This edition of the Runner Spotlight is on CSU Bakersfield senior softball infielder Cydney Curran.  

  Born and raised on Ewa Beach in Oahu, Hawai’i, Curran has been playing softball for what she says feels like forever, starting with tee-ball and moving into softball. Curran’s mother, having played college softball herself, introduced her to the sport and became her biggest role model. As a former softball player, the two would compete in fun races as Curran grew up in order to keep her skills sharp and push her even more.  

  “I would always lose, because she was still young kind of when she had me. So in that aspect, I wanted to be quick on the field, like on defensive, base running, offensively, everything. And a lot of people told me she was really good, so I wanted to be better than her,” Curran said. 

  She tried out other sports, such as soccer, track, and basketball, but softball remained her sport. Through her years playing, Curran describes that her focus has been on improving her hitting power.  

  “Before this, I was more of like a base-hit hitter and my extra bases would like come here and there. Now I feel like I’m able to like put some more power on the ball,” Curran said. Her ability to improve her batting has shown in her ability to utilize the gap and put runs on the board.  

   Curran admits her first years of playing at CSUB were rough. Her confidence grew as she changed her mind-set and reminded herself of all her experience playing and the amount of work put in with her mother. Last season, she played a key role in the team’s success, taking home second team All-WAC honors, and ranked second in the nation for triples and triples per game. “Last year boosted my game and allowed me to play more free and get the job done in every aspect, so it’s gotten better,” she said.   

  Each season, Curran sets highs and expectations for herself. After achieving them last year, it made her want to push again for them this year, with her confidence carrying over. Her first goal when she started the season as a senior was to have a higher batting average from last year, and then win the WAC Championship and a WAC award for first team shortstop. 

  Her biggest feat last year was a memorable one. “I made it on top five defensive plays on NCAA’s Instagram and it was a hard ground ball, 5-6 hole, which is in between the shortstop and first baseman, and I ended up back-handing it and throwing it from my knees, and I think that is probably my biggest accomplishment.” Curran used this as badge of honor, emphasizing that her hard work and dedication has paid off in her defensive game. 

  As much as softball is Curran’s life, she expressed how she truly is following in her mother’s footsteps by wanting to become a teacher through Teach for America.  

  “My mom’s a teacher. I know I feel like I’m following in my mom’s footsteps, but I’ve always been interested in teaching since I was very young. I think even when I would just play with my cousins, I’d act like a teacher and they were my students. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” said Curran. 

  Curran’s preference would be to teach elementary school in her hometown of Ewa Beach, but for now her focus is on graduating with her liberal arts degree with her family in attendance cheering her college performance one last time.