Catamount softball has three seniors on the team for this 2017 season. Just like for most senior season campaigns, there is a lot of time spent reflecting on your college career and the game that you have spent most of your life playing.
Courtney Price at the 2016 SoCon Softball Tournament
All three of these senior Catamounts have made their mark on the program at Western Carolina in their own unique way, and center fielder Courtney Price ,’CP’, came out of the gate strong and hasn’t slowed down yet.
Price is a Matthews, North Carolina, native and in her four years at Western she was on the SoCon all-Freshmen team and the All-conference Second team in 2014. As a sophomore, she was on the 2015 SoCon All-Tournament Team. She’s hit for the most doubles in a career with 33 and also third in triples in a career with five. She also has the highest base stealing percentage in program history at .850, she has successfully stolen a base 17-20 times.
softball head coach Jim Clift praised her as a hitter and leader.
“Courtney Price has been one of the best hitters on our team year in and year out,” explained Clift. “She is the leader of our outfield and I think the best in our conference.”
Just being able to play the game she loves in college was a major accomplishment for Price.
“Throughout my four years I have met so many amazing people and made a lot of lifelong friendships. Being able to say that I successfully played a division 1 sport for four years while going to school is something that I will always be proud of,” Price said in an email.
Price was thankful and happy to be able to be a part of this senior class along side her long time friends third basemen Kara Salvo and pitcher Courtney Buchanan.
“My fellow seniors are so special to me, and I have been blessed to be able to call them friends for over ten years. Growing up with Kara and Courtney, we all immediately bonded and created friendships.”
The bond they carried from before college to now has definitely grown stronger, by facing the same challenges, and she is excited not just for her future, but theirs as well.
“Being able to come to WCU together and continue playing the sport we love together has been more than amazing. They have always been there for me through the good and the bad and have always supported me no matter what. I can’t thank them enough for everything they have ever done for me and I am excited to see the great things they accomplish upon graduating.”
Kara Salvo played against Price in high school and with her in travel showcase tournaments.
“At first CP is very quiet when she doesn’t know anyone. But when she gets comfortable around people she really is a funny, caring and loud person.” Salvo explained via email.
Courtney Buchanan has known Price since middle school, and spoke about how effortless Price makes plays look on the field.
“She seems to make everything she does look smooth and is a natural athlete. Its always comforting to look into centerfield and see her out there knowing that anything that comes her way is caught,” said Buchanan in an email.
Price has the outward appearance of a silent person but can be vocal when needed, on the field she leads by example for the younger players on the team.
Price says there is one last objective before she leaves and its a common goal throughout the entire team, that’s to win the SoCon Tournament this year and leave Western as a part of the second team to win the title in school history.
