In addition to crushing home runs for the Big Green, California native Katie McEachern '16 has discovered another Dartmouth passion snow.
"I love the snow," McEachern said. "I'm really sad it's not snowing right now."
For McEachern, what's not to love in Hanover?
Through 26 games, the freshman leads the softball team with a .382 batting average, five home runs, 13 runs scored, a .658 slugging percentage, a .460 on base percentage and is tied with captain Hillary Hubert '13 with 29 hits. On March 22, McEachern became the first Dartmouth player to ever hit for the cycle.
"In college, you have to prove yourself, so that's what I'm trying to do this year," said McEachern, a former standout high school softball player at Point Loma High School in San Diego. "Prove the type of hitter I am, the teammate I can be prove that I'm dependable and consistent."
This year, McEachern has done just that. Already, she has been named an Ivy League Player of the Week and Northeast Credit Union's Dartmouth Athlete of the Week, all while adjusting to playing a new position in the outfield.
"Katie is a strong athlete, she's consistent, and she's brought her athletic ability up to a level that we really need," Hubert said. "She's done a great job of handling the new role."
McEachern has also changed her hitting approach. Head coach Rachel Hanson has taught players to wait for just one type of pitch, instead of swinging at all pitches that are within the strike zone or appear to be good.
"The first time I really started to adopt it was the game when I hit for the cycle," McEachern said.
Yet while this approach and playing in the outfield and may be new to McEachern this season, she has been dedicated to the game since age eight.
"I've always played four seasons of the year," McEachern said. "I think that's why it's such a part of me because I play all the time and I'm used to practicing so much."
Hubert said the biggest adjustment for incoming freshmen is usually the level of commitment in the college game.
"You never experience the kind of commitment it takes to be a college athlete until you get here," Hubert said. "Doing what it actually takes to be better and realizing that everyone is doing the same work you are."
McEachern has taken the changes from her high school days in stride, including more rigorous workouts and increased travel time.
"You begin to learn to time manage," McEachern said. "Out of my three classes, I have one girl on my team in every class it makes it easy for bus rides."
From long bus rides and doubleheader games, McEachern has adjusted well.
"On the field and off the field personalities are always fun to watch," Hubert said. "As fun and good as she is off the field, on the field she really dials it in."
McEachern was so dialed in that she didn't even know she had hit for the cycle hitting a single, a double, a triple and a home run in the same game against Iowa State University until her teammate told her.
"I had no idea what was going on, people don't believe me that I didn't know I was hitting for the cycle," McEachern said. "I came to the dugout and my teammates had to tell me."
McEachern and the other freshman have strong chemistry.
"All the '16s talked a lot over Facebook this summer, and we all came in like we'd played together all of our lives," outfielder Brianna Lohmann '16 said.
McEachern, who visited to Dartmouth with two players who also joined the softball team, said interacting with them made all the difference.
"I came here, thinking I was going to go to Princeton, and it completely changed my mind," she said.
McEachern was also recruited by Harvard University.
As she and her teammates head into Ivy League play, the shortstop-turned-right-fielder will look to continue her success at the plate and on the field.
"These games do matter," McEachern said. "You try not to think about it, but they do matter that much more."
Dartmouth faces Cornell University in a doubleheader at home Friday before taking on Princeton University in two games on Saturday.
