DePaul University freshman takes on the Questions

Each week, CatholicSportsNet.com will be getting to know a new student-athlete from around the country, by asking him/her a series of 20 questions - some in-depth, some lighthearted - that will provide insight into the thoughts and personalities of the men and women who are doing great things on and off the courts, fields, tracks, and courses.

DePaul University freshman southpaw Kirsten Verdun has become the ultimate double threat for the Blue Demons.

She is the team’s pitching ace with a 14-3 record and 2.02 earned-run average. Opponents are hitting just .217 against her. She pitched five innings of a combined no-hitter March 5 against Boston College at a tournament in Reno, Nev.

Offensively, Verdun leads DePaul with nine home runs, 30 RBIs, 20 runs and 28 walks, while batting .337. She hit her first collegiate grand slam on Sunday in the Blue Demons' 12-2 victory over Villanova and was named BIG EAST Conference Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 21.

From Coal City, IL, Verdun set a state record, going 40-0 her senior year at Coal City High School and led that team to a state title. The daughter of Brad and Judy, Verdun plan to major in Communications.

1. How did you choose the college you attend?

I chose DePaul because it was a very good academic school and it had a great softball tradition. When I was looking at schools I knew I wanted to compete at the highest level possible for division I softball and get a good education so by going to DePaul I was able to do both!

2. What is your favorite part of college athletics?

My favorite part of college athletics is the incredible opportunities we are given to travel all around the country to play a sport that we love. I also love working hard every day with my teammates and getting to hang out with them all the time!

3. How do you balance academics and your sport?

DePaul really does a good job stressing that we are students first hence the name STUDENT-athlete so I try to always put my school work first. Both our coaches and our academic advisors are very cooperative with our schedule and make sure that we are on the right track with our grades and up to date in all of our classes. They do a great job with us and they help a ton! It is really just all about being able to manage your time effectively. If you can do that, then you'll be in pretty good shape.

4. What is the hardest part about being a student athlete?

The hardest part of being a student athlete is missing classes. Most of our professors are really great about sending us the things that we missed or updating us on classes that we can't make it to if we let them know in advance. However, even getting notes from them and other classmates isn't really the same as actually going to class so it is sometimes difficult to make sure you are caught up with all your work or the class discussions if you are missing classes.

5. What do you do for fun when you aren’t in class or at practice?

When I am not at class or practice I like to hang out with my friends, mostly my teammates. We go out to dinner on nights that we have free and it’s nice to just dress up and go out with them.

6. What is the best characteristic that you bring to your teammates?

I think that the best characteristic that I bring to my teammates is enthusiasm. I really try to get us all excited to play before each game. We play better when we are up and energetic.

7. What does your team do as a pre-game ritual?

We have a few pregame rituals but my favorite is probably dancing. Before every home game we pick a song that we are listening to while we are stretching in a circle and we all have to dance to it for a couple seconds before we pass it to our teammates. It is just something fun that loosens us up.

8. What music do you listen to before a game?

We listen to all sorts of music before our home games. It is pretty much whatever songs the seniors put on their pregame playlist that they make. For away games, I listen to my Ipod before games and it's usually really intense rap music that gets my pumped up for games. I like basically anything Drake, Lil Wayne or Nikki Minaj.

9. What role does your faith play throughout school, games, and practice?

In school faith plays a pretty big role. We often talk about our Vincentian missions and how that is important in our lives. This quarter in my Religion and Psychology class we are talking about how religion means different things for everyone. It is really interesting and I really enjoy talking about what it means to me. In softball and really in my life faith is important to me. I am blessed to be doing something I love and to be surrounded by a great group of people that want me to succeed.

10. Favorite pro team to watch?

My favorite pro team to watch is the Bulls. I am a big fan and I have been my whole life. I like Derrick Rose---I really admire his ability to bring so much intensity to his team every game and do whatever he needs to do for them to win. Hopefully I will be able to make it to a game before the season is over, but I don't know if that will happen.

11. What is your coach’s best quality?

I think that Eug's (DePaul coach Eugene Lenti) best quality is that he always wants us to be successful and pushes us to be our best. He has so much knowledge of the game it is amazing and we can learn a lot from him.

12. Why is a team captain(s) so important to the team?

I think that a team's captains are so important to the team because they are, in a way, the soul of our team. They lead us and their jobs are to push us to be great. They do whatever they need to get the best out of us every practice and every game. Our seniors are great leaders this year. They have so much passion for the game and for winning, it is awesome!

13. How does your team handle defeat? What do you say to your team after a tough loss?

Our team handles defeat in different ways I think. If we lose a game because a team is just better than we are and we didn't beat ourselves than we are upset but we have to move on to the next goal- a win in our next game. However, when we beat ourselves and we are better than a team that we lose to it is a much tougher loss to take. We talk about what mistakes we made throughout the game- whether mental or physical- and then we talk about how we can make sure it doesn't happen again. We try to adjust and learn from every lose though because in the end if we can do that we will be successful.

14. What is your favorite pre game snack?

I don't really have a favorite pre-game snack. I think that the only snacks that we have pregame are the snacks that the coaches get for us in between games of doubleheaders. My favorite snack is bananas and peanut butter.

15. Favorite movie quote?

My favorite movie quote is "When you’re in something you got to give it everything you have or else what are you doing?" it is from the movie How Do You Know. I think they are just good words to live by and I really like the movie!

16. What advice do you have for young student athletes as they decide where to go to college?

My best advice would be to make sure that you go to a college that fits what you want. Don't settle for somewhere you think is good enough. Also, that college is not all about sports and you should go somewhere that you will like. The most important things are that you are getting a good education, you are playing what you love and going to a school that you enjoy.
 
17. Best smart phone app?

I don't have a smart phone yet... lame I know! (you can blame my dad for that one!) haha

18. How do you think your involvement in college sports and academics will benefit you when you begin to look for a job?

I think that my involvement in college sports and academics will benefit me greatly in the real world and when I go job searching. Many of the obstacles that you have to overcome in sports and classes are the same problems that you are going to run into in life. However, the important lessons that both sports and school teach you and the competitive edge that you gain from playing college sports will definitely help you compete in the job world.

19. What does it mean to play athletics for a Catholic college?

Being able to play softball for a Catholic college means that I can compete in a very healthy environment where all athletes' values are important to coaches and professors.
 
20. What is your proudest athletic achievement?

My proudest athletic achievement so far in my softball career is probably going undefeated my senior year of high school and pitching all 40 of our games.