Council Rock North seniors Juliana Shields, Lauren Begg and Jenna Khantzian were recognized for signing letters of intent to compete in softball at the collegiate level (Photos provided courtesy of CR North softball)
“These girls are special because they came in with me – my first year was their freshman year,” coach John Engelhardt said. “All three of them played varsity as freshmen. The coolest thing for me to watch – and I actually have video of it – was when the three of them were freshmen talking about the seniors that were the captains. To see how little and quiet and soft-spoken these three were into what they are now - they’re strong young ladies, to see how they’ve matured and their confidence – that’s the coolest thing.
“All three of them have put the work in to put themselves in the position they’re in. They’ve all had different paths, but the one thing that all three of them have done is put the work in. It’s a sacrifice to get to the D-1 level. These schools – La Salle and UMass – are not only getting good ballplayers but great kids that are going to be awesome on the field but also off the field for those programs.”
Lauren Begg – La Salle University (Softball)
Major: International Relations
Reasons for choosing La Salle: “I chose La Salle because I wanted to go to a school with a small campus that also has Division I athletics. I also chose La Salle because of the softball program’s amazing coaching staff and team.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “I have played for Newtown Rock travel softball program for almost eight years, and I knew I wanted to play Division I softball in college. I started the recruiting process when I was around fifteen.”
Coach John Engelhardt says: “Lauren is the most competitive kid I have ever met. She’s worked for everything that she’s got and is willing to do whatever is necessary for the team. She didn’t expect to pitch 24 games for us last year, but she was willing to take the ball every game and put us in a position to be successful. One of the things I told the assistant coach at La Salle is, ‘You’re getting a kid that’s going to come in and give you everything she has. If you ask her to run through a brick wall, she will run through a brick wall.’ On her travel team, she played center field, and she’s very fast.”
About Lauren:
Favorite food: Mexican
Favorite movie: Sicario
Favorite music: Young the Giant
Jenna Khantzian – La Salle University (Softball)
Major: Nursing
Final list of colleges: La Salle, Delaware
Reasons for choosing La Salle: “Major, softball coaches/program, location”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “I started thinking about playing in college in middle school. I knew that if I wanted to play at the collegiate level I had to step up my game so I was prepared for when college coaches would start coming to my games. Recruiting rules have changed since I was a freshman in high school, but the recruiting process started when I was about 15.”
Coach John Engelhardt says: “One of the things I think everyone in our dugout understands but the outside world might not is that Jenna has got a huge heart and cares so much about her teammates. It has a huge impact on our team. Last year, we had a position player who was struggling, and Jenna went out of her way on the weekend to throw with this girl because she wanted to help her. She’s always looking to help others, and she’s got that selflessness that you don’t always see.
“As a pitcher, when she’s locked in, it’s tough to find somebody that’s better than her. She’s pitched us to new heights as a program, and it would be tough to find somebody that’s on her level.”
About Jenna:
Favorite food: Grilled Cheese
Favorite movie: Monsters Inc.
Favorite music: The Lumineers
Juliana (Jules) Shields – University of Massachusetts (Softball)
Major: Nutrition sciences and Kinesiology
Final list of colleges: UMass, St. Joseph’s, Drexel
Reasons for choosing UMass: “When I was a junior, I decided that I wanted to study either Nutrition or Kinesiology, or a combination of both but realized that there aren’t a lot of schools that offer both majors. UMass was one of only a few schools that offers both majors and has a really strong softball program. I first went to a camp there as a junior and realized that the team spirit and coaching philosophy are amazing and exactly what I was looking for. I feel very lucky to have found the perfect fit!”
What was progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “I played basketball and softball since I was about eight years old. I was in eighth grade when I realized that softball was my passion and I could not imagine my life in college without playing. My recruiting process really got going in 10th grade when I joined the Newtown Rock softball organization and started to travel nationally for tournaments. Playing all over the country helped me to get better and get exposure to a lot of different schools and coaches.”
Coach John Engelhardt says: “Juliana was the quietest girl as a freshman. We weren’t even sure if she liked being in the program because she was so quiet. She’s blossomed into a leader, going from not talking at all as a freshman to someone that leads by example and is much more outspoken now. She sacrificed for our program. She’s an outfielder in her travel program, and she played infield for us. She’s just willing to do whatever it takes for us to be successful, and it’s been really awesome to see her grow both off the field and on the field.
“She might break our home run record this year, and if you had told us that as a freshman, I don’t think anyone would have believed you. She’s put a lot of time and energy in the weight room to get herself ready. She’s just a smart player and can play any of the nine positions on the field. Having small numbers and knowing I can put this kid anywhere is really beneficial. If you asked her what she’d want to play at the college level, it’s ‘whatever is going to get me the most playing time.’ She’s athletic enough to play the middle infield and has the speed and arm strength to play the outfield.”
About Juliana:
Favorite food: Sweet Potato
Favorite movie: Mamma Mia
Favorite music: Country
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