Linfield's Female Marshall Award Goes to Softball Captain Lisa Smith

A career .330 hitter, Smith batted a career-best .422 this spring in 23 games.

Lisa Smith, senior captain of the Linfield softball team, has been named the female recipient of the Vern Marshall Award, recognizing the Linfield athletes with the greatest tenacity and perseverance. Photo: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Lisa Smith, senior captain of the Linfield softball team, has been named the female recipient of the Vern Marshall Award, recognizing the Linfield athletes with the greatest tenacity and perseverance.

Smith, a four-year starter in the outfield for the Wildcats’ conference, regional and national championship team, believed her career was over just seven games into the 2007 season.

She suffered two broken bones in her forearm after a violent collision while sliding into home plate against Puget Sound.

Doctors were skeptical that Smith could play again this season and she contemplated seeking a medical redshirt that could possibly have granted her an extra year of eligibility.

But with a week to go in the regular season, x-rays revealed that the bones were healing ahead of schedule and that Smith could return to the field with the arm properly braced.

Her return provided a big lift for her teammates as the Wildcats prepared to make a run in the NCAA Division III playoffs. In her second game after returning to the field, Smith hit four doubles.

“Lisa is just super competitive,” said Wildcats softball coach Jackson Vaughan. “It doesn’t matter if the game is dodgeball, or football or softball, she’s going to compete hard.”

Vaughan admired how Smith remained connected and engaged in team activities, instead of drifting away as injured athletes often do.

“Her willingness to stick around and help out the team in whatever way she could really sets her apart,” said Vaughan. “If she never played another game, Lisa was satisfied but not content with her playing career. But she was very excited to find out she was going to get another chance to play again.”

A career .330 hitter, Smith batted a career-best .422 this spring in 23 games. She totaled seven doubles and one home run. She earned first team all-Northwest Conference honors.

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