On Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, Neshaminy senior Laura Altenburger was recognized at a special news conference for signing a letter of intent to play softball at West Chester University.
Laura Altenburger – West Chester University (Softball)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Monmouth, George Mason
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “When I went for my first visit, I fell in love right away. The campus is beautiful, and it’s not too far from home. They are known for their academics, especially teaching which is what I would like to do, so that was another big plus. And, of course, I loved the softball program.”
What was the progression that led you to playing softball at the collegiate level? “I really started thinking of playing in college going into my freshman year. I would watch the College World Series on TV and always wished that would one day be me. The recruiting process started in my freshman year when I started writing e-mails to colleges, and it just went from there.”
Coach Dave Chichilitti says: “As I said many times before, Laura Altenburger is one of the toughest athletes that I have ever coached. She has consistently made spectacular plays while sacrificing her body. She was the anchor of our offense this year and was a major part of the success that we had the last two seasons. Her accomplishments on the field are going to be very difficult to replace.
“She has meant so much to this team the last two years that I have been there with her. Laura always brought her ‘A’ game to the field, and this year she was asked to expand that and to be a vocal leader. Laura is not usually a very vocal person, so it was a challenge for her. I think she did a fantastic job leading this year’s team. At Neshaminy, we pride ourselves on our team being a family and doing everything together. Laura did a fantastic job facilitating activities, gatherings, and bonding experiences for our team. She also did a fantastic job of bringing along the freshman and first-year varsity players. She helped show them what is expected of them and also made them feel part of the team right away.
“I know the team and the coaching staff are really going to miss Laura next year. However, Neshaminy's loss is West Chester's gain. I have no doubt at all that Laura will be contributing at West Chester next year. West Chester is getting a special player, and I am pretty sure that they know it.”
About Laura:
Favorite food: Chicken Fingers
Favorite movie: Step Brothers
Favorite music: Anything really, mainly country.
- Log in to post comments
