the team is what keeps me going," she said. "Why would you be a person who wouldn't do that stuff. Not helpful. Why are you even here?"
 
She grew up on a farm with around 75 head of cattle, 40 goats and chickens where her father expected her to pitch in with tools, sweat and ingenuity. She builds furniture out of scrap metal. She is considering prototyping a batting glove she rigged that leaves the thumb bare and wraps a strap around the barrel to keep it secure in after a swing.
 
"I remember I was like 10 or 11 and my dad started asking me 'How would you fix this, or go fix this,'" she said. "I'd be like, 'I have some wire and a hammer. How am I supposed to make this fence stay up?' That process of critical thinking and problem solving – I just love it."
 
Tallent is a mechanical engineering major who earned a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete team with a 4.0 grade-point average as a freshman. When Sedlacek talked about liking pancakes, Tallent made microwaveable pancake-in-a-cup and brought it to the locker room the next day.
 
"If she's not doing softball, she's doing homework in the locker room," Sedlacek said. "Something with a hammer or a screwdriver, out of anyone on the team, it's going to Caroline."
 
Tallent didn't play elite travel softball, which limited her recruiting. She competed as a gymnast in high school. Bredbenner could see her size, strength and athletic ability and appreciated her willingness to walk on, prioritize Wichita State's academics and earn playing time. Bredbenner quickly recognized that Tallent was among the strongest Shockers and fast enough to make good use of her power potential.
 
"Her swing has totally turned around, "Bredbenner said. "She's crushing the ball. Now that we're seeing the swing, where can we find her a defensive spot? Her playing time is a testament to her work ethic."
 
When it came to taking instruction, Tallent is also a role model. She starts her sophomore season with an opportunity to earn playing time at first base.
 
"You tell her something and you can see her process it in her head," Bredbenner said. "Very methodical and then once she figures things out, no one is going to work harder."
 
Tallent spent her freshman year refining her swing, working on defense and adjusting to NCAA Division I pitching. When she arrived, she relied too much on her upper arms to generate power.
 
"Here she's this powerful specimen, and she really wasn't using her legs," Bredbenner said. "She can really break things down and teach herself when she struggles."
 
A year with Bredbenner and associate head coach Elizabeth Economon helped her to open her stance and use her legs.
 
"Coach E does wonders," Tallent said. "She knows everybody's swing is a little different. She knows the key points of a swing that make it successful. She takes the best parts of your swing, and she makes it a little bit easier for you to be successful."
 
If successful softball starts with a helpful attitude, working with freshmen and a willingness to wear out batting gloves in the cage, Tallent is on her way.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.