USF Athletics

Hall of Fame Profile: Sara Nevins

November 12, 2019

USF Athletic Hall of Fame Profile Series
Senior Writer Tom Zebold takes a look at the next USF Athletic Hall of Fame class that will be inducted on Friday, Nov. 15 at the Marshall Student Center on the USF campus. The sixth class of inductees includes Shantia Grace (women's basketball, 2005-09), Sara Nevins (softball, 2011-14) and George Selvie (football, 2006-09).
Purchase tickets to the Hall of Fame induction dinner HERE.
Read the first Hall of Fame series feature on Grace HERE.
 
Name: Sara Nevins
Sport: Softball
Years at USF: 2011-14
Position: Pitcher
Hometown: Pinellas Park, Fla.
 
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, NOV. 12, 2019 – Blessed with a strong left arm and an unflappable demeanor in the circle, Sara Nevins helped plant the flag for USF softball on the national map.

A three-time All-American ace for the Bulls from 2011-14, Nevins rewrote the program's record books. More importantly, the two-time conference pitcher of the year used her skills to lead USF into uncharted territory – the Women's College World Series – as a sophomore in 2012.

"Every time she went in the circle, we had a chance to beat anybody in the country," head coach Ken Eriksen said.

For her stellar efforts, Nevins will receive the Bulls' highest honor on Friday, when she enters the USF Athletic Hall of Fame with fellow Class of 2019 inductees Shantia Grace (women's basketball) and George Selvie (football).

"It means a lot," Nevins said. "I'm still pretty shocked and surprised by it, but very thankful. I couldn't be here without my coaches and my teammates. I wish they could all be in there with me."

Lots of familiar faces will be there for Nevins at the Marshall Student Center ballroom on Friday night. There will be no shortage of stories shared between them during dinner and the whole group of attendees will marvel at the achievements of one of the most dominant student-athletes in USF history.

Five years after her final pitch as a Bull, during the team's third straight NCAA Regional appearance, Nevins is still USF's career leader in strikeouts (1,103), strikeouts per seven innings (9.14), victories (101), saves (20), innings pitched (844.1), opponent batting average (.170), appearances (190) and she's tied with former mentor Monica Triner for the most starts in program history (109).

"I love her," said Nevins of Triner, a fellow USF Athletic Hall of Famer (Class of 2011) who coached her at USF. "She's a great time, both on and off the field, a great personality to be around. Just listening to her and learning from her, that really had an impact on my career."

With helpful tips from Triner, Nevins pitched nine no-hitters (eight solo) and two of the program's three perfect games. One of those perfect performances came during the 2012 season that saw Nevins set another school record with 336 strikeouts and lead the Bulls to their first-ever WCWS appearance.

"Just getting in, being one of the top eight teams in the country, and first-timers, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," she said.

Nevins was heroic on the way to Oklahoma City, starting with her masterful work in Gainesville. Against No. 6 Florida, the four-time all-region selection struck out 12 in a dramatic 1-0 victory that sent the Bulls to Super Regionals.

Clinging to the one-run lead, Eriksen remembers walking out to the circle to speak with Nevins and the infield in the sixth inning. Bases were loaded with nobody out, but that didn't faze the "gentle giant" who "doesn't get that flabbergasted."

"I'm just about to give them wise wisdom words of what to do in this situation," Eriksen said. "Sara looks me dead in the eye and says, 'I got it.'"

Two strikeouts and a jam-job grounder later, Nevins and the Bulls were headed back home for Super Regionals.

"She trusted her teammates like I never had a pitcher trust her teammates before," Eriksen added. "She really relied on that class of people that she came in with, that group that graduated in 2014."

USF had to win two straight Super Regional games to get to the WCWS and the Bulls knew they could count on their ace in crunch time. Nevins struck out 14 in 10.2 innings and allowed just one earned run in a pair of 2-1 victories over Hofstra during one very long May day at USF Softball Stadium.

Once USF arrived in Oklahoma City for the WCWS, the nation learned all about USF while Nevins struck out 13 in 10.1 innings. Some would say that postseason was her most iconic stretch as a Bull, but Eriksen points to another series of games one year later.

"I thought you saw Sara at her best when the chips were down," Eriksen said. "The chips were down when her dad (Joe) had a heart attack and he was in the hospital."

In true dedication to her father, Nevins didn't allow a single run in 22.2 innings while going 3-0 and leading the Bulls to their first-ever Big East tournament title.

"I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher in any conference tournament go shutout, shutout, shutout to win a championship," Eriksen said. "She just put the team on her back. I know her dad was on her mind."

Joe was the first person Nevins phoned after she got the call to the Hall from USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly. Her dad will certainly be in the building on Friday night to help celebrate a Bull who became a true role model for future generations of softball players.

"Her four years here influenced a lot of young girls in the area that USF was a really good place to play softball," Eriksen said. 

 
About USF Softball
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.