Theres No Place Like Home
June 21, 1999 | Softball
For two Texas Tech softball players, the team's trip to Arizona will be more than just another tournament, it will be a homecoming.
Junior transfer Lauren Warner and sophomore Sandy Butler will be travelling home to play in front of family and friends, and both admit to being a little nervous and really excited. Mostly what they are excited about is getting into an area that has lots of warm weather opposed to the constantly changing temperatures of Texas.
"We are both excited about being in the hot Arizona sun," said Butler. "Lauren and I are always wearing about three layers of clothes to try and stay warm here."
Butler and Warner are both standout players for Tech in their own right. Warner is a junior transfer from Central Arizona College where she helped her team claim the 1997 national championship. While in high school she received MVP honors her junior and senior year, as well as being named All-City second team. During her time at Texas Tech she has spent most of her time behind the plate backing up junior Shauna Briggs. But with Briggs currently out due to injury, Warner has taken over the starting position. Warner will be graduating next year with a business degree and plans on moving somewhere with slightly warmer weather.
Her philosophy on her game is very simple, she just "gets out there and plays." Warner wants to contribute as much as she can to her team and help enable them to succeed.
"We have a lot to prove as a team, but we are good enough to do very well," Warner said of her team. "We just need to get running on all of our cylinders. If we do that, I know that we have the potential to win the Big 12 championship."
Sandy Butler has also come into her own spotlight as a standout Texas Tech athlete. Butler is a sophomore ecology major and is currently starting at centerfield and is the leadoff hitter. As a freshmen at Tech, Butler made quite a name for herself as she was named to the NCAA All-America second team as well as leading the Big 12 in hits and runs. She recorded a .961 fielding percentage and was named All-Big 12 first team as well as being recognized as an Academic All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
Butler is a little nervous about returning home but is excited about being able to wear her Red Raider uniform in the city where her career began.
"I'm really excited about being able to go around with Lauren and show everybody around Tucson," said Butler. "It's also really exciting and a little nerve racking playing ball in you home town in front of all of your old friends and family."
"I know that I can help the team as long as I do what I know I need to do. I want to try and be a leader in the outfielder and a good lead off hitter," said Butler. "I want to do my job the best I can and get on base."
Lauren Warner and Sandy Butler are Tucson girls who have made names for themselves as outstanding softball players at Texas Tech University. They are making themselves known throughout the Big 12 as great examples of hard-working, team-orientated players that have the ability to adapt to new environments. These two young ladies are truly excited about showing off their talents in tournament play this year across the country, but most especially at home in Tucson, Arizona.