MacKenzie Velasquez

Position:
OF
Height:
5-4
B/T:
L/R
Class:
Junior
Major:
Management
Hometown:
Plano, Texas
High School:
Plano

Why Lehigh? “It was an unbeatable opportunity to get an education at such a great academic school and also get to play softball for a winning program. Lehigh has such a prestigious reputation—it really stood apart from the other schools that I considered.”

On Coach Troyan: “I really connected with him when I was recruited. He is so approachable to talk to, especially if you are having problems. He really cares about the team and makes us feel like a part of his family. He lets us know that academics are a priority and he is willing to help us in any way he can to get us to the academic goals we wish to achieve.”

On the Lehigh softball experience: “I love the “team” experience at Lehigh. We all support and encourage each other. We’re a team and we’re friends, both on and off the field.”

As a freshman: First team All-Patriot League... batted impressive .362 in Patriot League play with nine runs batted in... Patriot League Player of the Week (4/18)... ranked fourth on team in overall batting average and RBIs... third in hits... led team with seven outfield assists... batted .622 (23-for-37) when leading off an inning... went 4-for-4 with three RBIs in win at Army West Point (4/16)... 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs against Rutgers (3/18)... had 14 multi-hit games.

As a junior: First team All-Patriot League... led team with .476 batting average in league games... third on team in overall batting average... scored 12 runs and drove in 11 during league play... had nine multi-hit games, including final game of Patriot League Tournament… season-high three hits at Holy Cross (4/11)... went 2-for-2 with triple and three RBI in win over Bucknell (4/4)… went 2-for-6 in NCAA Norman Regional.

As a sophomore: Started all 50 games, beginning season in right field before moving to center... finished second on team with 34 runs scored... led team with 19 runs scored in league games... went 3-for-3 with an RBI versus Colorado State (3/1)... went 8-for-12 in series versus Colgate, scoring school record-tying four runs in series opener (3/22).

As a freshman: Appeared in 47 games, making 45 starts in the outfield… batted .380 in Patriot League games to rank fourth in the league… six of eight RBI came in league games… went 3-for-3 with three RBI in win over Lafayette (4/6)… went 8-for-14 with five runs scored in series at Colgate.

In high school: Four year letter winner played outfield and batted third for Plano Senior High School… helped lead the team to the Texas State 5A quarterfinals in 2010 and 2012 and Texas 5A state semifinals and Texas Region 1 Championship in 2011..

Bottom of Form
as a senior, batted .388 with 29 RBI and 38 runs scored… four-year All-District selection… named to All-Area All Star Team…..Earned Wildcat Team Leadership Award….Played club ball for Texas Elite… NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete four straight years… Honor Roll member as a junior and senior… involved in Friday Nite Friends – respite program for families with special needs/ medically fragile children… Special Olympics volunteer coach… participated in Head Start Program for disadvantaged children.

Personal: Daughter of Rick and Stephanie… brother Connor (20).

CAREER STATISTICS

Season	Avg.	GP-GS	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB-ATT
2013	.248	47-45	125	16	31	4	0	0	8	5	13	3-3
2014	.275	50-50	171	34	47	2	0	0	13	12	24	3-6
2015	.368	42-37	95	21	35	4	2	0	18	14	5	2-2
2016	.324	50-47	148	22	48	4	0	0	22	7	9	4-5
Total	.299	189-179	539	93	161	14	2	0	61	38	51	12-16

Getting to Know MacKenzie
What’s your favorite thing about Lehigh? I love the beauty of the campus. The architecture of the buildings and the old timey look of the town is something that I have always been fond of.
Major & Why: Management
Favorite Class at Lehigh: Student Athlete Council
Favorite Place on Campus: The wall at the top of the hill
Favorite Food: Tacos
Favorite Color: purple
Favorite Musical Artist: Carrie Underwood
Favorite Movie: Radio, Miracle, Remember the Titans
Favorite TV Show: CSI: NY
Favorite Website: Amazon
Favorite Pro Team: Boston Red Sox
Favorite Athlete In Another Sport: Mike Napoli
Hobbies: online shopping
Magazine Cover I'd Like To Be On: People
Place I'd Like To Visit: Scotland
Talent I’d Most Like To Have: to play an instrument
Dream Job: Managing charity events, fundraisers, and community service projects
If I Didn't Play Softball, I Would Play: basketball
If I Had $1 Billion, I Would: Give it to a good cause that needs the money