By Ruthie Laroche
I remember watching Meghan Connor (BFA-St. Albans Class of 2020/St. Michael's College Class of 2024) hit a baseball off the snack shack roof at Cioffi Park in St. Albans during Little League Districts; I knew she was going to be an impact player.
Meghan played her varsity softball career for BFA-St. Albans, breaking records and earning the 2020 Vermont Softball Gatorade Player of the Year. She played her freshman year of college for Endicott, where she immediately made an impact. She transferred to St. Michael's College, where she rolled up her sleeves and helped build the softball program.
Q&A with Meghan Connor
What will you remember about your senior season with St. Mike's? Taking every day as its own blessing has been key to finishing on a strong note. I enjoyed every practice and game, and I'm so grateful for all I've had and all the support from my coaches and teammates.
What have you enjoyed most about playing softball for St. Mike's? I was two days old when I went to my brother Sean's 9-10 Little League All-Star game; I've had red clay in me since I was born, and being able to live out my dream of playing college softball was a dream come true. I went into my freshman year at Endicott with no expectations. I earned the starting catching position, won a championship, and went to the NCAA tournament. Holding that trophy and then bringing the school to an NCAA tournament is one of the most profound memories of my softball career. I brought that winning mindset to St. Mike's, a program that's building. The growth and progress we've seen with the St. Mike's softball program have been tremendous.
How did your hometown values help you succeed? Leadership is a core value ingrained in me from youth to high school in St. Albans. You learn very young in Franklin County that in order to be successful, you need to be a leader and care about those around you. You'll have success when everyone on your team is on the same page and working toward a common goal.
What role did your teammates play during your college career? I wouldn't be the athlete I am without the teammates I've had, and they've helped shape me as a person. My teammates at Endicott deeply impacted me, and those are friendships I'll have for life.
I can't thank my St. Mike's teammates enough. What we've accomplished in three years has been incredible. We've been through the lowest of lows and had amazing experiences together. Sharing these moments with some of my best friends is something I'll truly cherish.
What are your top three favorite memories from your collegiate softball career? One and two would be going to an NCAA tournament and winning a conference championship with Endicott. At St. Mike's, we've had several games where we came from behind to walk off, seeing the team's grit and determination and pushing through to the end.
What did it feel like to reach 100 hits? I hit my 100th collegiate hit in Florida in March. I hit my 100th hit with St. Mike's on April 23. Those were both milestones I had learned I was in contention for when they happened. For me, it's never been about the stats but about enjoying the process.
How has your mindset helped you succeed at the college level? At the college level, every day is a new day and challenge. Setting small goals to accomplish every day is something you need to do to succeed. You've been told your whole life you're a student-athlete. At the college level, that's still the truth. College athletics is the end of the road for most college athletes, so knowing your purpose helps with daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Every day, you're getting closer to the next goal you have for yourself.
How did your high school experiences help shape you into a college athlete? Playing for BFA-St. Albans in high school and the Vermont Rockets travel team really developed me into the player I am. I have to thank Bill and Connie Sheets, Bert Berthiaume, Kevin McGinn "Gramps," and Ann Sargent for the time they've put into their programs and their dedication to their players. Their goal is to win a championship yearly, and they know how to develop athletes into great players and people. Ralph Halbach of the Rockets has been a tremendous help to me. When I transitioned from baseball to softball, he and I tried pitching, but we both saw I was meant to stay throwing overhand. Ralph still comes to my games, and to see my previous coaches and people who've impacted my softball career support me on the sideline is something I'm blessed and grateful to have.
How has your family played a role in your success at the college level? I've thoroughly enjoyed my college experience, but I wouldn't have made it here or become the person I am without my parents, Mike and Joanne, and my brothers. I owe almost all my success to them for the countless hours of wiffle ball and all the rides to fields. It wasn't easy for my parents to have four athletes at once, but how they allowed us to live out our dreams is truly inspiring. I hope to give that to my family one day.
St. Michael's College Coach Nick Goodreau: Meghan's stats speak for themselves, but the big thing about Meghan is that she's a competitor and doesn't make excuses. No matter who we're playing, she's giving 100%. When I did my one-on-one with her at the end of last year, she told me she wanted to call the pitches. She said it with so much confidence I didn't think twice. I told her to go for it; she was an absolute genius behind the plate. She had to get creative this year, and she was a genius in the ways she called games and made our pitchers better.
Meghan was a captain this year; her leadership, discipline, and compassion on and off the field are second to none. It's very apparent Meghan has been developing these attributes for years.
I'd love to keep her involved in our program in the future. She's one of the primary reasons we've seen the culture turn around. Her ability to adjust and adapt to game, life, and community situations is impressive. She's going to do big and important things, and I hope Vermont can keep her here.
She's got a great support system; her parents are great people. They were always the type of people who'd help out any time they could and were grateful for Meghan's opportunities.
Meghan's not a replaceable person, and I'm going to miss her dearly. You only get four years, and she made the best of them. She's a winner, and she's given us a taste for that, and now we're thirsty for it.
