Gopher All-American senior pitcher Amber Fiser evaluates future after cancelled season
Amber Fiser, a senior Minnesota Gopher pitcher, is facing an uncertain future for her playing career after the season was cancelled due to coronavirus. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - At a time when softball season should be in full swing, the pings of the bat and pitches hitting the mitt are replaced with silence at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
The Gophers are one of hundreds of teams around the nation that had their season came to an end just as it was getting started.
“I thought in my head that maybe it could be the last weekend, but never in my mind did I think it would be the last game,” Gophers senior pitcher Amber Fiser told FOX 9 of the team’s last game against Hawai’i.
Fiser is one of the players affected by the Covid-19 cancellations around the country, which includes events like the Women’s College World Series. The All-American pitcher, like many, is putting her career on hold for now.
“We understand what’s going on with the world and people’s health is really important, so I’m really glad they’re taking precautions for this and they’re doing the right thing for sure,” Fiser said. “It’s also very difficult being a senior and having two-thirds of your season basically taken away.”
Amber Fiser, a senior Minnesota Gopher pitcher, is facing an uncertain future for her playing career after the season was cancelled due to coronavirus. (FOX 9)
For now, Fiser is on campus at the University of Minnesota. Next, she will head home as she tries to figure things out for her future in softball.
“I don’t know, I’m still trying to figure that out,” Fiser told FOX 9 when asked if she’s played the last of college softball.
She and other seniors around the country could still get a chance to come back to spring sports. There has been talk over the last few days of the NCAA granting eligibility relief for spring athletes.
For now though, it’s one day at a time waiting for a day on the diamond to potentially come again.
“If I have the opportunity to come back and play for this university I would love to do that again,” Fiser added.
The next step for the Big Ten conference will be re-evaluating the procedure of organized team activities for teams. On Friday, the conference cancelled all OTAs until April 6 and will determine the situation further on that date.