Wallace Eager To Begin First Season With Wolfpack

For sophomore transfer Devin Wallace, Feb. 9, 2018 will be a day that she has long anticipated as she will finally play her first official game as a member of NC State's softball team.

Wallace, a Raleigh native, grew up in an NC State household and has been a lifelong Wolfpack fan. When going through the recruiting process though, she chose to take her talents to Coastal Carolina right after high school.

"Coastal was one of the closest schools that looked at me when I was in the recruiting process my sophomore year," explained Wallace. "It was an attraction to me because it wasn't as far as some of the other schools that were interested in me, so at the time it made sense. When I was looking at schools NC State wasn't one that came up but I'm happy I'm here now."

Wallace will enter the 2018 season with collegiate experience in the circle as she compiled a 3.57 earned-run average and six wins in 68.2 innings pitched with the Chanticleers. Now playing in a Power Five conference she hopes to expand her resume with the challenging season schedule that has been put together.

"I've always wanted to play for a bigger school, and I think playing at NC State is going to give me the competition that I want while getting to play in front of my family and friends. No team is going to be easy, but I can't wait to have fun and am looking forward to all of our games."

With Wallace's desire to move closer to home and the Wolfpack's need of another pitcher on the roster, head coach Shawn Rychcik sees the transfer's decision to play for NC State as a mutual benefit.

"Once I got her release we thought about what we needed as a team," said Rychcik. "I had seen her throw before in travel ball before she committed to Coastal and I know she had gotten better and had a pretty decent year there. She had a desire to come back to Raleigh where she's from and we had that need so it was a win-win situation for both sides."

Having been at NC State for just more than four months now, Wallace's transition to a new school has been smooth sailing thanks to the support of her teammates.

"I think the biggest adjustment was me meeting the girls and finding my fit among the team, but I think it's worked out really well and all the girls are great and easy to get along with. I think it's a great fit and am so much happier; I wouldn't change anything," Wallace said.

"It's always a challenge for someone to transfer into a new team so from that standpoint I think she's adjusted well and has really become a member of the team," Rychcik added. "Everyone has really accepted her and I think it's helped her on the mound where she's comfortable because has the support of her teammates.

"From a pitching standpoint I think she's developed a lot. She has a lot more velocity on her ball because she's has taken advantage of the strength and conditioning program and is in better shape now than she's ever been. "

With the help of the coaching staff this past fall Wallace can already see the improvement she was looking for, which gives her excitement as her sophomore campaign gets closer.

"I'm feeling very confident and am super excited for the season coming up," Wallace said. "I think I've adjusted well here and am getting the feedback that I need to get better because the coaches are so confident in what they're telling me. We have a very talented team and I think it's going to be a great season."

With the collegiate experience that Wallace has already gained, Rychcik will look to her to fulfill a leadership role among this year's young squad.

"We're a young team we have a lot of freshmen, so she'll have a responsibility to show others how things are done because she's got a year under her belt," Rychcik said. "Even though it's with a new team she does have college experience, and I think that's something she can relay. Being a pitcher people are going to look up to her and see her as a leader already.

"She's done a really good job of getting herself prepared and she threw really well in our fall games, so we're confident in what she'll do on the mound when the season comes along."

North Carolina State University Athletics

Wallace Eager To Begin First Season With Wolfpack

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