Hitting - Sam Macken
Sam Macken graduated from Rochester Lourdes High School in 2013. Following her high school career, Sam attended the University of Minnesota, where she started as both an infielder and outfielder during her four years. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Degree in Business Marketing Education and a Minor in Sports Management in 2017, she decided to stay close to the game. Sam began working with a local baseball club and training facility, where she was the Director of Softball Operations. In three short years she established year-round training and started the youth softball club program which was at 13 teams when she decided to start her own training business. She is now an independent hitting, slapping, and fielding instructor at Sam Macken Softball L.L.C. With a majority of her time instructing at Strike Zone Sports.
COLLEGE:
Sam’s collegiate accolades include three Academic All B1G Ten Honors, a 2-Time Distinguished Scholar, received both 1st and 2nd All B1G Ten Team honors and was a 2-Time NFCA All-Region selection. In her freshman campaign, her walk-off single sealed the Gophers 1st B1G Ten championship in 15 years. She was also instrumental in helping lead the Gophers to their first ever Super Regional appearance with a go-ahead home run against Auburn in the NCAA Regional final. Sam helped lead the Gophers to 3 B1G Ten Championships, 4 NCAA Tournaments and a Super Regional in her 4-year career. She ended her career ranked 2nd All-Time in runs scored and 4th All-Time in doubles. Her career batting average was 0.339. In her senior season, she was awarded the B1G Ten Sportsmanship Award and was a Top-30 Finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. The Gophers won over 190 games in her 4-year career and helped establish the program’s winningest season ever in 2017 (56-5). Sam graduated in 2017 with a degree in Business Marketing and a minor in Sports Management.
HIGH SCHOOL:
Earned six letters and won four team MVP awards for the Rochester Lourdes softball team, hitting for a career average of .509 – was a four-time all-conference, all-section, and all-state selection – set eight school season records, including average (.595), hits (47), and fewest strikeouts (one) – Holds 13 school career records, including average (.509), hits (135), and hitting streak (31 games) – won the school’s Francis McGovern Award for her dedication to athletics and the Early Risers Exchange Club Athlete of the Season – Competed in numerous ASA and USSSA state and national events – was a part of the Minnesota State High School League All-Star Series and was a finalist for the Rochester Amateur Sports Commission’s Female Athlete of the Year Award – also lettered three times in hockey and twice in volleyball – selected to three hockey all-conference teams and one all-state team, as well as one volleyball all-conference team.
University of Minnesota Profile (link)
Pitching - Jacquelyn Sertic
NDSU Profile (link)
Catching - Nikki Caicedo
Originally from Michigan, Coach Nikki was the four-year starting varsity catcher for her high school. She joined a national travel team when she was 15 and competed in over 22 states. Her journey led her to Minnesota, where she was the four-year starting catcher for Macalester College and graduated with degrees in Neuroscience and Economics. She’s been coaching for over 6 years across the country and as far away as South Africa. Her most recent position was coaching at the 14U & 16U club levels. Nikki founded CNC Fastpitch as a way to train athletes at a high level. Many of her players have gone on to play at the collegiate level.
Coach Caicedo says, “I want to help softball players grow. I want to help them perfect their technique. I want to help them learn how to respond to failure and come out as better leaders. I want them to improve every day and refuse to stop until they reach their goals. I’ve been trained by some of the best coaches out there and have competed across the country with top-level players. It’s my mission to share all that I’ve learned with the next generation of softball players.”
Macalester College Profile (link)
