North Carolina State University Athletics
Forbes, Nordberg and Rizzi to Return in 2021
5/11/2020 10:00:00 AM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Tatyana Forbes, Brigette Nordberg and Angie Rizzi have all announced their intention to return to NC State for the 2021 softball season.
"We're thankful to the athletic administration for the ability to bring back the heart of the order for one more year," said head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift. "This makes us extremely excited and should make Wolfpack Nation howl! Softball as a sport is going to be loaded next year and with Tatyana, Brigette and Angie back in the lineup we will be able to go head-to-head with anyone. I expect them to continue to be leaders not just on the field, but also in the lockerroom, and to represent NC State at the highest standards.
Following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted all spring athletes an additional year of eligibility.
Devin Wallace and Skylar Johnston, the other two 2020 seniors, have both secured post-graduate opportunities following the completion of their degrees in May 2020. Wallace has accepted a position with TEKsystems in Charlotte, N.C., as a Technical Staffing Recruiter, while Johnston is set to join The Select Group in Raleigh, N.C., as an Associate Account Manager.
"Skylar was one of the first transfers to come into our program," said Patrick-Swift. "Skylar believed in the culture and mindset we were bringing here to NC State and had a huge part in helping to hit the ground running with it. We are so glad she chose us and NC State to continue and exhaust her playing career, and we are grateful for her hard work and dedication along the way."
"I knew before I stepped foot on campus that there was tremendous talent within Devin Wallace," said Patrick-Swift. "She matured from a thrower into a pitcher and she won some really big games for us from the mound. I am so grateful that we got the chance to get to know her as a person and work with her as a player and am glad that she wore the Wolfpack Red."
The senior class was an integral part in what was shaping up to be a historic season for the Wolfpack, after securing the best 15-game start in program history (11-4). NC State finished the shortened 2020 season receiving votes in both the NFCA/USA Today and the USA Softball/ESPN.com final polls.
Forbes, who joined the Wolfpack ahead of the 2020 season, will take advantage of her extra season as she also trains to be a part of Team Mexico for the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Forbes returns as the NCAA Division I active career batting average leader (.463). In 2020, Forbes ranked second in the nation in hits (43), fifth in batting average (.538) and eighth in on-base percentage (.593).
The Redmond, Wash., native, began her career playing two seasons at Coastal Carolina where she was a top-10 finalist for NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year. Forbes also played a season at FIU.
"Being a part of the Wolfpack family has been such a blessing," said Forbes. "I could never imagine my career ending this way, and that is exactly why I will be returning. I could not be more thankful that I get to finish the last year of my masters degree while having one more with my best friends and the best coaching staff!"
Nordberg led NC State with seven home runs in 2020 and was one of six Wolfpack players to have a slugging percentage over .600. The Exton, Pa., native currently ranks second in school history with a .629 career slugging percentage and is 10th in career batting average. As a junior in 2019, Nordberg led the Wolfpack in RBIs, home runs and slugging percentage. Nordberg began her career and played two seasons at Maryland from 2017-18.
"Words cannot describe how excited I am to put back on the uniform and play one last time with my Pack family," said Nordberg. "I found my home at NC State. NC State gave me a family with my teammates and coaches that saved me in more ways than words can describe. While it may seem far away right now, this team will be a powerhouse in the spring, and I am blessed to be a part of it."
Rizzi, who has started 57 consecutive games in center field for the Wolfpack, finished the shortened 2020 season with a .313 batting average and .612 slugging percentage. Originally from Tuckahoe, N.Y., Rizzi showed solid improvement in her power, tallying six home runs through 25 games after previously recording just four in the previous three years of her career. She currently ranks 10th in NC State history with 20 career stolen bases. Rizzi began her collegiate career playing one season at LIU Brooklyn.
"Wolfpack Nation has been nothing but the best, and I owe so much to this sport for everything it has given me," said Rizzi. "I am so excited to return to NC State and play one more year with the Wolfpack in 2021. Thank you to everyone for the unconditional support and love. I can't wait to get back on the field with the best teammates out there!"
Forbes, Nordberg and Rizzi will be part of a Wolfpack team which now returns all nine position starters from the end of the 2020 season, including 2019 All-ACC performer Sam Russ and SoftballAmerica Top-100 player Sydney Nester. Two-time Conference Pitcher of the Year Abby Trahan is also set to take the field for the Wolfpack after redshirting the 2020 season. NC State also welcomes a talented six-player incoming freshman class, all of whom were named to the 2020 PGF All-American Teams watchlist.
THE PACK IS BACK.
— PackSoftball🥎 (@PackSoftball) May 11, 2020
Forbes, Nordberg and Rizzi will all return to the Wolfpack in 2021 for their senior seasons.
🔗 https://t.co/bL5g2X8Xbq pic.twitter.com/pmKWcY9gmn
"We're thankful to the athletic administration for the ability to bring back the heart of the order for one more year," said head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift. "This makes us extremely excited and should make Wolfpack Nation howl! Softball as a sport is going to be loaded next year and with Tatyana, Brigette and Angie back in the lineup we will be able to go head-to-head with anyone. I expect them to continue to be leaders not just on the field, but also in the lockerroom, and to represent NC State at the highest standards.
Following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted all spring athletes an additional year of eligibility.
Devin Wallace and Skylar Johnston, the other two 2020 seniors, have both secured post-graduate opportunities following the completion of their degrees in May 2020. Wallace has accepted a position with TEKsystems in Charlotte, N.C., as a Technical Staffing Recruiter, while Johnston is set to join The Select Group in Raleigh, N.C., as an Associate Account Manager.
"Skylar was one of the first transfers to come into our program," said Patrick-Swift. "Skylar believed in the culture and mindset we were bringing here to NC State and had a huge part in helping to hit the ground running with it. We are so glad she chose us and NC State to continue and exhaust her playing career, and we are grateful for her hard work and dedication along the way."
"I knew before I stepped foot on campus that there was tremendous talent within Devin Wallace," said Patrick-Swift. "She matured from a thrower into a pitcher and she won some really big games for us from the mound. I am so grateful that we got the chance to get to know her as a person and work with her as a player and am glad that she wore the Wolfpack Red."
The senior class was an integral part in what was shaping up to be a historic season for the Wolfpack, after securing the best 15-game start in program history (11-4). NC State finished the shortened 2020 season receiving votes in both the NFCA/USA Today and the USA Softball/ESPN.com final polls.
Forbes, who joined the Wolfpack ahead of the 2020 season, will take advantage of her extra season as she also trains to be a part of Team Mexico for the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Forbes returns as the NCAA Division I active career batting average leader (.463). In 2020, Forbes ranked second in the nation in hits (43), fifth in batting average (.538) and eighth in on-base percentage (.593).
The Redmond, Wash., native, began her career playing two seasons at Coastal Carolina where she was a top-10 finalist for NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year. Forbes also played a season at FIU.
"Being a part of the Wolfpack family has been such a blessing," said Forbes. "I could never imagine my career ending this way, and that is exactly why I will be returning. I could not be more thankful that I get to finish the last year of my masters degree while having one more with my best friends and the best coaching staff!"
Nordberg led NC State with seven home runs in 2020 and was one of six Wolfpack players to have a slugging percentage over .600. The Exton, Pa., native currently ranks second in school history with a .629 career slugging percentage and is 10th in career batting average. As a junior in 2019, Nordberg led the Wolfpack in RBIs, home runs and slugging percentage. Nordberg began her career and played two seasons at Maryland from 2017-18.
"Words cannot describe how excited I am to put back on the uniform and play one last time with my Pack family," said Nordberg. "I found my home at NC State. NC State gave me a family with my teammates and coaches that saved me in more ways than words can describe. While it may seem far away right now, this team will be a powerhouse in the spring, and I am blessed to be a part of it."
Rizzi, who has started 57 consecutive games in center field for the Wolfpack, finished the shortened 2020 season with a .313 batting average and .612 slugging percentage. Originally from Tuckahoe, N.Y., Rizzi showed solid improvement in her power, tallying six home runs through 25 games after previously recording just four in the previous three years of her career. She currently ranks 10th in NC State history with 20 career stolen bases. Rizzi began her collegiate career playing one season at LIU Brooklyn.
"Wolfpack Nation has been nothing but the best, and I owe so much to this sport for everything it has given me," said Rizzi. "I am so excited to return to NC State and play one more year with the Wolfpack in 2021. Thank you to everyone for the unconditional support and love. I can't wait to get back on the field with the best teammates out there!"
Forbes, Nordberg and Rizzi will be part of a Wolfpack team which now returns all nine position starters from the end of the 2020 season, including 2019 All-ACC performer Sam Russ and SoftballAmerica Top-100 player Sydney Nester. Two-time Conference Pitcher of the Year Abby Trahan is also set to take the field for the Wolfpack after redshirting the 2020 season. NC State also welcomes a talented six-player incoming freshman class, all of whom were named to the 2020 PGF All-American Teams watchlist.
Players Mentioned
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