Contact: Elliott Carr, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5325

Apr. 10, 2017 –"If coach tells you he needs you to do something, you just do it." 

Those are the words of North Central College senior softball player Jenna Amazzalorso, and there is perhaps no phrase that better describes her outlook to both softball and life in general.  

Going into her senior year, Amazzalorso was thrown a curve ball in preseason – head coach Jim Kulawiak informed her that she needed to change positions to catcher, a position she had not played since high school. Given that she had predominantly played in the outfield throughout her time as a Cardinal, Amazzalorso's response showed why she is so highly valued as a teammate. 

"When coach told me, I looked at him, laughed, but said, 'okay, if that's what you need me to do,'" she explained. "I consider myself a team player and if that's something I have to do to benefit my team, I'll go out and play in the position my coach wants me to play."  

This was not the first time Amazzalorso has been called upon to fill a different role, as she was moved from right field to third base during her junior year. As expected, she credited others with that adjustment, too. 

"Playing right field then going to the hot corner was definitely very scary, but the influence and motivation from my teammates really helped me," she said.  

One of those teammates was fellow senior and co-captain, Brooke Kehoe. 

"Brooke has definitely helped influence and inspire me" said Amazzalorso. "Her position was catching, and to see her not catch is weird. Our senior years, we both got moved to different positions. As of now, we're both playing to the best of our abilities; we want to go out with a bang in our senior year and make it one to remember." 

While she has welcomed the position change with open arms, it has been a bittersweet experience as she has many fond memories of playing in the outfield. 

"Jenna Trojniar and myself would always try to out dive each other in the outfield, trying to see who could make the best diving catch," she recalled. "Not being out there with her is very strange and sad, but now moving into the infield and being involved with every single play is just as exciting. It's definitely something very different but something I can handle."   

Amazzalorso has experienced many highs during her time as a Cardinal. Her freshman year, the Cardinals made a lengthy postseason run, hosting the NCAA Division III Super Regionals. 

"Being regional champs was really exciting-- I wish we could have made it further but it was a good run," said Amazzalorso. "Hosting super regionals was awesome to be a part of; seeing our field get transformed to host that type of event was amazing not only from the look of it but also because we had home field advantage." 

Her first college home run was also a moment that will stay with her for a long time, occurring during her junior year during the team's annual Florida trip, in a 10-4 win over Macalester College. 

"The fact it came in a win made it even sweeter," she said. "I give a lot of credit to our graduate assistant coach Mary Connolly for all the time she put in helping me with my swing." 

There have been many soaring highs during her career, but she has also had to overcome her share of adversity.  

"I've had two concussions," she said. "Freshman year, we were doing an outfield drill. Our assistant coach at the time threw the ball up, my teammate missed the ball, and it went off her glove right into my face. I broke the bridge of my nose and had two black eyes--it reminded me of Batman." 

The willingness to do whatever it takes to be part of a winning team has translated to other areas of her life, resulting in her having already been offered a full-time job post-graduation in June, at the Franciscan Fitness Center. Having interned there throughout her time at North Central, management was so impressed that they did not hesitate to offer her the position, knowing that if they didn't, somebody else would.  

"I would be doing personal training, working mostly with the elderly, and assisting with their cardiac rehab and medical membership classes," explained Amazzalorso. "I also coach sixth, seventh and eighth grade girls softball in my local school district, Washington-Mckinley." 

Predominantly known her for athletic ability, she also has an artistic and creative side.  

"I get very creative; I like to paint and get a lot of ideas from Pinterest," said Amazzalorso. "I paint a lot to spice my dorm room up a little bit, and I've also painted things for friends and given them away. When we do secret sister for softball, I like to get creative with my gifts and make them look pretty. I'm a perfectionist, so anything I do has to look good." 

Along with softball, Amazzalorso also played basketball and volleyball throughout high school, leaving her very little time for anything else. Given how packed her schedule was, she was unable to attend to her high school's driver's education program, resulting in her not having a driver's license, making her a rarity for a college senior. 

"I just never had the time to do driver's education in high school because I was involved in three sports," she explained. "Once I got to college, my mom figured that I didn't need a car because I wasn't that far from home." 

All of that said, one of the first things Amazzalorso will be doing post-graduation is getting her license and expect the country music stations to be a permanent fixture on the radio when she is driving. 

"It's definitely my favorite genre," she explained. "Whenever I'm in the car with my teammates, I always ask them to put the country station on, and they always say, 'no, Jenna we're not!'" 

Unknown to those not close to her is that she has a twin sister, Jamie. While noting their stark differences, Amazzalorso stresses that they are still extremely close. 

"We're very different; she's the girly girl and I'm the tomboy," she said. "Jamie got the Italian gene and I got the Irish one. She's into makeup and I'm into sports; she's into rap and I'm into country.  If people were to look at us, they would say no way that's not your twin because we look nothing alike. We're definitely two different people, but we still talk every day." 

Catch Amazzalorso and the rest softball team in action next on April 11, when they travel to River Forest, Illinois, for a non-conference matchup with Concordia University Chicago at 4 p.m.