Shope announces her return for one more season as a softball Patriot

Sports fans in Whitley County have gotten to know the name of Lindsey Shope very well since she first arrived at Whitley County High School in 2018. As a sophomore and junior, she helped guide the Lady Colonels to new heights on the softball field, including a 50^th District championship title in 2019.

Unfortunately, Shope and her fellow Class of 2020 spring student-athletes were robbed of their senior seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but where one door closes another opens.

Starting in 2021, Shope took her talents across town and began living out her dream as a college athlete at the University of the Cumberlands. As a Patriot softballer, she sat under the learning tree of older players for the next three years. It was a valuable experience, but a competitor of her caliber was not really used to sitting on the sidelines.

“My first three years were kind of tough,” Shope admitted. “In high school, I was used to starting every game. I realized that college is different, though, and I just had to get used to that. I had to wait for my turn.”

Shope’s turn finally came in 2024, and she made the most of it. This past season, she helped the Patriots to a 49-9 overall record and a repeat appearance in the NAIA World Series. She ended the history-making campaign as a Daktronics NAIA Scholar Athlete with Mid-South Conference Second Team All-Conference honors, and she was named MSC Pitcher of the Week in mid-March.

“This year was so exciting, finally getting to see more innings and be that leader on the field,” said Shope, adding that her coaches have commented to her about how much they respect the fact that she stuck through the hard times and waited for her turn.

“It was hard not getting to see the field, but I have always been a team player,” Shope said of the years leading up to her eventual breakthrough season in 2024. “I am going to cheer on my teammates even if I am not out there playing. That is just always how I’ve been.”

Shope said that she feels her maintaining that positive energy from the sidelines for three years went a long way in eventually earning her a spot as a starter this past spring.

After watching her teammates compete in the NAIA Opening Round and World Series tournaments a year ago, she said that getting the opportunity to start in those games this season was worth the wait.

“I didn’t touch the field during the Opening Round or the World Series last year,” Shope explained. “So, it was an amazing experience finally getting to be on the field and showing my talent.”

“It is what you work for you whole life as a player,” Shope added. “Finally getting to do that was unreal, and just so exciting.”

Shope’s initial plans coming into her fourth year at UC last fall was to finish out her playing career, but after the experiences of the past few months she has instead opted to return in 2025 and use her final year of eligibility to hopefully get back to the World Series one last time.

“I definitely want to get back and try to win it all,” said Shope, who will also begin working toward earning her Master’s Degree when she returns to campus in a few weeks.

Shope’s return will be greatly welcomed by Patriots Head Coach Bailey Dillender and her staff, as the team will be losing some other key pitching talent to graduation. In light of that, having a fifth-year grad student in the circle next season will be a huge help as the UC softball program looks to once again make a run at a national championship title.

For more information on University of the Cumberlands athletics, visit them online at www.cumberlandspatriots.com.