MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball sophomore infielder Cayleen Ryan (pronounced Kay-lean) sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss how softball differed playing up north, her path to South Alabama and what advice she would give to younger players wanting to play collegiately, among other topics.

Ryan joined the program at the beginning of this semester after transferring from Wisconsin-Platteville where she played her freshman season. Ryan played in 35 of the Pioneers' 36 games and posted a .294 batting average, a .374 on-base percentage and a .412 slugging percentage. She also had 30 hits, scored 19 runs and walked 12 times. Of her 30 hits, seven went for extra bases – four doubles, a triple and a pair of home runs. Her 23 RBI were tied for third-most on the Platteville roster. Ryan was successful in four of her five stolen base attempts.

Ryan's best outing came in a 10-2 victory in game one of a doubleheader against UW-River Falls where she tied the UW-Platteville single-game hits record, going 5-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. She had a two-run double in the first and then plated runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

How did you get started playing softball?
"I started playing when I was about six years old for a local team because my mom wanted me to."

Did you live in Wisconsin all your life?
"No. I was born in Wisconsin and moved to Mobile [Ala.] when I was about six months old. I lived here until I was seven and we then moved to Tennessee for a couple months, then we moved to Illinois and then to Wisconsin."

Since you have lived in a variety of different types of geographical locations, how did playing softball differ?
"Up north is a lot different. You only have five or six months that you can play outdoors, so a lot of the fundamental work is done indoors. Playing down here is a lot different and a lot more competitive."

At what point did you realize that you wanted to take softball to the next level?
"Probably my sophomore year of high school. I always knew that I wanted to play collegiately, but it wasn't that big of a deal to me. The conference I played in in high school was one of the most competitive in Wisconsin and it seemed that every year that one of the teams from our conference would either win state or finish second. One of the catchers on one of our rival teams ended up getting a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin and I just realized how far the game could take you. I knew then that I wanted to play college softball."

Talk about your path to South Alabama?
"It was a long one. I actually committed to a school in Michigan during my senior year of high school. My dad got sick with pancreatic cancer during the summer of my senior year. I had gotten a nice scholarship to a NAIA school and I was going to go there, but as I started classes my dad passed away. I decided I didn't want to be seven hours away from home or away from my mom during that transition, so right before I enrolled for classes, I dropped my scholarship and school.

"I was looking for a team closer to home and I applied to six schools. I ended up getting in touch with the [Wisconsin-] Platteville coach, who I had been in contact previously during the recruiting process. They had a spot and I decided to go enroll there. That was a great experience and I loved my team and coaching staff, but I decided I wanted to change my major. It also didn't fit financially for me, so I moved closer to home which was about 40 minutes away rather than two-and-a-half hours, but that school's team wasn't holding tryouts, so I gave up softball this past semester. It was a hard thing for me to do. It was either my academics or sports and I couldn't really give up school, because I had worked my whole life to get good grades and get my degree.

"I came down here about a month ago to visit some family and they told me that I should apply to South Alabama, because they have an amazing softball program. I'm a medical major and South has a great medical school, so what could it hurt. I emailed Coach [Becky] Clark on New Year's Eve and I got an email from her on New Year's Day saying that they were looking for a transfer this semester. Over the next three days I packed up my stuff, moved down here and became part of the team."

As a newcomer to the program, what kind of an impact do you hope to make on the team?
"It's not even about the impact that I'm trying to have on the team, but rather the chance that the other players have given me. I've only been on the team for about three weeks, but I've learned so much and stuff that I would have never been able to learn about back home. I've learned more about team work than I've ever known, because everyone on this team is like a family member, and that's very cool. The knowledge that the coach staff has is awesome. I'm hoping as the season goes on that I'll be able to have that same impact on future players."

What type of player can fans expect to see out of the field?
"I'm so dedicated to this sport. My whole life has revolved around softball, but especially during the time when my dad got sick and life started getting a little hard. He always pushed me and told me that 'I had so much talent and not to waste it; just go out and give it all you've got'. When he passed away, that was the one promise that I made to him, that I would go and do anything I could to lay my heart out on the field during a game. That's what people can expect to see out of me. There won't ever be a time where I give up."

You mentioned earlier that you were interested in the medical field. What area are you wanting to go into and what led you to that decision?
"Deciding what I wanted to do was kind of a bumpy ride for me. At first I was a criminal justice major because I wanted to be able to make an impact on peoples' lives in some way, shape or form. I then switched my major to biology and I'm hoping to get into the biomedical program here, but I'm wanting to go into oncology, which is the study of cancer. I want to be able to help other families like mine and my dad through the process, because it's a terrible disease that we are nowhere near finding a cure for. I want to be able to have an impact on those families. I feel that is what I'm meant to do."

What is one interesting thing that Jaguar fans may not know about you?
"I have an extra set of ribs in my neck. It's really weird. I was born a month early and all my ribs are shifted."

What is your favorite type of music to listen to?
"Depends on the situation. Before games, I listen to rap music. My dad was a huge rap fan, so I grew up listening to it. I listen to all types of music though."

What's your favorite meal?
"Probably pizza honestly."

What's the best advice you've ever been given and who gave it to you?
"It probably came from my dad. He said that 'Every day is a new day. You never know when it's going to be your last one, so don't go into your day holding grudges and forgive people. Just make your life the best that it can be.'"

What's your favorite form of social media?
"SnapChat."

What do you like to do in your spare time?
"I am a classically trained musician, so I like playing classical music a lot. I play the violin and the viola. I played from third grade to my freshman year in college. I also love cooking."

What advice would you give to younger players wanting to play softball collegiately?
"It's going to get hard at times and there are always going to be players or coaches that you don't agree with, but you can't let them ruin the love of the game for you. Just play for the reason that you started playing the game for. It was fun and something that you loved doing, so always keep that in mind and give it the best that you can."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSout_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.

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