March 3, 2016
As told to Melissa Riordan (’18)
Notre Dame junior pitcher Rachel Nasland hails from San Diego, California. During her sophomore season in 2015 Nasland earned the ACC Pitcher of the Week award four times, which was tied for the conference lead among all ACC pitchers. She was a member of the 2015 ACC All-Academic Team and the 2015 all-ACC second team. Nasland is a psychology major in the College of Arts and Letters.
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Q: What is your favorite memory thus far in your Notre Dame career?
A: I would definitely say hosting NCAA Regionals here last year. Although it started off not the way we had anticipated it I think we came back stronger than ever that weekend. It was the most fun that our team has had playing together. We were so cohesive. It was just an incredible experience.
Q: If you could play another sport what would it be and why?
A: I think it would have to be volleyball. I played it once in high school and it was just so fun, so that would be something I would love to play. Maybe I would play football, I think that’d be fun but that’s not quite possible. Although I also don’t quite have the hops for volleyball so I’ll just stick with softball.
Q: If you could trade places with any of your teammates for a day, who would it be and why?
A: Probably Carly Piccinich because of her personality, she is so funny. I wish I could be that funny on the spot.
Q: Who is your favorite professional athlete and why?
A: I think I would have to go with Jennie Finch, which is so mainstream, but I think she really kick-started softball becoming a sport that people wanted to watch.
Q: What is your guilty pleasure?
A: Netflix. By far Netflix. I have a problem with binge watching once I get started with a program. I have a thing for secret spy shows right now.
Q: What is your spirit animal and why?
A: I would say a dog, like a poodle. I have such curly hair and I feel like poodles are nice.
Q: Who is your favorite Notre Dame professor?
A: Anré Venter. He really made me love psychology. I ended up changing my major to that. He’s just very real so I really like learning from him. He’s unfiltered which makes things really authentic in the classroom.
Q: What sold you on Notre Dame?
A: I didn’t know much about Notre Dame prior to visiting it being from California. I didn’t know much about the Midwest or the schools here. I visited my freshman year of high school and literally was in awe. I was sold when I first saw it.
Q: How was that transition coming to Notre Dame from California?
A: I was searching for the winter and for the four seasons. It was almost an easier transition the first year because the seasons were so exciting and it was exciting to live in snow for the first time. It’s still beautiful in the winter but more so when you can sit inside and drink hot chocolate and are not walking across campus and to and from practice. But the fall and spring seasons are still so beautiful. I definitely want to live somewhere where they have these seasons after college.
Q: What can you not live without?
A: Coffee. That’s easy. Definitely coffee.
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