University of Minnesota Athletics
First Pitch With Kendal Judge
9/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Gophers have a mix of returners and newcomers this season. You know the returners but we are spending nine weeks introducing you to our seven freshmen and two transfers. In this week's First Pitch Kendal Judge steps into the circle to answer some questions.
Judge, Plainfield, Ill. native, won over 55 tournaments in her prep career. She was named All-Conference and All-Area team four times and is a two-time All-State and All-American member. She holds career records at Providence Catholic High School for strikeouts, shutouts, and no-hitters, as well as single season strikeout, shutout, and no-hitter records.
Her most impressive performance came in a high school regional game. She threw a perfect game striking out 20 of 21 batters faced. When later asked about it Judge said everybody jokes around with her about what happened with the one batter she did not strikeout. She laughs saying it was still a ground out.
Gopher Sports: What first caught your eye about the U of M?
Kendal Judge: I thought it was a really pretty campus and it just felt like home to me.
GS: What is your best softball accomplishment so far?
KJ: Getting myself here and doing all the work it took me to get here. It was a lot of hard work and extra practices.
GS: Just getting started but how is your experience so far? How have workouts and practice been?
KJ: They are definitely tough but it is worth it. They are very fun. The team does a great job of making it fun.
GS: How have the interactions with your teammates been so far?
KJ: There is a good mix of new girls and returners but the returners have done a good job helping us out and showing us how to do things on top of just hanging out with us. They have been really good.
GS: Funniest Teammate?
KJ: Sydney Dwyer. She is just always making jokes and makes everything fun.
GS: Is there anything the coaching staff is having you focus or work on in these first couple weeks?
KJ: Coach Ritter has been really working on me with my pitching so I can succeed here.
GS: What would you say it is that you love about the game of softball so much?
KJ: I love how I can always be my competitive self and get myself better. You never know who is going to win. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day.
GS: Any other activities outside of softball that you enjoy?
KJ: I really like hanging out with my friends, sleeping and hanging out with my dog. I have a golden retriever named Metro and he is so cute.
GS: Have you thought about what your walkup song will be this year?
KJ: No I just want something that will pump me up. I just really like rap music.
GS: If you could strikeout any celebrity who would you pick and why?
KJ: Crystl Bustos. She was one of the greatest hitters of all time.
T5: @kendaljudge forces a ground out and records her first of many strikeouts wearing the Maroon and Gold! pic.twitter.com/s0MRZA9L1Z
- Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) September 25, 2016
