STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Kate Newell appeared in 108 games as an outfielder with the Keene (N.H.) State softball team during her collegiate career. And she helped lead the Owls to a Little East Conference title and the Division III NCAA Tournament as a junior in 2014 while hitting a career-best .328 in 36 games.
So when Newell added softball as one of her sports assignments this academic year, Stony Brook head coach
Megan T. Bryant was ecstatic.
Bryant knows having someone with a softball-playing background as a strength and conditioning coach is a particular asset for her squad.
Newell, an assistant director of athletic performance, originally joined the Seawolves in 2017 after earning her master of science degree with a concentration in strength and conditioning from Springfield College that May.
"We're thrilled to be working with Kate," Bryant said. "Her softball background is really exciting for us. We've had some tremendous athletic performance coaches work with our team here at Stony Brook. But her background in the sport is unique."
Newell also oversees the athletic performance program for Stony Brook's baseball, women's soccer, volleyball and men's lacrosse teams.
While she performs at a high level for all of those sports, she recognizes her college-playing background gives her added insights in preparing the baseball and softball teams.
"To have played the game and know what everyone's position is and what everyone is going through when they're on the field, you just relate in a different way," Newell said. "It's the same way with baseball, which I've had for two years. It's just a different relationship, because you know what they're doing when they go to practice. You know what hitting is like. You know what pitching is like. You know what a long baserunning practice is at the end of practice.
"From a training standpoint, I know what they're going through on the field physically. I know the game like the back of my hand. I've been playing it since I was five. So I understand it even more from a physical standpoint."
More generally, Newell relates to being a student-athlete because she is not far removed from being one herself.
"I always tell all of my teams to keep a schedule, knowing you have lift, and knowing you have practice, and knowing you have class — and that you're not a normal student, unfortunately," she said. "You don't have the luxury of just going to class and going home and taking a nap."
Newell even has borrowed a "15-minute" rule from her days with Keene State softball. Always arrive 15 minutes before scheduled.
"In college, we called it 'hover time,'" Newell said. "If we had to be at the bus at 7, you knew you had to be at the bus at 6:45 to hover."
