Ashland, WI-

Back in September, LumberJill Softball coach Tiff Hudack stated that one of the aspects of the upcoming season she is most excited about, is seeing the new players in action. Hudack recruited a large class of girls from all over the country, ranging from first year students about to embark on their first ever collegiate season, to seniors that transferred to Northland to play one final season of ball.

Among the freshman girls is Izzy Peters, a catcher and shortstop from Idaho Falls, Idaho. Hudack first caught a glimpse of Peters on a recruiting website. After the two talked on the phone, Peters decided to apply to Northland College. Aside from the opportunity to continue playing softball at a college level, there were a number of other reasons that Peters was interested in the school.

"I was drawn to Northland because it's a really small school. I didn't want to be a number on a roster, I wanted to be an individual," Peters explained. Having just over 600 students, it's nearly impossible to become just a number at Northland. Authentic relationships between students and professors are a given. Another reason Peters decided to attend Northland, of course, was for the opportunity to be a member of the LumberJills.

"I saw it as an opportunity not only for me to grow as a player, but to help the team as a whole grow, too," Peters stated.

Peters first began playing softball when she was only 8 years old. It was just something she decided to try but ended up sticking with. In high school, she attended one school while playing softball for a different school because it gave her a better opportunity to play. She also played for a club team, which is how she initially got set up on the recruiting website. When Peters committed to Northland, she became the very first female athlete at her high school to sign to play a collegiate sport.

So far, Peters has been enjoying her time as a Northland student and athlete. Now that the fall softball season has come and gone, Peters and her teammates have been able to reflect on the experience.

"Getting to meet and play with everyone was really fun. We were definitely able to progress as a team already. Everyone was so welcoming. The older girls have been nothing but nice, friendly, and helpful with the adjustment," Peters remarked.

Even though athletics can be a major driving factor in a student's college experience, there are still classes and other aspects of campus life to think about. In addition to softball, Peters has been getting adjusted to her new home.

"Classes are going well, all my professors have been super willing to help and reach out to students. Northland is doing the best they possibly can to keep everything going," Peters stated. When talking about her professors, she mentioned Dave Ullman, a geology professor who is very loved at Northland. Peters appreciated all of his "dad jokes" and mentioned that he made waking up at 8 in the morning a little easier. So far, Peters is undecided in what she is going to major in, but is very interested in the sustainable agriculture minor.

The move from Idaho to Wisconsin is no small adventure. It can be very difficult, and even scary, to pack everything up and leave home. For many students, finally having to act like an adult and take care of yourself can be quite the adjustment. However, this has not been an issue for Peters.

"Adulting, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and just having to do stuff on my own has not been difficult for me," she mentions.

"What's been a little more difficult is figuring out my sleep schedule and getting all my work done before being able to socialize or go to the gym," Peters continued.

When Peters isn't busy with softball, classes, or hanging out with friends, she enjoys editing and making videos and editing photos in photoshop. She hopes to take a graphic design class in the future.

Peters has already made an impact on Northland in her one semester here. In an earlier interview, Saylor Donnelly mentioned how on the very first day of the fall season, on her first ever at-bat, Peters smacked a ball right out of the park; not a bad first impression to make on the team. In addition to her teammates, coach Hudak also speaks very highly of Peters.

"Izzy is a very wonderful person and teammate. I am very excited to see her growth during her time here at Northland College. Izzy is a very strong catcher but also has great talent at shortstop. She has a very strong bat and will be one of our top hitters in the upcoming season," Hudack raves.

The LumberJills are beyond grateful to have Izzy Peters as a member of the team. Her hard-work and dedication to the team are already paying off. The future is bright for Peters and the LumberJills.

Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.