McHenry Times

Former Jacobs High School star Maggie Hansen is eagerly awaiting the start of the 2016 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball season.

Last season, the Warhawks won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) with a 13-9 conference record and an overall record of 36-9. For the season, Hansen started 32 of the team’s 45 games, hitting .266 with three home runs and 20 runs batted in. Whitewater advanced to the Lake Forest Regionals of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, but was eliminated with early losses to Hope and Lake Forest. The senior second baseman has evolved into a team leader; and this season, expectations are high.

“We have expectations of doing well," Hansen recently told the McHenry Times. "We have to come to every game ready to play, and we can’t take any team lightly."

Hansen is one of only two seniors on a team that will depend heavily on a group of talented underclassmen.

 “Of course our goal is to win the conference, win regionals and super sectionals, but I think just taking it one game at a time is most important," Hansen said. "We have a very young team, so there is not a lot of actual college experience on the field.”

Hansen was varsity captain of Jacobs High School teams that won three regional championships and a sectional championship in 2012. 

“I lived in Algonquin all my life, and it’s been nice," she said. "I have come to realize that things are not always sunshine and rainbows. But I’ve also learned to look at the positives every single day. I grew up with the same people and got to see them every day - close-knit bonds develop with people you go to school with and the people you play sports with."

Hansen chose to attend UW-Whitewater for its superior athletic program and beautiful campus, and she has made the transition from Algonquin with ease. 

“Transitioning into Whitewater has actually been pretty easy," she said. "This team has always been welcoming for me; and playing softball, it's been the experience of a lifetime."

At Whitewater, the focus has been more on the players' mental game, and not just their athletic ability.

"It has changed my whole style of thinking of being who I am," Hansen said. "These girls are great teammates and our coaches are fantastic. I think I’ve grown up a lot, and I see things differently now. I see life in a better perspective. It’s about taking it day by day and not stressing too much about life. You’ve got to enjoy it while you are here and in the moment."

Hansen credits much of her positive development at Whitewater to Assistant Softball Coach Beth Bonuso. 

“She is an incredible person in the way she looks at life with a positive attitude," Hansen said. "She lets us know that everything is going to be OK if we take it one day at a time and look at life in perspective. She’s been great for us here in college." 

But the greatest influence on Hansen's life always has been her father. She said he has always been her biggest fan and supporter. 

"He always encouraged me to do whatever made me happy, and he always supported me no matter what," Hansen said. “He’s always been my biggest hero, and I’ve always looked up to him."

Hansen self-describes her personal style as country. She mostly wears jeans, shorts, T-shirts, sweatpants and hoodies. 

When she is not busy with softball or her studies, Hansen likes fishing, playing golf, biking and reading. She is also a big country music fan and loves to listen to Rascal Flats and Dierks Bentley. Her favorite foods include chicken, lasagna, peanut butter and asparagus, plus the chicken enchilada soup at Chili’s.

“I could eat asparagus every day," Hansen said. 

One of her favorite spots on campus is the weight room. 

“It’s a fun place to be, and I always know people in there," Hansen said. "You get to forget about school and even forget about softball and just be in your own world for a little bit. I like lifting weights."

Hansen is pursuing a degree in physical education and health and someday hopes to have a career as a physical education teacher and coach at the elementary or high school level. She is a regular on the dean’s list, and others could benefit from her outlook and philosophy of life. 

“You get one day at a time to make it better than it was yesterday," Hansen said. "I don’t want to waste any of the time that I have. You only get so much to do in a day. You think, ‘Today I’m going to brighten someone else's day,’ or you think, ‘I’m going to be happy' and hopefully that joy spreads to other people. You only get one shot at this whole life thing, so you’ve got to make the most of it."