Our Story

May 1, 2020   Who is Cailey Oldemeyer Hi everyone! My name is Cailey Oldemeyer and I am a freshmen outfield/infielder at Washburn. I plan to major in Health Sciences and get an Associate’s Degree in Radiologic Technology. When I first got to Washburn I had no idea what I wanted to major in, but then after almost completing a year here and after doing some research, I knew that I wanted to be able to get a job somewhere in the health field because I love to help others who are in need. Life in the mountains I am from Parker, Colorado and I have two brothers. Their names are Carson and Connor and we are triplets! Carson attends college at Colorado State University, and Connor has decided to take a semester off of school and start working. Being back home with them is for the most part fun, but it is a struggle sometimes because we were all so used to living our own separate lives back at school. However, I wouldn't trade the extra time I get to be home with them ...

April 30, 2020 Meet Brianna Fuchs: Hello Ichabod family. My name is Brianna Fuchs. I am a senior outfielder for Washburn. Out of high school I attended Cowley County Community College.  I went on a visit to Washburn and immediately loved how beautiful the campus was and all the people I passed by with bright smiles, it made everything feel like home. I committed for my last two years. I am majoring in Kinesiology and striving to find a career path I will be successful in.  Always find the positive: Every morning I wake up and remind myself to quit worrying about what life is going to be like after this quarantine and live in the moment. I live by something my dad always used to say ,“it is what it is”. Sometimes I find myself worrying too much about things I cannot control.  No matter how many negatives I have come across through this tough time, I always find a positive in the negative.  I lost my dad two years ago to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma canc...

April 29, 2020 Getting to Know Assistant Coach Taylor Kirk Hey everyone! My name is Taylor Kirk and I am the assistant softball coach at Washburn. I grew up in a small town called Rossville, KS, not far from Topeka. I went on to play college softball at Johnson County Community College for 2 yeas and finished my last two years at Washburn, ending my eligibility in May of 2019. I just became a full-time assistant coach at the beginning of the year after graduating in December with my Bachelor of Arts in Communications. I am hoping to pursue my Master’s in Communication and Leadership within the next semester or two. Learning more about my passion for softball in a different way (as in coaching instead of playing) has made me realize how much I truly enjoy the sport. Life Changes Since the quarantine has started, we have had to transition to working from home. With all the different NCAA COVID-19 regulations, we haven’t been able to recruit or have any sort of practices fo...

April 28, 2020   Who is Ashlie Thissen? Hi! My name is Ashlie Thissen and I am a freshman pitcher/outfielder at Washburn. I am currently majoring in Nursing with a minor in Leadership. My plan is to be in nursing school by my junior year and graduate with my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). My goals are to start as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency department then, go back to school to get my master's degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. A huge goal of mine is to get involved in a mission trip to a foreign country that is in need of medical professionals.    Life Changes Since I’ve been back home in Wichita, I spend most of my time working on my online classes. Almost all my classes have Zoom sessions or prerecorded videos in the morning. Something fun I have been doing in between my classes is looking at Pinterest for ideas to use on our rental house next year in Topeka with my roommates; Hadley, Jenna,...

April 27, 2020 Who is Hadley Kerschen? Hello friends! My name is Hadley Kerschen and I am a freshman at Washburn. I am planning to major in Nursing with a minor in Leadership. My parents are both in the medical field, so by being around them I have always had a special interest in helping people and making a difference in their lives. I have four siblings (ages 20, 14, 9, and 4) and they are my best friends. Throughout this pandemic, we have all grown a lot closer and I wouldn’t trade these days I am sharing with them and my parents for the world. We have kept each other busy and “sane” with things like: school time, sleepovers, building a garden, “P.E” - as my mom likes to call it - where we all exercise, and making masks for people. I just learned to sew and it has been a blast! Memories and Life Lessons This past season, even though it was heartbreakingly cut short, provided me with some of the best memories and experiences that I have ever had. I have played so...

April 26, 2020 Who is Bailey Zuniga? Hi, I am Bailey Zuniga a sophomore pitcher. I graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas and I am from Shawnee, KS. I’m currently majoring in elementary education and hoping to teach kindergarten! I have always wanted to be a teacher and have an impact on younger kids. Something we do as athletic department is our Bods Care program. We get to go out to the schools and offer support to elementary students. It’s helped me to realize this is something I am going to love when I become a teacher. My Current Life: I am spending quarantine back at home with my parents and siblings. It is nice spending all this time with them after they spent the last couple months traveling and coming to my games. My online classes take up most of my day, but I have started and finished some Netflix shows. I also go on walks/runs with my mom and sometimes my sister’s dog gets to come along.   Personal Reflection: This time has made me truly apprec...

April 25, 2020 Who is Ellie Dixon? Hello! My name is Ellie Dixon and I am an infielder at Washburn. I am originally from Iowa City, Iowa (go Hawks) and came to Washburn after I attended junior college in Boone, Iowa. I went to DMACC for two years and received my liberal arts degree while playing softball. While searching for a new place to play softball I came on a visit to Washburn! I was instantly impressed with the beautiful campus and welcoming people. I made my decision to attend Washburn and become a part of the softball program last May after my season was over at DMACC. I found my love of softball through my dad. Ever since I can remember I have begged him to play catch with me outside after dinner or take me to my brother’s practices so I could watch. Softball and baseball followed us everywhere, and to this day our favorite on the road snack is sunflower seeds. Following My Passion I am currently majoring in Elementary Education and also getting endorsement...

April 24, 2020   Who Is Paige Robbins? Hi Ichabod Family! I hope this message finds you safe and in good health. My name is Paige Robbins and I am a freshman outfielder for the Washburn softball team. I am from Overland Park, KS and graduated from Blue Valley. I am majoring in Nursing and hope to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner. I grew up around parents and family members who are all in professions helping and serving others, so I cannot wait to join the family “business.”   Life Changes: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had no idea that it would end up shutting down everything. I thought we would still be able to finish out the semester and our season, just a little “bump” in the road. However, as we know, this was not the case. I never imagined that my first season would end this way, but I am so thankful for the memories we did make. While it may be hard to believe, I miss the early morning weights and late nights cleaning the field l...

April 23, 2020 Who is Raegen Hamm? Hello Ichabod family! I am Raegen Hamm and I am a junior pitcher in the softball program at Washburn. I am currently in the Radiologic Technology program. After I complete the program in the spring of 2021, I will continue school and get my certificate in diagnostic medical sonography while completing my bachelor’s degree. I have always wanted to do ultrasound and radiologic technology was a step in the process. Life Changes At the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown, I was still in shock that our season had been cancelled. I never imagined how much I would miss those morning weights workouts and the long hours at the field. I am getting a small taste of what it will be like to graduate, and I can promise you I will take it all in and enjoy every minute that I have left playing softball from here on out. The thrill of seeing my teammates get the perfect hit or the feeling of striking someone out is what I live for.  I have since mo...

This is day one of a 20 day series. Each day one of our players or coaches will share some personal reflection. This is a chance to get to know us on a deeper level and to understand a little about our team and what being a member of Washburn University Softball is all about. April 22, 2020 Who is Bri Francis? Hi, my name is Bri Francis, a catcher on the Washburn Softball team. I’m currently on the “fast-track” program, where I’m working on my bachelor’s and master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in psychology. My future plan is to graduate with both degrees by spring of 2021 and pursue a career as a correctional counselor for juveniles. This career sparked my interest because I’ve always had a passion for helping people—especially kids, since I am the oldest in my family and I have five younger sisters. Life Changes Being a student-athlete, I am constantly on the go. Whether it’s to weights, practice, or study sessions, sitting still is not something you’...