Fresno State Athletics
Opportunity of a Lifetime
4/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Freshman infielder Dana Duran can't remember the first time she ever watched Fresno State softball. Growing up in Selma, Calif., Bulldog softball was the excitement of springtime for Duran. Now in her first season wearing a Bulldog jersey her childhood dream is now reality.
During her senior year at Selma High School Duran received a phone call from coach Margie Wright and was asked to come and try out for Fresno State. "I jumped at the chance to be part of this program. I knew this would be the opportunity of a lifetime," Duran said.
Duran began playing softball when she was six years old and can't recall her last free summer without travel ball. Her summers of travel ball have prepared Duran for the competition she has found at Fresno State. "Playing in the summers is where you meet up with a higher level of competition. That experience gave me an idea of what I might expect here," Duran said.
She always knew she would continue playing softball in college but never thought she would end up here. "Coming into Fresno State I didn't know how it would be but I'm glad that everything worked out," Duran said.
Duran is a 1999 graduate of SHS where she helped lead the team to a Valley championship her senior year and was named to the All-Central Sequoia League.
As a Selma native Duran is one of the few Bulldogs close enough to home to continue living there while playing for Fresno State. "The only drawback of living at home is the half-hour drive to Selma after an exhausting day of school and practice," Duran said.
Her family consists of her parents John and Janie and sister Andrea, who is a sophomore at Selma High School.
After college Duran looks to pursue a career in advertising. She hopes to leave her Valley roots behind for a while and work in a large city to try something new. "I want to go big for a while and see what else life has to offer out there."
This will not be the first time Duran has went out on a limb to try something new. While deciding to come to Fresno State and try out for the softball team she did not know what to expect but decided to take the chance. "This year has been more than I expected. Our team gets along really good and it's amazing to play with such high-caliber athletes," Duran said.
