RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Abby Rusher is one of the top pitchers in the 2024 class but early on in her athletic career, it wasn’t even a sure thing that she’d be on the softball fields long-term.
That’s because the current Ankey High (Iowa) junior was so good in multiple sports and it took a while for her heart to ultimately settle on fastpitch.
“I played a lot of sports before I prioritized softball,” Abby recalls. “I played soccer for a couple of years from age five to seven. During middle school, I joined a lot of sports, like track and volleyball, but I found my true love was with softball and basketball.”
And that’s not to say she didn’t kill it in softball—she began playing at the ripe old age of five with the Lil Rookies from North Des Moines, Iowa and with her 8U Lil Rookies team won two state championships and compiled a 79-4 record.
She joined the Iowa Premier program at age 11 and has never looked back since then.
After she narrowed her choices to two sports, one indoors and one outdoors, it wasn’t until she found her position—literally—that softball won out.
“I started playing basketball when I was very young,” Abby continues, “I went to a lot of skill camps, played for club teams and I loved the sport a lot. When I was younger, people would ask me, ‘Which sport do you love more: softball or basketball?’”
“I really didn’t know at the time,” she explains. “It wasn’t until I started being a pitcher was when I really found my passion for softball and eventually prioritized all my time mastering my craft of pitching. As I excelled as a pitcher, my love for basketball decreased and I eventually chose to quit the sport, so I could focus more on pitching.”
Today, she is a championship-winning MVP pitcher for Greg Dickel’s Iowa Premier program and the club director raves about his star players competitive fire as being a key reason for her success.
“Abby is a tremendous young lady who competes in every aspect of her softball journey,” the organization head begins. “She competes every pitch—whether it be in a lesson or practice or an actual game—and it’s what has served her well during her process.”
THIS KID! Iowa Premier 16U National-Dickel 2024 P @abbyrusher24 is a ROCKSTAR again! 2nd @PG_Softball MVP PITCHER award this Fall after Shuting out Select FP Salazar in Championship game @ KC Fall Elite Showcase, scattering 3 hits, 11 K's & No walks. @ExtraInningSB @Los_Stuff pic.twitter.com/fjnjgmOnxg
— Iowa Premier Fastpitch (@IowaPremierFP) October 17, 2022
“Through both the struggles and the triumphs, Abby’s been committed to the process and that’s huge for athletes in today’s crazy world of college recruitment,” Dickel believes. “She has never wavered, even when it got tough. It’s her best attribute. It was also a big reason why (Creighton Head) Coach (Krista) Wood zeroed in on her while the Power 5’s missed out on her.”
“Abby can really move it in the strike zone and induces swings and misses. She doesn’t need to pitch it at 66 mph because her spin ratios are off the charts. She’ll make an impact early in the Big East for Creighton. They got a steal getting her, but she loved her visit and really connected with Coach Wood. It’s a great fit.”
Softball in itself has been a great fit not just for the athlete, but for her parents Brent and Shari Rusher who have loved the journey over the last few years.
“Our family has gained so many friendships during the many years Abby has played softball,” they say. “We have traveled with our softball families throughout the U.S. and have met so many families that mean the world to us. We wouldn’t trade this for anything.”
Coach Dickel adds that Abby is also a great role model for younger players in the Iowa Premier organization who see her success and want to be like her someday.
“What does Abby mean to IPF?” the coach and organization head is asked. “She means everything to us! Why? Because she is a perfect example of what we want the culture to be here at Iowa Premier. Abby paves the way for the 10, 11 and 12-year-olds who look up to her and say, ‘I can be Abby Rusher someday!’ She’s a champion in every aspect and is one of the best. I—and Iowa Premier Fastpitch nation—owe her a great deal.”
*****
Here’s more on this future Bluejay pitcher and how she got to become one of the best in her class…
Extra Inning Softball: At what age did you really zero in on pitching?
Abby Rusher: I began pitching at the end of 8U because it was a new fun position that we needed on the 10U our team. When I made the jump to Iowa Premier, I really zeroed in on pitching. My family and I would practice all the time in the driveway or basement. I really started to see myself as a pitcher when I started seeing my progress. I loved watching my speed increase and my accuracy get better.
EIS: What is it you enjoy most about pitching?
AR: I enjoy the control I have in the circle. People say a pitcher can make or break a game. Being a pitcher involves dealing with constant pressure. You control every pitch, therefore; you control every hit and that hit may win or lose the game. I like the pressure and I think I do pretty well with it.
The success of a pitcher depends on her mindset and if she can handle that pressure well. I also loved watching my rise ball progress. I struggled learning this pitch, however, I stuck with it, and now it is my favorite pitch to throw.
EIS: Did you ever think about giving up pitching and just focusing on being a position player?
AR: Absolutely! Before I was a pitcher, I was a pretty good infielder and a good bat. When I was younger, I played shortstop a lot because I had a good arm and was athletic. I always put my best effort toward every position, but, ultimately, I excelled at pitching.
EIS: What would you say is the hardest part about the recruiting process?
AR: I think the hardest part is the unknown, when you can’t talk to the coaches and ask their opinion of you. I had a lot of coaches watch me, but I never knew if they were actually interested. You just assume and send your emails regardless.
EIS: What advice would you give those 14U players who are just starting out in their process and have dreams of playing college?
AR: My advice is to realize your skill set and fine tune those skills. As a pitcher, you don’t have to have the most pitches, just two or three great ones to be successful. You don’t have to play every position on the field or be able to hit every pitch. Just acknowledge what you’re good at and excel at that. I also suggest making a list on paper and figure out who your number one schools are and why. Be sure to incorporate other aspects of each university or college. It doesn’t have to be softball related.
EIS: As you think about the next year and half left in your high school career, what are some personal goals you want to accomplish before you head to college (and not just softball goals)?
AR: My softball goals before heading off to college is to increase in speed and master my drop ball. Outside of softball, I would like to coach and mentor young girls with pitching or the recruiting process as much as I can. I would like to help them accomplish their dreams as I have mine. And, of course, I want my high school team to go and, if possible, win state.
EIS: What was it about Creighton that caught your attention and stood out to make you want to verbally commit?
AR: I really loved the coaching staff, especially Coach Wood. She is very knowledgeable in pitching, and we share similar ideals. She came to many of my games during the recruiting process and when I went on my visit, it felt like home.
Also, I was able to meet many of the girls on the softball team and attended a basketball game. I walked around the campus and it felt like a very good fit for me. Creighton is about two hours from my home and I love the city of Omaha. I am not sure what career I want to pursue yet, but I know I like science and medicine. Creighton is one of the top academic colleges around and has great medical and science programs for me to choose from.
EIS: What are some hobbies or things that you do to make sure to keep a healthy balance in your life and not get “burnt out” on softball?
AR: I keep a good balance of softball and life outside, I have many hobbies and enjoy hanging with my friends. I also attend as many sports events as I can. I love watching basketball so I try to attend as many games as possible. I also physically work out and try to use other muscles that I don’t normally use in pitching. For example, I’m trying to run a lot more and decrease my mile time.
EIS: What is your favorite tournament win over the course of your softball career?
AR: My favorite tournament was when we won the 14U World Fastpitch Championship in July 2021. (We also won it the year before in July 2020!) I remember I pitched a lot of the games leading up to the championship game, therefore, I was very tired, so another pitcher on our team pitched the championship game. I didn’t really feel cheated or jealous, because I did my job in the previous games. We ended up winning 2-1 in a walk off single. I received the Most Valuable Pitcher award for the tournament even though I didn’t pitch the championship game.
This tournament was so important to me because it made me realize that one pitcher cannot do it alone and, for a pitching staff to be successful, they must individually support each other. To this day, I am very close with past or current pitchers on my team and I love the genuine support we share for each other.
EIS: When all is said and done and you no longer play softball what would you like to be known for as an athlete by your coaches, teammates and those you compete against?
AR: I would like to be known as a competitor. I want my teammates, opponents, and coaches to know that in any situation I will give my best!
— Joy Roeder, Extra Inning Softball Correspondant