By Joey McWilliams
The last couple of years have provided a roller coaster ride for many college athletes. But one positive thing during this COVID era is the granting of an extra year of eligibility for student-athletes.
Many are choosing to use this rare opportunity to get to play for one more season. Former Durant softball standout Breanna Simmons is one of those using her COVID year to be a “Super Senior.”
Photo courtesy SWOSU Sports Info.
“I feel extremely blessed I have another opportunity to play,” Simmons said. “I feel very fortunate and I’m ready to make the most of my last year.”
Simmons is ready to start her fifth season of collegiate athletics, her third at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She said she is glad for another year with the Bulldogs because she still has a lot to prove.
“We didn’t have the best season last year,” Simmons said. “We didn’t get the outcomes we wanted But I think we learned a lot from our failures and I think we do have a smaller knit group of girls this year but we’re all focused on working for a common goal this year instead of working for our own self.
“We all want what’s best for the team and I think we’re all going to give all that we can to do that.”
Simmons has been studying at Southwestern with a major in accounting. But she said she is heading back to Bryan County soon.
“After softball season I’m going to go back home and I’m going to get my master’s at Southeastern. It’s going to be an MBA focused on accounting and I’m going to work towards getting my CPA. Hopefully I can find an internship while I’m working and studying for that.”
Sports presented by Indian Nation Wholesale.
She spends her summers back in Durant already. In 2021, she found a summer job at the Choctaw Casino.
And the former Lady Lion has great memories of her time playing for Durant High School.
“I loved every second of my high school team,” Simmons said. “We were all best friends and I never had as much fun as I did playing for Durant. I miss it a lot.
“My favorite memory softball-wise would be in the state semifinals we were playing Collinsville and we were in extra innings and I hit the go ahead run and we ended up winning that game to make it to the state championship and that was just the most incredible feeling that I’ve ever felt before. Nothing’s ever topped that.”
Following her time at DHS, she played ball for a couple of seasons at Connors State College in Warner, Okla. She had a chance to continue to softball career in Weatherford.
“I was a sophomore at my junior college and I was familiar with Southwestern because of Southeastern and I was just reaching out to a bunch of Division II schools across Oklahoma and Coach Maher showed the most interest in me so that’s how I ended up here.”
And she spoke encouragement to other young players who may want to play after high school.
“Continue to work hard,” Simmons said. “Reach out to the coaches. Hard work never goes unnoticed.
“I wasn’t the most highly recruited girl when I was there. I played with some really incredible girls so I was often overlooked. But if you just keep working at it and keep trying to get better every single day things will fall in place for you so just never give up.
And she said she is happy for one more go-round with her teammates on the diamond.
“I’m just excited to start my last and final season. I want to make the most of it and make memories that I will never forget and hopefully we have a better season and make it to the GAC tournament this year.”