Jerry Thibodeaux
June 1, 2017
STILL FINDING DEALS
June 1, 2017
An outgoing Nicholls softball player is getting the opportunity to do something that not many Colonels have ever done before.
Senior pitcher Jackie Johnson announced this week that she’s signed a professional contract to play for the Hamburg Knights in Germany – a professional club softball organization which plays its annual season from April through October. Johnson, a Belle Chasse native, was a three-year starter in the circle for the Colonels. She said the chance to play after college is a blessing that she’ll never soon forget.
Johnson is already in Germany and is competing with the team.
“It feels like a dream come true,” Johnson said over the weekend. “I have played softball for most of my life and I always dreamed of playing professionally and now, I am being given that chance while also experiencing a new country. It is a once in a lifetime experience and I am loving it.”
For Johnson, the path to professional ball was paved because of her ability to get outs while not allowing runs.
With the Colonels, Johnson was as steady as can be – one of the top pitchers in the recent history of the upstart program.
In her career in the red and grey, Johnson won 34 games in the circle while posting a 3.15 ERA in more than 400 total innings pitched.
Johnson also has a place in the school’s record book, owning 345 career strikeouts, which ranks sixth in the history of Nicholls softball.
As a senior, Johnson started hot and remained consistent throughout the season.
She posted a 17-12 record in 36 appearances with 21 starts. She logged a 2.51 ERA with 144 strikeouts, while holding opponents to just a .218 batting average.
Johnson said she knew throughout her senior year that she wanted to play professionally, but wasn’t fully sure at the beginning of the season if it’d be a realistic possibility.
That changed earlier in the year when Nicholls coach Angel Santiago told Johnson about opportunities in Europe that are available to players who excel at the college level.
Johnson said from there, she contacted some clubs in her downtime and it all came together. She signed with the Knights shortly after the season ended a few weeks ago.
She said the team provided an ideal fit for her and the things that she was looking for in her next chapter.
“I just took some initiative and started doing research and getting in contact with some organizations,” Johnson said. “It all took a bit of planning, but I found a team that fit perfectly for me, and I decided to take a leap and experience life in a new country.”
So far, Johnson is doing for the Knights exactly what she’s done at Nicholls – she’s getting people out.
At press-time on Monday afternoon, Johnson has appeared in two games for her team – both wins for the Knights.
She said the level of competition in Germany is different than it was in the Southland Conference, but her goals on the mound are the same at any level – focus on one pitch at a time, throw strikes and force batters to hit quality pitches.
“At the end of the day, softball is the same no matter where you go or who you’re playing against,” Johnson said. “It’s very fun and we all have a good time competing.”
Living in Germany isn’t too bad, either.
Johnson said prior to moving, she’d never been to Europe.
So far, she said the transition has been seamless, adding that she’s been warmly received by her new club and teammates, which has made the transition a lot easier.
“I always dreamed of exploring Europe, so this is an exciting experience for me,” Johnson said. “Germany is different yet in some ways similar to America. My teammates are awesome and have been helping me adjust to life here. The whole Knights organization has really given me a warm welcome and has made this move a whole lot easier for me.”
But no matter where in the world softball takes her, Johnson said she is forever going to be a Colonel.
She said she wanted to thank Santiago, as well as her teammates for some of the best times of her life.
During Johnson’s career, Nicholls ascended from one of the worst teams in the Southland to one of the best.
In the past two seasons, Nicholls softball has won 76 combined games, while posting a 40-13 record in Southland Conference games.
In the five seasons before 2016 and 2017, the Colonels won just 96 combined games – an average of 19 wins per season.
Johnson said being a part of the upswing in Thibodaux is something she’s forever going to be proud of.
She said she will closely follow the team next season and has no doubt that they’ll again be near the top of the Southland Conference.
“I remember my time at Nicholls as some of the best years of my life,” Johnson said. “I have made life-long friends and had some great memories along the way. I came into the program when we were not very successful and as the years went on, I got to be a part of an improving program and I was able to help the program become one of the best teams in the conference and most successful teams on campus. It is great to say that I was part of that process.”
Nicholls pitcher Jackie Johnson was highly successful as a Colonel – one of the top pitchers the team has had in recent years. Johnson signed with the Hamburg Knights recently.
