Sara Driesenga

Classroom

As a psychology major with an emphasis on sport psychology and a minor in gender and health, Driesenga has maintained a GPA of 3.45. Her academic honors include Academic All-Region Second Team (2013), Academic All-Big Ten (2013, 2014), and U-M Athletic Academic Achievement (2013, 2014). She is expected to graduate in May and hopes to pursue grad school and coaching.

Character

Driesenga is a team captain for the 2015 team and was awarded this distinction through a vote from her teammates. She is renowned for her pursuit of success in the athletic realm and the classroom with grace and a respectful nature. In teaching/clinic environments, she demonstrates compassion and conscientiousness.

Driesenga is a part of the Michigan Leadership Academy. Through the MLA, student-athletes learn how to influence with and without a voice. She has attained the level of “Leadership 360,” and has passed through several leadership courses to reach this status. She was selected by her coach as a core leader of the team, and as a 360 Leader, she assists as a bridge of communication between her coaches and teammates. She is a trusted part of the team’s hierarchy, organizing team events and responsibilities during Michigan’s lengthy non-conference schedule, which includes five-plus weekends away from Ann Arbor to start the season. Her coaches say she embraces her status as a role model and always represents herself, team and university with the greatest enthusiasm and class.

Community

Driesenga is involved in several projects that benefit the Ann Arbor community. During each of her four years at Michigan, Driesenga has been actively involved in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer organization. Her leadership has led to fundraising efforts that have reached nearly $300,000 during her time at U-M. For three years she participated in the Making Strides Walk of Ann Arbor, raising money individually for the organization.

Each year at Michigan she also has served as a clinician at the Michigan Softball Academy. The academy is an adult camp experience that brings supporters of the U-M program onto the field and into the facilities for an evening. Driesenga takes the field with the campers and guides them through drills and other activities. Last year’s event raised $120,165 in one evening to support the fight against breast cancer.

Driesenga is part of a contingent of Michigan student-athletes that make periodic visits to Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor through the “Michigan From the Heart” program. The visits connect U-M student-athletes with children and their families to bring a little fun and relief to stressful times.

Driesenga also works with Athletes in Action, a Christian-based organization that uses sports to create connections and answer questions of faith.

Competition

Driesenga enters her fourth year as a starting pitcher and designated player. Twice she has been named to the All-Big Ten First Team, and she was the NFCA National Player of the Week once during her sophomore season. She has been a part of three Big Ten championship teams (2012-14), and one Women’s College World Series team (2013).

In 2014 she appeared in 28 games, including 15 starts, tossing four complete games and three shutouts. In 2013 she was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and the NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Second Team. That season, she set a Michigan record with 54 appearances while tossing 26 complete games and eight shutouts and striking out 233 batters in 263.1 innings. She defeated Arizona State with a complete game shutout in the WCWS.

As a freshman in 2012, she was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and the NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Second Team.