For Lacy Schneider, playing Division I softball was always in the plans. The junior catcher is now living out her dreams behind home plate for the Buffalo Bulls.
Schneider moved between Florida and California for most of her life, finally settling in California when she was eight. She got her start as a catcher at age 10 when her best friend, a pitcher, needed someone to toss to. Her initial interest in softball, however, was sparked by her older sister, Leigh, who went on to play outfield for Augusta State University in Georgia.
"(Leigh) got me through a lot of things," Schneider said.
Being the little sister, Lacy tried to emulate Leigh in every way, and that included succeeding on the softball diamond.
So when looking for a school, why not join her sister in Augusta?
"She wouldn't let me!" Schneider said.
Augusta wasn't a Division I school, and Lacy says that her sister wanted the best for her. That meant stepping up and playing at a D-I school.
After a successful high school career in which she led her team to three league championships, the Idyllwild, Calif. native chose Buffalo over schools such as Rutgers and Toledo. Following a meeting with Bulls head coach Marie Curran at a tournament in Las Vegas after her senior year, Schneider visited the UB campus with fellow infielder Marcy Hansen. According to Lacy, things happened very fast from there.
Before she knew it, she was starting in 42 games for the Bulls as a freshman, and finished with a .243 batting average and 13 RBIs, both good for third overall on the team. She hit a home run in her first collegiate game against Central Connecticut in the 2005 season opener and hasn't looked back since.
"(Buffalo was) the best place for me," Schneider said.
She drew interest in the school for a variety of reasons, one of the main ones were the team had a glaring hole behind the plate.
"They were looking for a catcher," Schneider said.
Since her mother is a native Western New Yorker, she has some family in the area, which made the transition to the Northeast much easier.
Not being able to play everyday like she could living in the warm climates of Florida and California on various travel teams, however, was a tough transition. Dealing with the winter weather and the possibility of games getting cancelled in April because of snow was just another oddity about playing in Buffalo. However, having some down time, especially in the off-season, is a welcome addition to Lacy's life.
"(After my first season in Buffalo) was the first time I'd had a summer (off) since I was like nine," Schneider said.
Due to injuries this season, Schneider has been moving all around the diamond, also playing first and third bases. However, it has not detracted from her success at the plate.
Lacy was named Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week for the first week of April this year. She batted .500 in the previous weekend and drove in four runs including a home run against Bowling Green on March 31.
As of April 14, Lacy was tied for the team lead with 15 RBI and is the Bulls most prominent long ball threat with four home runs. Her .413 slugging percentage is the highest for Bulls regulars. She is third in team batting with a .250 average.
Some of the greatest moments in her softball career, she said, came from playing in the 18 Gold Nationals in 2004 in Georgia. She said she had a lot of friends and memories there. But driving in the winning run in the qualifying round was a moment that slipped the humble Schneider's mind.
After she finishes with her communications degree at Buffalo, Schneider plans to go to graduate school somewhere in Florida, where she her sister and brother now live. She's not looking too far ahead though, as she still has one more season of softball to play next year.
"My life is pretty boring," Schneider said. "Just school and softball!"
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
