After leading UW-Whitewater’s softball team with the highest batting average a year ago, Bella Eggert, a senior from Carol Stream, Illinois, is focused on carrying that production into her final season.

For Eggert, success at the plate goes far beyond mechanics; it starts with mindset.

“Well, just a lot of hard work on my end,” Eggert said. “I led off last year, so hopefully I can set the tone for the rest of the order.”

Eggert’s journey in the sport began at a young age, though not initially in softball. She started with baseball before making the switch, influenced heavily by her family.

“I did that for about a year or two,” Eggert said. “My dad and mom coached a team with me on it, and then I played two years with them when I was younger.”

That early introduction turned into a lifelong passion and eventually led her to UW-Whitewater. Eggert said the coaching staff and overall environment made her decision clear.

“I really like the coaching staff here,” she said. “I thought the campus was beautiful. I really like the field and what the coaching staff brings as far as mental health training.”

Since arriving on campus, Eggert said her growth has come largely on the mental side of the game.

“I think I’ve grown a lot since my freshman year as far as my mental game,” she said. “I really didn’t have much of a mental game coming into Whitewater, so having that mental game has helped me make this team more impactful.”

That mental focus remains a priority heading into her senior season. While Eggert is excited to compete alongside the teammates she’s built relationships with over the years, she’s also emphasizing resilience.

“My personal goal is just bouncing back from mistakes,” Eggert said. “Making sure that my mental game is strong so that my physical game can be better.”

In high-pressure moments, Eggert keeps her approach simple. Before stepping into the batter’s box, she offers herself positive reinforcement. Once she is in, everything narrows.

“I’m really just making sure I’m staying positive, like, ‘Hey, you got this. Everybody’s got your back no matter what happens,’” Eggert said. “When I’m in the box, I’m just breathing.”

Eggert relies on routine to prepare for competition. For home games, that means music and energy with her teammates in the locker room. On the road, it’s a more personal approach.

“For home games, it’s listening to music in the locker room with the whole team, just dancing and having a good time,” she said. “For away games, definitely listening to music on the bus.”

Throughout her softball career, one person has stood above the rest as her biggest influence.

“Definitely my dad,” Eggert said. “My dad has been my rock through my whole softball career from the start to the end.”

As a Warhawk, Eggert has built countless memories, but one stands out from last season: a postseason victory in Ohio that propelled the team forward.

“That was probably one of my favorite memories,” Eggert said. “There’s just so many though.”

During tough stretches, Eggert leans on the relationships she’s built inside the dugout.

“I make sure to bond with my teammates and have fun with them,” she said. “This year I’ve just got to take it all in because it’s my senior year.”

As her time in a Warhawk uniform comes to a close, Eggert hopes her impact extends beyond statistics.

“I hope people remember that I was funny and cool,” she said with a laugh. “But for real, somebody that they can rely on and come to. Even though I’m gone, they can still come to me.”

As her senior season unfolds, Eggert is soaking in every at-bat, every bus ride and every moment in the dugout with the teammates who have become family. Eggert isn’t just playing for wins, she’s playing for the love of the game that started with her dad and for the bond she shares with the girls beside her.