Hall of Fame
Friend, the 1998 Betty Cleland Award winner, earned four varsity letters from 1995-98. The pitcher received All-OAC and All-Region second team honors as a freshman in 1995 but her breakout season came in 1996. Friend led the Pioneers to their first OAC Championship and NCAA Division III Regional appearance by posting a school best 17-4 record. The All-OAC and All-Region first team honoree also set new school marks for wins (17), strikeouts (69) and earned run average (0.91) as a sophomore. Friend went on to earn All-OAC first team honors again as a junior in 1997. Friend, a captain in both 1997 and 1998, finished her career as the school’s all-time leader in wins (35), shutouts (10), no-hitters (2), strikeouts (190), earned run average (1.51) and best record (35-19).
Friend, a native of Ripley, W.Va., earned a degree in Education in 1999. In 2008, she returned to Marietta and is currently in her second year as the pitching coach for the softball team.
