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Just a Couple Small Town Kids
4/11/2019 10:40:00 AM | Softball
Despite growing up over 1,700 miles apart, juniors MaKenna Partain and Katelyn Kemmetmueller quickly realized they had more in common than they could ever have expected.
Kemmetmueller grew up on her family dairy farm in Rogers, Minn. She was the second oldest out of five siblings.
"My whole life since the second I could walk, my dad had us out there doing chores," Kemmetmueller said. "Whether it was picking rocks, collecting eggs or shoveling poop."
Kemmetmueller didn't realize she was going to miss the farm as much as she did when she stepped foot onto the University of Minnesota campus, but it was a family business and she was used to spending every single day alongside the whole family.
"I think that was the hardest thing for me going to a big city," Kemmetmueller explained. "Just not being with my family."
Not to mention it was loud.
"Cop cars, ambulances at all times of night outside my window," Kemmetmueller said. "None of that happens in Rogers. The only thing I heard out my window was a pig or something."
Luckily for Kemmetmueller, she found a calming presence and an instant friend to help her settle in. Partain brought some West Coast chill to the team from day one. Surprisingly, the Banks, Ore. native had a lot in common with Kemmetmueller outside of growing up on an actual farm. She considers herself a small town kid all the way describing Banks as a town with less than 2,000 people, two restaurants, a gas station and one stoplight.
"We have talked about it. We are both quirky in the sense that we have small town feels to us," Partain said. "We both like country music. She is one of the few people I can listen to that with. We are both reserved in a good way. We didn't have the big scene or all the people growing up. It's a big reason why we have gotten along so well. We both came up from a small place and it's brought us closer."
After spending every day in each other's room freshmen year, the two have been roommates for the past two seasons. They have been through many ups and down on and off the softball field together, and have molded into a leadership role on the team.
Partain wasted no time stepping in as a freshman and making an impact. She started all 61 games during a historic season for the Gophers. She has earned All-Region and All-Big Ten honors throughout her career and this year set the school record for most runs scored in a single game with five.
"She was good from day one but I have seen her get so much more mentally tough," Kemmetmueller said. "She has been through injuries and battled through them. I really respect her and it's fun to have someone to grow as a leader with."
Kemmetmueller has worked her way into a starting role for the Gophers after coming in as a shy freshman. She has started every game at third base this season helping Minnesota to one of the top fielding percentages in the entire country.
"She is a completely different teammate, player and person now," Partain said. "She has stepped into the role and I have the utmost confidence in her anytime a ball is hit at her. Nobody works as hard as Katie, ever. She is the hardest worker at practice every single day."
Partain and Kemmetmueller have been part of back-to-back Big Ten championships together, have helped lead the team through a coaching change and have a chance to graduate as two of the most winningest players in program history next year. Not bad for a couple small town kids making their dreams come true at the Division I level.
"We are super grateful for Gopher softball because without it we wouldn't have become friends," Kemmetmueller said. "It brought two small town kids together in one big city."
Kemmetmueller grew up on her family dairy farm in Rogers, Minn. She was the second oldest out of five siblings.
"My whole life since the second I could walk, my dad had us out there doing chores," Kemmetmueller said. "Whether it was picking rocks, collecting eggs or shoveling poop."
Kemmetmueller didn't realize she was going to miss the farm as much as she did when she stepped foot onto the University of Minnesota campus, but it was a family business and she was used to spending every single day alongside the whole family.
"I think that was the hardest thing for me going to a big city," Kemmetmueller explained. "Just not being with my family."
Not to mention it was loud.
"Cop cars, ambulances at all times of night outside my window," Kemmetmueller said. "None of that happens in Rogers. The only thing I heard out my window was a pig or something."
Luckily for Kemmetmueller, she found a calming presence and an instant friend to help her settle in. Partain brought some West Coast chill to the team from day one. Surprisingly, the Banks, Ore. native had a lot in common with Kemmetmueller outside of growing up on an actual farm. She considers herself a small town kid all the way describing Banks as a town with less than 2,000 people, two restaurants, a gas station and one stoplight.
"We have talked about it. We are both quirky in the sense that we have small town feels to us," Partain said. "We both like country music. She is one of the few people I can listen to that with. We are both reserved in a good way. We didn't have the big scene or all the people growing up. It's a big reason why we have gotten along so well. We both came up from a small place and it's brought us closer."
After spending every day in each other's room freshmen year, the two have been roommates for the past two seasons. They have been through many ups and down on and off the softball field together, and have molded into a leadership role on the team.
Partain wasted no time stepping in as a freshman and making an impact. She started all 61 games during a historic season for the Gophers. She has earned All-Region and All-Big Ten honors throughout her career and this year set the school record for most runs scored in a single game with five.
"She was good from day one but I have seen her get so much more mentally tough," Kemmetmueller said. "She has been through injuries and battled through them. I really respect her and it's fun to have someone to grow as a leader with."
Kemmetmueller has worked her way into a starting role for the Gophers after coming in as a shy freshman. She has started every game at third base this season helping Minnesota to one of the top fielding percentages in the entire country.
"She is a completely different teammate, player and person now," Partain said. "She has stepped into the role and I have the utmost confidence in her anytime a ball is hit at her. Nobody works as hard as Katie, ever. She is the hardest worker at practice every single day."
Partain and Kemmetmueller have been part of back-to-back Big Ten championships together, have helped lead the team through a coaching change and have a chance to graduate as two of the most winningest players in program history next year. Not bad for a couple small town kids making their dreams come true at the Division I level.
"We are super grateful for Gopher softball because without it we wouldn't have become friends," Kemmetmueller said. "It brought two small town kids together in one big city."
Highlights: Gophers 5, SIUE 0
Tuesday, March 10
Highlights: Gophers 4, Indiana 6
Sunday, March 08
Highlights: Gophers 2, Indiana 0
Friday, March 06
Highlights: Gophers 6, Central Michigan 1
Saturday, February 21