Emily Messer

Classroom

Emily Messer currently owns a 3.6 GPA in exercise science at South Alabama. She has twice been named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Academic All-American and twice helped South Alabama earn the Sun Belt Conference Team Academic Award.

Character

With the Jaguar softball team, Messer has helped cook dinner for the Ronald McDonald House on different occasions for the past four years. Messer has also helped instruct different camps with the Jaguar coaching staff and other team members. These camps have been for athletes ranging from ages 5 to 17. Messer participated in “Spread the Roar,” where she visited an elementary school and talked to the students about the importance of being a student before being an athlete. Messer has visited USA Children and Women’s Hospital where she spent time with patients and played games with them.

Community

The most important thing Messer learned growing up was to work hard for whatever it is you want and that nothing worth having was going to come easy. Both of her parents have a work ethic that she strives to emulate. Messer played multiple sports growing up ranging from softball to basketball to gymnastics. Throughout all of this she still managed to keep between a 3.5 to 4.0 GPA. She believes that growing up comes with being responsible and that your actions reflect highly on your values and beliefs. Messer has learned to think before she acts because she holds herself accountable for the outcomes of her own decisions. She believes strongly in the Golden Rule and that you should always treat others the way you want to be treated. Messer’s teammates aren’t only her teammates, but some of her best friends. Messer has treated every coach she has ever had with the same respect as the next. Sports taught her to reach goals and to enjoy the process. Without her teammates, coaches, fans, or support, Messer wouldn’t be the same person she is today.

Competition

A 2016 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection, Messer has developed into a mainstay at third base for the Jaguars since her sophomore season in 2014. The Mobile, Ala., native was named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team last May after leading South Alabama to its third title at the event in four years. Messer currently resides among the South Alabama all-time top 10 in batting average, runs scored, hits, triples sacrifice flies and stolen bases. Her 47 runs scored in 2015 were the third-most in South Alabama single-season history. Her most crucial effort came in the Jaguars’ initial contest at the 2015 NCAA Auburn Regional, where she went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI in the Jaguars’ victory over Chattanooga.