Taylor LeMay has gained a special kind of notoriety in the college softball community over the past few years.
She’s hard to miss when she commands Minnesota’s plate and make plays under the thick brown bangs covering her forehead.
“Somebody on our team will know somebody from another team, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, your catcher is the girl with the bangs,’ ” LeMay said. “I’m kind of recognized and remembered that way.”
Though her teammates also concur that LeMay is famous for her bangs, she’s proven to be more than just a hair icon in her two-plus seasons at Minnesota.
LeMay transferred to Minnesota following her freshman year at Concordia University in St. Paul, where she didn’t see any game action.
When the opportunity to transfer arose for LeMay, she said she used it as a pathway to get on the team she always dreamed of playing with.
“That ended up being a wonderful surprise,” head coach Jessica Allister said. “It was a move that she made completely on her own, and she decided that she wanted to pursue this dream.”
LeMay has been Minnesota’s principal catcher ever since and is solid at bat.
She’s been a top-10 batter every year at Minnesota and is currently batting a fourth-best on the team with a .333 average. LeMay was especially impactful last weekend when she scored a game-winning homerun in a 4-3 upset over No. 12 Georgia.
Junior pitcher Sara Groenewegen said it was nice to see a player like LeMay rewarded for her efforts.
“Big things like that happening to her are completely deserved,” Groenewegen said. “She’s a great teammate. She’s a great player, and she’s a great person.”
LeMay said she’s taken on a leadership role in her senior year, but she prides herself on being an example, as she’s not as vocal on the field.
LeMay also makes a point to keep things light. Groenewegen described her teammate, nicknamed “Bangs,” as the one of the quirkiest people she’s ever met.
Allister added that LeMay is who she is and owns it.
LeMay’s signature personality has become an integral part of the team, and her teammates have a special hair “fluffing” technique they practice as a pregame ritual.
For LeMay, it’s all about finding a balance between succeeding on the field and enjoying her last season.
“I just want to have a good season and enjoy being with the team,” LeMay said. “As a senior, I think it’s very important to take the younger group and instill in them what’s been instilled in us throughout our whole careers.”
