Chico State Athletics

Even if she never plays another inning, Kristin Worley is assured her status as one of the top players in the history of Chico State softball. Before COVID-19 shut down the 2020 season, the senior shortstop already owned the program's career records for stolen bases (110), runs scored (148), and batting average (.378), and was just 36 hits shy of becoming the Wildcats' all-time hits leader. As she and her teammates wait to see if competition will resume in the spring, Worley continues to make an impact—but this time, off the field as an important part of the 'Cats' leadership corps. Her efforts to bring her team together and maintain a positive perspective make Kristin Worley the latest Wildcat of the Week.
 
"When I was a freshman, there were several (upper classmen) who went out of their way to help me feel comfortable and make me feel welcome," Worley said. "I want to do the same for my new teammates. I want to make sure to provide for my sisters and let them know they can rely on me."
 
Now one of the team's seniors, Worley is working to extend the same courtesy and support to the newest members of the Wildcats' 2021 roster. She currently rooms with freshman outfielder/first baseman Jade Henry, with two other freshmen—outfielder Kylie Opelski and catcher Alex Allen—living just across from Worley's apartment balcony. The need for virtual classes and drastic reduction of in-person contact caused by the pandemic makes Worley's leadership role even more vital.  
 
"It's really important that you're there for (the freshmen) and help ease them into the college experience," Worley said. "They came in not really knowing what to expect, so I felt it was my responsibility to support them and be the shoulder they could lean on to help them through their first days of college."
 
Worley remembers coming from Southern California to attend Chico State in the fall of 2016. Her new teammates, most notably Karli Skowrup, Cailin Garmon, Briana Contreras, and Sarah Galaviz, took Worley under their wing and smoothed out what could have potentially been a rough transition from high school to college.
 
Worley had particular praise for Skowrup. "Karli saw herself in me and made sure I was taken care of (during my freshman year)," Worley said.
 
Worley has certainly accomplished a lot since first pulling on her No. 20 Wildcat jersey. In addition to the aforementioned school records, she has earned three First Team All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) honors, been named to three All-West Region teams, and has twice been included on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 50 Watch List for the Division II Player of the Year award. But she admits the accolades are secondary to her desire to see the Wildcats execute between the chalk lines.
 
"The awards are appreciated, but I just concentrate on doing what needs to be done to help the team win," Worley said. "(The records) are very important to me, but I don't really think about them. You just play. You train, you practice, you perform, and when you work hard, the game's going to give back to you. I just try to contribute to the team's success."
 
The Wildcats were enjoying an amazingly successful 2020 campaign when COVID-19 abruptly halted the season last March. Chico State sported an overall 19-2 record, sat atop the CCAA standings, and was ranked No. 2 in the nation. To say that Worley and the rest of the Wildcats were disappointed is putting it mildly.
 
"I've looked back on it and can't help but think about what could have been," Worley said. "We had the talent and the chemistry (to win the D-II national championship), but of course we'll never know. We were excited and in a good position heading into the second half of the season, and it's one of those things that you really don't know what to think."
 
In the midst of her senior year, the season's cancellation also threatened to suddenly and unceremoniously end Worley's college softball career.
 
"At the time, it was definitely a hard pill to swallow," Worley said. "Eventually I found some peace within to deal with the situation. I knew I did everything I could to establish my career in softball, and I knew (if it was the end) I would be stepping off the field on a positive note."
 
With the NCAA extending an extra year of eligibility to spring athletes due to the pandemic, Worley still has an opportunity to prolong her collegiate career. She and her Wildcat teammates remain hopeful.
 
"It'd be really nice to step back on the field again," Worley said. "We're all thinking positively that we get that one last chance. Whatever it takes, I'll do it. I'm confident that things will turn around in the next couple of months."
 
In the meantime, Worley busies herself with her studies as she completes her kinesiology degree. She also works at Chico's Italian Guys Catering (where, along with teammates Sara Mitrano and Reilani Peleti, she prepared and delivered meals to firefighters and law enforcement officials during the recent North Complex Fire), and keeps in shape by working out at In Motion Fitness, going to Hooker Oak Park and hitting off a batting tee, and going on evening runs to keep her endurance at its peak.
 
She also finds time to stay in contact with all of her Wildcat teammates.
 
"We do weekly Zoom meetings to catch up on everything," Worley said. "We'll post on our chat group daily conversations; we'll take part in Monday motivations. We've had speakers come into the chat group and help us get through the pandemic and think positively. Our priority is to make sure we're connected and keep up with what's going on in the world."
 
Worley confesses, though, that she misses the in-person communication she enjoyed as a Chico State student prior to the pandemic.
 
"Just sitting in a classroom with my peers listening to my professors," Worley said. "My major involves a lot of human interaction and one-on-one conversation, and I've made a lot of good friendships. I miss seeing them every day."
 
As befits a senior and a team leader, Worley remains upbeat despite the real world uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. It's that optimistic attitude she hopes all of her fellow student athletes—the Wildcat Family—share as well.
 
"We need to keep the faith, stay positive and cherish the moments we have with each other," Worley said. "Just live in the moment and enjoy the process."
 
 
Do you know a Wildcat who deserves to be considered for a Wildcat of the Week honor? We're looking for current student-athletes who are making you proud athletically, academically, and/or in the community. If you have an idea, please take a moment to let us know by completing this five-question survey.