Becoming an elite player in sports requires a certain level of passion and willingness to dedicate one’s life to their sport completely. Those traits shine brightly in Texas State star pitcher Randi Rupp.
What began as an attempt by Rupp’s mother to help her daughter be more social ended up spurring a love of softball.
“My twin and I were very shy when we were little so my mom just kind of threw us out there and we tried a bunch of things, but softball is what stuck,” Rupp said.
Rupp made a big difference for the softball team at Texas State from the start, earning First Team All-Sun Belt Conference in her first season. She accomplished this feat the following two seasons as well, and was named the 2017 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year.
Calm and collected, Rupp enjoys the pressure that comes with her role as the Bobcat’s ace.
“The competition and adversity that comes along with it, being out there with bases loaded, no outs and trying to get out of that,” Rupp said. “That’s probably what I enjoy the most.”
Rupp, now in her senior year, has achieved tremendous success as the Bobcat’s ace in the circle and ranks second all-time in wins (82) and strikeouts (953) at Texas State. The right-handed ace also sits at third place all-time with a 1.84 career ERA and 33 shutouts pitched.
Despite having an already large list of accomplishments, the senior pitcher has a few more to add. Reaching regionals twice and coming up short has left Rupp itching for the chance to advance to Super Regionals.
“I’m very blessed to be able to say that we’ve been there two years in a row so now I’m ready to move on and try and get to Supers,” Rupp said. “I’ve been there to regionals and I just want to continue to move forward.”
Suffering heartbreak at the 2017 regionals has only hardened Rupp’s resolve to end her career with a ring. Her mentality has rubbed off on younger players, giving Rupp confidence that this will be her year.
“We have the potential to win a conference championship this year and I want a ring before I get out of here,” Rupp said. “I think us upperclassmen have that mentality and I don’t think anything is going to stand in our way, we can handle adversity well.”
As a veteran on her way out the door, Rupp takes the role of teaching up-and-coming players the ins and outs of the sport very seriously. The star pitcher believes the key to helping other players is open and frequent communication.
“Keep communicating, I think back when I was an underclassman I was quiet. I didn’t say stuff when it needed to be said,” Rupp said. “That’s probably another thing I’ve learned over the past three and a half years, to speak up and communicate and not just be a ‘ watch me’ role model.”
Looking back on her time at Texas State, Rupp is grateful for the opportunity to have played softball alongside her twin sister Sara Rupp, crediting the sport for helping to strengthen their relationship.
“We kind of found who we really are,” Rupp said. “Just playing with one another we’ve seen the good and bad of each other and it’s brought us closer, it’s created a bond that’s just indescribable, something I will cherish and hold on to forever.”
Rupp has no intentions of ending her softball career and plans to pursue the sport after her time at Texas State comes to an end.
“I’m definitely not ready to hang it up, I’m not ready to quit playing,” Rupp said. “I’m going to enlist in the draft in April. Softball has been my way of life for 19 years and I’m excited to see where it takes me.”