For Ashley Holmes, a devastating shoulder injury sustained during her freshman year at the University of Tennessee opened the door for her to come home.
A highly touted player at La Serna High School in nearby Whittier, Calif., Holmes was recruited heavily by several Division I programs. Among the schools that displayed the strongest interest were UNLV, Northwestern and Tennessee.
After a verbal commitment her sophomore year didn’t pan out, Holmes’ options during her senior year became limited. Fortunately for her, the University of Tennessee’s recruiting class was still open.
“I love the environment out there,” she said. “I love the southern hospitality.”
Holmes’ career at Tennessee would end just as quickly as it had started. She played in only 11 games before suffering major injuries to her right shoulder, leading to three surgeries that effectively ended her career as a catcher.
“I came back home and I just didn’t want to play anymore,” she said. “I figured with so many surgeries I wouldn’t be able to really throw.”
During her recovery, Holmes realized she missed softball too much, and she decided to give it another shot. When the opportunity for her to transfer and play first base at Long Beach State became available, Holmes knew she couldn’t pass it up.
“I love the school,” she said. “When I came here it just felt like home to me.”
After redshirting her freshman year, Holmes would return the following season to put up mostly pedestrian numbers. She hit .219 with seven home runs in 50 games played. Head coach Kim Sowder, however, always knew Holmes had the talent to be better.
“[Holmes] works extremely hard, and she’s very athletic,” Sowder said. “It was just a matter of her putting it all together.”
Holmes’ teammate and best friend, Cya Neal, echoed her coach’s praise for Ashley.
“She’s very dedicated to what she does, on and off the field,” Neal said. “She’s a very smart girl, and she knows what she wants and goes after it.”
Now a junior, Holmes has put things together in a big way this season. She leads the 49ers in most major offensive categories, including home runs, batting average and on-base percentage.
Sowder said she believes that more playing time and better preparation have led to Holmes’ tremendous start.
Already a Big West Player of the Week winner, Holmes thanks improved pitch selection and better mechanics for her breakout year, saying that one of the problems she had last year was not “staying through the ball”.
“I was pulling off a lot, and it just wasn’t working, “ she said. “A lot of people have contributed to my [improvement], like my dad. It’s just helpful when a lot of people offer advice and you can just hone in on certain aspects that you think will work.”
While leading a potent 49ers offense has taken up a lot of her time, Holmes always makes sure she’s available for her family. A smile immediately overtakes her face when she mentions her parents and three siblings: Brandon, Christopher and Nicole.
“They each have a kid, so it’s nice being an aunt,” she said.
A self-described nerd, Holmes says she considers herself a very low-key person.
“I like staying in for movie nights or going to the beach and hanging out,” she said.
While she’s adjusted well to playing a new position, Holmes says she still misses catching.
“I caught since I was ten, so having that taken from you is sad,” she said. “I like first base, but it helps when you have gear. If you get hit by a ball it doesn’t hurt so bad.”