Fresno State Athletics
The Late Road to Success
4/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sophomore second baseman Lovieanne Jung decided to focus on softball when she was 16. At 17, she noticed the Fresno State softball team at a college tournament. "Fresno State really stood out from all of the rest of the teams. When I came here I was attracted to everything about the program, teammates and coaches," Jung said.
"I got a later start in softball than a lot of other girls did. I didn't really take notice of college softball until my junior year of high school," Jung said.
Last season she became the first freshman in school history to post over 100 total bases in one year when she reached 115. A Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week selection this year, she currently leads the team in batting average and RBI and slugging percentage while second in hits.
In only one full season of Fresno State softball Jung has already met some of the expectations she placed on herself and the program. After her freshman season she was third team All-American, All-College World Series, first team All-West Region and NCAA All-Regional. "My time here at Fresno State has already been everything I expected and much more," Jung said. "I will only grow more as a person on the field and away. You learn a lot about yourself, how to sacrifice and how to contribute."
Jung credits her parents for getting her involved in athletics. At a very young age they exposed her to a wide array of sports and left it up to her to choose what sport she later wanted to focus on. "I played everything growing up, starting with baseball," Jung said. Softball had always been a large part of Jung's life. Concentrating on the sport late in her prep career only made her realize that this sport was going to offer her something special if she would take a chance and pursue it.
Jung grew up in Orange County in Westminster and graduated from Fountain Valley High School. She was a four-year varsity starter at shortstop and was named the Sunset League most valuable player her senior year.
After Fresno State Jung, who is majoring in sociology, hopes to pursue a career in fire fighting. "I want to travel after college and hopefully this career will allow me see what the world has to offer," Jung said.
As for now she is looking forward to helping the Bulldogs win the conference title, then onto NCAA postseason play and finally, the NCAA Women's College World Series.
