Senior Abbie Sims has had an extremely productive four years at N.C. State. Her dexterity on the mound, combined with her prowess in the batter’s box, creates the formula for a complete college softball player.
She has won 87 games over her career, coming out victorious at least 20 times in each of her seasons. She has been named ACC player of the week eight times, and two of these have occurred in the past two weeks.
She has notched 1,055 strikeouts, putting her in the top five in the ACC all-time. Also, Sims has seven career no-hitters, and 10 shutouts this season alone.
Two of these shutouts came against rival and the No. 22 Tar Heels this past weekend, when the Wolfpack did not allow a single run. Even with all her previous success, Sims still has trouble absorbing what happened on the field last weekend.
“It feels great,” Sims said. “The best part about it, which I didn’t really realize until later, was that they didn’t score. It was nice to really stick it to them, especially after their 28-game win streak.”
Sims, who is 24-5 this year, said, while she may have played better ball intermittently during her career, she believes she has finally achieved the consistency that she thinks all pitchers look for.
“I’m being consistent for the first time, so you could call that my best ball. I’m being consistent, and that is what I have been looking for over my four years,” Sims said.
Along with her performance on the mound, Sims has consistently excelled in batting as well. Her career batting average is .306. While Sims said her batting in something that has developed while in college, she still finds solace on the mound.
“I like to hit,” Sims said. “But hitting is kind of like a break from pitching. It helps me get my mind off of it, but I love pitching.”
Also during the weekend series against UNC, Sims, along with eight other seniors, was honored before Sunday’s game.
Sims’ parents, sister and grandmother were all able to attend the game. Her sister’s appearance at the game was especially important.
“I always wanted to be like her or better than her. When she was learning to throw the change up, I was learning at the same time because I wanted to be better than her,” Sims said.
Sims said she did not expect to be shaken up during the pregame ceremony, but the moment just became too overwhelming to hold back tears.
“I didn’t think I was going to be super emotional, but I just started bawling, and it is just so crazy that is over, so it is very emotional for me,” Sims said. “I’ve made 20 or so great friends, that are my friends off the field too, and we will have to move on, but it is sad.”
Although there have been plenty of memorable moments to choose from, Sims thinks her fondest one is of State’s wins over top-ranked teams. She said she enjoys the pressure of the big game and the feeling she gets behind her on the mound from the intensity of her teammates.
“The ACC championship was great,” Sims said. “But the best moments have come against top-ranked teams, like the win over Oklahoma or the first time we beat Florida State. In games against good teams, you can feel the presence of the team behind you, and you know that they will do whatever it takes to win.”
For Sims, it doesn’t stop here as she was recently drafted by the Rockford Thunder, who are members of the National Professional Fastpitch League.
Sims said this is a professional league that plays its schedule over the summer, which allows coaches and graduate students to play while they are not in school.
At her mother’s coaxing, Sims plans to get her graduate degree in sports marketing while she plays. Sims said she is excited to get paid for playing the game she loves.
Although she still has work left to do this season, Sims hopes coach Lisa Navas will have positive things to say about her legacy at State.
“I would hope she would say I worked hard,” Sims said. “And that I had a passion for the game and the determination to win. And that I thrived off that.”
