Today's student-athlete question and answer was with freshman softball player
Kaci Alderson. The Houston, Pennsylvania native attended and played at Chartiers-Houston High School where she earned the 2018 2A Pennsylvania State Player of the Year. She also was named First Team All-State once and took home three Post-Gazette All-Section honors. Last season, Alderson was named a Cover 3 Athletics Softball Preseason Player to Watch.
Mercyhurst focused questions:
What made you choose Mercyhurst? I chose Mercyhurst because of the family-like atmosphere of the team and the campus just felt like home.
What is your major and why did you choose it? I am currently undecided in my major.
What is the best thing about being at Mercyhurst? The best thing about being at Mercyhurst is hanging out with my friends and teammates.
What is your favorite sports memory so far at Mercyhurst? Playing blind-folded dodgeball with the team.
Do you have any pre or post game rituals? I do not.
Where do you hope to stop for a post-game meal? I would like to stop at Panera.
What is your team's focus heading into next season? Our team is focused on keeping a winning mentality and going out and competing in every game we play.
Does being an athlete help you in the classroom? If so why? It definitely helps because it keeps me on a time schedule and forces me to not procrastinate.
Personal questions:
If you could be in any movie which role would you want to play and why? I would want to play Mae Mordabito from A League of Their Own because that is my favorite movie and she is such an interesting character.
Who is your favorite athlete (current or retired)? I actually have three, softball players Maddie O'Brien and Sis Bates, along with baseball player Troy Tulowitzki.
What are some of your favorite ways to spend time outside of your sport? I enjoy spending time with my friends and just doing anything that comes to mind.
Do you have any pets? No.
If you were able to see 20 years into the future what do you hope exists and why? I hope that a longstanding and stable professional softball league exists so the sport can grow.
What was something you liked as a child that you do not enjoy as much anymore? I used to like playing basketball, but as I got older I discovered softball was more for me.
If you could go anywhere in the world for vacation where would it be and why? I would like to go to Los Angeles, California, because I always have wanted to visit the west coast.
If you could swap lives with a celebrity for a week who would it be and why? I would want to swap lives with Sydney Sweeney because she is my favorite actress and I would just like to see what her life is like.
If you could play another sport what would it be and why? I would play tennis, because for some reason I love the sport of tennis and could watch it all day long. I am terrible at it because I have a softball swing and hit the ball a thousand miles out of bounds, but I do love to keep trying to play.
What is your favorite family tradition? Watching the Pittsburgh Steelers games every Sunday and getting to eat the food my mom makes.
If you could have one superpower what would it be and why? I would want to be able to read people's minds so I could always know what others are thinking.
What was something you did not like as a child, but do now? I used to not like the Steelers, because I knew it would make my parents mad, but now I love the team and watching them play.
Who is your biggest role model? My biggest role model is softball player Sis Bates, because defense is my favorite aspect of softball and I have always tried to emulate the way she plays defense.
What was your favorite game as a child? My favorite was the board game Disney Scene It.
What was your first experience with your sport? My parents made me play 10u rec softball with girls that were five years older than me and I was terrified.
Who are some of your favorite college or professional teams? My favorite collegiate team is the Florida State Seminoles. In the professional ranks it is the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates.
If you could have any band or solo act perform a private concert for you who would it be and why? I would want Lana Del Rey to perform because I love her music and she will always be my favorite singer.
What is your favorite sports memory so far at any level? When I was in high school, I hit a walkoff home run when we were on the brink of elimination from the playoffs to advance us to the next round and guarantee our spot in the state playoffs. The fact that I was able to come through for my team was honestly one of the best feelings of my entire life and it still gives me chills to think about it.
