Winona, Minn. - The Winona State Athletic Department is proud to present the "Warrior Stories" series, which offers fans and followers of Winona State Athletics a view into the success that Winona State student-athletes have had as they transition from their Warrior careers and into the professional world. Warrior Stories is presented by WNB Financial, a corporate sponsor of Winona State Athletics.
This edition of Warrior Stories features Jenny Nelson, a Winona State softball All-American who now works as a police officer in the northwest Chicago suburbs. Prior to her two years as a Warrior, Nelson competed for Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After a stellar two seasons for KCC, she arrived in Winona ready to accept the challenge of breaking in to a new team and higher level of play.
Nelson's two years on campus in Winona saw her claim a host of awards, including being named 2014 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First-Team All-American and NSIC All-Tournament Team honors. Statistically, Nelson's 20 home runs in the 2014 campaign stand atop the Warrior list for single season performances, and she is also No.1 in terms of single-season RBI's with 74, also in 2014. Teammate Morgan Lintz was just one off the mark that same year, driving in 73 runs, creating one of the top Warrior offensive duos of all-time.
Read on for the Warrior Story of Jenny Nelson, a recent WSU graduate in criminal justice who first enrolled in Winona State University in the fall of 2012 and is currently a police officer in suburban Chicago.
1) So, being from the Chicago-area; Cubs or Sox? Go Cubbies!
2) Where do you serve as a police officer and what type of role do you have? I work in a northwest suburb of Chicago as a Patrol Officer. I work in an assigned area of the city responding to emergency situations and calls for service. We are proactive in enforcing laws and in building relationships within the community.
3) How did your academic training at WSU help you in your current role? My criminal justice professors at WSU prepared me for what to expect in many difference aspects of the profession. Some of them had firsthand experience being in law enforcement, which offered a real-world outlook on the job. I feel that my professors, as well as the athletic department, set me up to succeed beyond the classroom.
4) How did your experience as a student-athlete at Winona State help you as you serve your community as a police officer? It is important as a student-athlete to have good time management skills and balance in your life. It is about finding that perfect equation of being an athlete, your academics, social and family life. You also need to have time for yourself in figuring out who you are beyond your sport. This also holds true in being a police officer. It is important to have balance in your life which then allows you to be the best you can be for others. I also love the feeling of being a part of a team dynamic again.
5) What do you miss most about being a college softball student-athlete? My teammates, without question. We had so many great memories both on and off the field and those are what I remember far more than any statistics or awards. I truly feel that your teammate's successes are your successes, and vice versa. I also miss the WSU community as a whole. I truly enjoyed my time there and the people I was surrounded by. Looking back, life was much simpler being a student-athlete than I once thought, and I would give anything to go back, even for a day!
6) What is your favorite softball memory during your time at WSU? There are so many to choose from! I would have to say either beating Mankato State on their field to advance to super-regionals or winning the NSIC tournament in my senior year. The big team wins, and moments are the ones I remember the most.
7) You played your first two years at Kirkwood Community College. What was it like transitioning into the team as a junior? I was nervous at first to start over again. I felt like I made a home at Kirkwood and really enjoyed my time there. Coming to WSU was an easy transition. The coaching staff and all of my teammates really welcomed me in and made me feel like I had been a part of the program all along. My coach from Kirkwood did a great job getting student-athletes ready for the next level. I knew I was prepared, I just had to prove that.
8) The role of police and policing is a major topic in society, currently. If you had a chance to speak your thoughts and present your opinion, what do you feel is important to address? Police officers leave their families every day to protect the lives of complete strangers. It is a difficult and selfless job, but at many times it can be a rewarding one. We often see the worst moments in society that I think most people don't know, or don't want to admit, exists. I believe there are always things to learn and evolve form when it comes to law enforcement and we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. I also think there needs to be accountability taken by society as a whole for everyone's actions. The vast majority of police officers are good people who put their uniform on everyday trying to do what is right and make a difference.
9) How has COVID-19 affected or changed your day-to-day work life? What type of adjustments are needed or have been implemented by those in your line of work? It has definitely been an adjustment because as police officers, we are around people from all walks of life in many different situations every day. During this time we have been trying to limit the amount of contact and interactions with people and distancing as best we can. We wear masks anytime we are in contact with the public, along with using plenty of hand sanitizer.
10) Your senior year at Winona State, you earned First Team All-America honors. What was it about that year that came together for you; seeing the ball well, a coaching tip, increased confidence? The biggest difference was the realization that this was my final year of playing the sport I love. It was about the statistics or accolades, but just enjoying being in every moment. My junior year I did not have the right mindset 100% of the time and I didn't perform to the level I knew I was capable of because of that. My senior year, I vowed to change that and all I cared about was competing with my teammates and having fun doing it, and the rest followed. Softball sets you up to fail, but it's how you respond and overcome that failure that will determine your mindset on the game. Whether it be in practice, early morning weight lifting, running up and down the bluffs, or the biggest game of the season, I gave everything I had because no matter the outcome, I did not want to leave with any regards or what-ifs. There will come a day when the window of being a student-athlete will close, but in that time if you enjoy every moment and compete as hard as you can every chance you get, it will become of the most unforgettable moments of your life.
11) Anything else you would like to share with the Warrior faithful? I, like so many others, truly enjoyed my time at WSU. It is a tight knit community with so many resources and opportunities to set you up for success. My coaching staff instilled 'Passion and Pride' into us from day one. I truly bought into that and tried to represent that anytime I put on the Warrior uniform. I have life-long friends from my time at WSU and too many unforgettable memories to count; it will always be a home away from home. Great to be a Warrior!!
For more regarding Winona State Athletics, please visit www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics - as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution - is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletics excellence to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words: Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
Media Contact: Pete Watkins, Director of Athletic Communications | Ph. 507.457.5577 | Email: pwatkins@winona.edu
