Softball: Brianna Gendreau stars with all-around game

NEWTON, Mass. – Brianna Gendreau '22 has been the complete package on the softball diamond.

The infielder has suited up for the Lasell University softball team from 2019-22 and affected the game in a vareity of ways. During one instance, she could be seen coming through with a clutch hit. In the next moment, Gendreau would be robbing a base hit with a diving snag at shortstop.

Gendreau currently has 103 hits in her Laser career, while maintaining a .339 batting average and .447 slugging percentage. She ranks in a tie for fourth in program history in double plays turned (12) and in a tie for ninth with 137 assists. The outstanding defensive player has totaled 221 putouts.

"When I started my softball career at Lasell I set some goals for myself," said Gendreau. "The one that meant the most to me was 100 hits. With the COVID-19 pandemic, I was not 100% sure I would reach that goal. Fortunately, this year I was able to not only reach that goal but go slightly over it. Defense is the most underrated part of my game. Many people always focus on the offense, the hits, base running and RBIs. My defense is just as strong as my offense."

Gendreau graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training in May. The Warren, Rhode Island, native plans to return to Lasell to pursue a master's in rehabilitation science and wants to continue her Laser softball career in 2023.

Gendreau compiled a tremendous senior campaign in 2022. She led the team in triples (4) and hits (46), ranking in a tie for fifth and seventh, respectively, in the program's single-season records. She led the unit in batting average (.362), while maintaining a .449 slugging percentage, to go along with 27 runs, 24 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and three doubles.

She tallied 89 putouts, 65 assists and turned six double plays in 36 games. The six double players are tied for the sixth most in a single season in school history. She recorded at least one hit in 31 games, two or more in 11 games and three in four games. Gendreau finished 3-of-4 batting, with three RBIs, two runs and one triple, during a 12-0 triumph at Salem State on March 31. She recorded her 100th collegiate hit in a doubleheader at Elms on April 27.

During her junior season, she was a vital component behind Lasell's 8-0 start. She appeared in 21 games, tallying team-highs of 28 hits, seven doubles and two triples. Gendreau finished with 17 runs, 15 RBIs and four stolen bases, to go along with a .400 batting average and .557 slugging percentage. She ranked tied for first in the GNAC in triples, tied for fourth in doubles, seventh in hits, eighth in batting average and 10th in RBIs during the 2021 season.

During a two-game sweep of Fisher on April 6, 2021, she went a combined 6-of-8 batting, with seven RBIs, seven runs and two triples. She made an immediate impact during her rookie season, finishing with 29 hits in 34 games. During a season-ending, two-game sweep of Anna Maria, Gendreau went a combined 5-for-8 batting, with four runs, two RBIs, one triple and one double.

Gendreau engaged in a Q&A segment, talking about pregame superstitions and looking to the future of the Lasers' softball program.

Q: What did it mean to be a member of the Lasell University softball team?

A: I always wanted to be a collegiate athlete. I feel fortunate I was able to continue playing softball at the collegiate level. Everyone was welcoming and supportive.

Q: Who is one individual that flew under the radar, but had a major impact on your time at Lasell?

A: Our Athletic Trainer Mari McCarthy. Mari was not only our team trainer, but during my junior year, she was also my preceptor. She guided me through my major during a time that was difficult for all.

Q: How did Lasell's small campus foster tight-knit relationships?

A: Being part of a small university allowed me to know all of the students and professors in my major and classes. I was able to develop close friendships that I will never forget. In addition, being an athlete allowed me to be part of a sports team that was very close knit. There was always someone on campus to reach out to for anything.

Q: What was your favorite moment with the team and where do you envision the program going moving forward?

A: My favorite moment was this year when we beat Johnson & Wales. My junior year we played the Wildcats several times and always lost to them. They became a rival. To go out and beat them this year was amazing. I see our team only getting stronger and better moving forward. We have been building a team over the last three years and each year we improve.

Q: What were your pregame superstitions?

A: All my teammates would say I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore I had many superstitions. I would clean off the bases prior to the start of the inning when I was in the field or the plate if I was behind the plate. I would pick up two rocks between pitches. The umpires would joke with me telling me I could not pick up all the rocks. My warm-up swings and approach to the plate has been the same for years. In the dugout, I had to organize the bats in a certain order, and I would have specific hand motions or high fives for specific players.

Q: Could you talk about the balance between athletics and academics at Lasell?

A: I have always been good with my time-management skills. Competing in multiple sports when I was younger I was able to gain good organizational and time-management skills that allowed me to know when assignments were due or when I had meets or games. These skills prepared me for college and I continued to utilize them throughout my college career.

Director of Athletic Communications Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lasell.edu.

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