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Hallie Walker
The NC State softball team cheers and hold up "wolfies" to the stands after the game against Clemson at Dail Softball Stadium on Sunday, April 16, 2023. NC State beat Clemson 7-5.
It’s a new era for NC State softball as it welcomes a new leader to the clubhouse after the previous head coach was fired in the middle of last season. Last summer, Lindsay Leftwich was hired as the fourth head coach in Wolfpack softball history, and brings an impressive resume to Raleigh.
For the past 12 years, Leftwich was an assistant coach for the LSU Tigers where she helped build a consistent winner. During her time in Baton Rouge, the Tigers went to four College World Series including two finals while appearing in the NCAA Tournament all 12 seasons.
Even though she was a key part in developing 21 All-Americans at LSU, it still took time for her new squad to gain trust in her.
“When you’re trusting someone with something that’s so important to you, I think, you know, they all trusted slowly,” Leftwich said. “I was appreciative of that they wanted to make sure that I was gonna be who I said I was gonna be, and so I think they tiptoed in the water at first. And then the moment they felt and saw how we were going to love them and honor them and take care of them, I think that then they’re like, ‘Okay, like we’re in for this. We can do this.’”
The Pack is coming off its worst season since 2017, and it’s Leftwich’s job to rebuild a winning culture while at the same time making sure her team stays patient in the process.
“The results might not be instant, but you just gotta keep watering the plant, you know, like you got to water the roots, and then eventually you get the fruit,” Leftwich said. “You gotta be willing to know that delayed gratification is how this thing happens.”
For a team that ranked near the bottom of the ACC in most statistical categories last season, it’s important the Wolfpack does not define its success in numbers. Leftwich has emphasized the importance of building good habits, which will eventually lead to success on the diamond.
“If we’re only defining success in wins and batting average and era, we’re going to be really disappointed,” Leftwich said. “Everyone wants to hit 0.400 and have 20 wins on the mound, but is it realistic? Probably not. … By stacking those good things, I think it turns into wins.”
While Leftwich will be the main voice of the Wolfpack, it is also imperative that her players take on leadership roles, despite having a roster mostly made up of underclassmen.
“I think no one really realizes that, like, our young crew is so young, we don’t have this big junior and senior heavy class,” Leftwich said. “The young ones are just instantly thrust into leadership roles that sometimes maybe they don’t want. If we want to do this thing well, we need them to lead us in all of those spots.”
One of the young players who will look to lead this season is sophomore right-handed pitcher Madison Inscoe — the Wolfpack’s most reliable pitcher last season. Inscoe believes in her new coach and is ready to build something special at NC State.
“She’s been incredible,” Inscoe said. “I absolutely love her. She was so knowledgeable and taught us so much just within a span of six months. I just feel really blessed to have her here, and, we’re so, we’re just so happy to have her and can’t wait to see what we do this season with her.”
With the season already underway, the Pack has a 2-3 record and in its last game thumped St. John’s 9-1. NC Started the season 0-2 but bounced back winning two of its last three games, staying patient just like its new head coach preached.