University of Minnesota Athletics
Catching Up With Paige Palkovich
12/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
All year senior outfielder Paige Palkovich has been asking her teammates questions for our Gopher Gab segments so today we decided to let her answer some questions as we caught up with how her semester is going and more.
Gopher Sports: First of all you have been interviewing your teammates since the summer for our hilarious (at least we think so) Gopher Gab segments, so how does it feel to be the one answering questions today? Also who was your favorite teammate to interview and why?
Paige Palkovich: I'm excited to be on the receiving end of the questions today! And although I thoroughly enjoyed each and every interviewee, I would have to say Taylor LeMay takes the cake for my favorite. She is so genuinely funny without trying to be, and her answers to the more serious questions were authentic and very well-spoken.
GS: How is your semester going so far? Surviving the final stretch?
PP: My semester has gone pretty smoothly thus far, but it's definitely starting to ramp up in these last few weeks. As I get farther along in my degree, my classes are becoming much more concentrated around my major (obviously), which makes them a bit tougher but also much more intriguing to me and therefore easier/more pleasant to spend time working on.
GS: If you were stuck on an elevator for hours on hours but could pick one teammate or coach to be stuck with, who would you pick and why?
PP: It's a three-way tie. Sydney Dwyer because I can laugh (both with her and at her) every second for the hours/days that it took to get us out. Dani Wagner because I feel as though her zen-like demeanor would keep us calm when I would otherwise be having an anxiety attack. Last but not least, Sydney Fabian because her angst and brute force would pry those doors apart in no time.
GS: There are probably a lot of moments to pick from but do you have a funniest memory from your time on the Gopher softball team so far?
PP: Either the entire 2014-2015 season as a whole, or the time my freshman year when I watched Tyler Walker dump her full fountain pop down her shirt while she drove her moped directly into the chain link fence behind Bierman. Or the time Tyler Walker sobbed at the baggage claim after a preseason weekend trip because she was so tired and wanted to be in her bed. Or the 500 times that Tyler Walker would devour an entire Q'doba burrito ten minutes before practice started and wonder why she felt sick two minutes into the dynamic warmup.
GS: You hit two grand slams last season while starting 51 games in the outfield including a walk-off against Arizona in the NCAA Regional. What was that moment like and what are you looking to contribute to the team this season?
PP: I have never experienced a more overwhelming joy than when I jumped into my teammates' arms at home plate after that hit. That win was the one of the greatest and most surreal moments of my entire athletic career. Moving into this season, I am aiming to contribute a more consistent offensive presence and to be an aggressive, reliable teammate in the outfield.
GS: Most looking forward to this season?
PP: I am most looking forward to just loving the game this season and enjoying every last minute I have to play it with my best friends. I hope to use the past three seasons of experience to keep a consistent mindset through the good days and the bad, and have my final year of softball be my best yet.
