Today we head to the Lone Star State to profile a player who actually committed in December and also had Big 12 and other SEC schools after her before she fell in love with her school of choice.

A tall catcher who can run, she has all the tools and will be a player to watch out for over the next few years!

Name: HALEY NILLEN
Grad Year: 2018
Pos: catcher/third base/first base
High School: Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas)
GPA: 4.4
Club: Texas Sudden Impact – Peters 16U
Height: 5-foot-10
College: Auburn

Coach’s Comments I:

“The first time I laid eyes on Haley was when she was 11 at an all-star game. Even at such a young age, she carried herself differently and she stands out as a human being more than anything. Haley works as hard or harder than any kid I’ve been around.”

“Physically, she has a massive arm, but her upside is her best thing. Her pop times are consistently in the 1.71-1.72 second range but she has still yet to earn her craft and hasn’t come close to scratching her skill set yet. Her upside is way out in front of her.”

“Another strength about Haley is that she has a great motor. She made a catch against the fence one time and a college player with me asked, ‘Who is that?’ Haley plays all-out all the time and hat the stuff you can’t teach.”

— Bill Jones, Sudden Impact – 14U (Haley’s previous club coach and current hitting coach who worked with her at the 12U and 14U levels before her move up last fall)

Coach’s Comments II:

“Haley is impressive to me because of her versatility. She was recruited by Auburn as a catcher, but can play the corners and even shortstop. Halley has very quick hands, her transition is great and she can go side-to-side laterally very well also.”

“Offensively, Haley hits for power and can spray the field. She has a nice inside-out swing and if a pitcher is throwing away she can go opposite too.

“Even though she’s a freshman, she leads by example and is the first on field and the last off. Haley is always hustling and if I need someone pumped up I can always go to her to get it done.”

“One of the things impressive to me is she has unbelievable speed even at 5-foot-10. Haley is very intelligent on the bases, she’ll make a decision when she sees a window of opportunity and, recognizing a bobble, she’s gone. If she sees it and, knowing her speed, she will take it.”

— Chuck Peters, Sudden Impact – 16U (Haley’s current club coach)

***

FullCountSoftball.com: You have the skills to play catcher or the corner infield spots… what position to you prefer, think you’re best at and think you’ll play at Auburn?
Haley Nillen: My best and favorite position to play is catcher, but I still love to play anywhere on the field. As for Auburn, I was recruited for catching, but I think that I’m athletic enough to play anywhere they may need me.

FCS.com: Was softball your first love or were/are you a multi-sport athlete growing up and today?
HN: It took me a little while to realize what I truly wanted to do. I played soccer until I was 10 and it was enjoyable, but it never full satisfied by competitive nature. At the end of my soccer career, my dad had finally convinced me to play softball after all of these years. After my first season of league ball, I knew I wanted to play this sport forever and be one of the best at it. I also played basketball and ran track in junior high, but just as fillers for my school athletics. Afterwards, I stuck with softball only and plan on staying with it for as long as possible.

FCS.com: Was there a moment in your career when you though, “Wow, I’m actually pretty good and might be able to play in college!”?
HN: Once I got into select ball and became more exposed, many people told me that I would go to a major college and be great someday. It was crazy because coaches and parents from other teams were telling me amazing things. I had never met these people, but they still believed in me from watching me play once. I thanked them, but still found it hard to believe. It wasn’t until colleges starting watching me and I started going on visits that I started to realize college softball could be a reality for me.

FCS.com: How and when did Auburn first come into the picture for you?
HN: Auburn first came into the picture for me a little more than a year ago. I participated in a jamboree for OnDeck softball and was headed to Georgia for their top tier of camps, the East Coast National Elite Camp. Auburn was right on the way, so my dad and I decided to make a quick stop to check it out. We went up to the gates of the softball field and carefully walked in as we didn’t know if the gates were supposed to be open to visitors. Little did we know, Auburn was in the middle of a practice! We stayed at the top of the stands, away from view. After a few minutes, my neon orange shirt gave us away and the coaches called us down. “Hey! Yall don’t be shy, come on down!” I wasn’t expecting that at all! We walked down and introduced ourselves, not knowing they would recognize me. When they did, they took us down into the dugout and we talked for hours! It was amazing hearing their philosophies and how much they appreciate and cherish family. After talking to them, they watched me at the OnDeck East Coast National Elite camp and followed me during the summer. I visited many other colleges and they were very nice, but none of them compared to Auburn. After attending multiple great camps and being around the family atmosphere, I realized that Auburn is where I want to be!

FCS.com: How did you go into the recruiting process, did you have a “game plan,” like list of priorities you were looking at or did you go strictly on gut and feel?
HN: My recruiting process definitely had a game plan. Staying near home wasn’t the biggest of my concerns, but I did want to go somewhere with heat most of the year being I am from Texas. Another necessity for me was to go to a place where I would get a great education. Although softball is my life, I understand that it can’t possibly last forever; I would eventually need a job!

FCS.com: What swayed you to Auburn and why (and when) did you commit when you did?
HN: I have many reasons that I was swayed to Auburn. One of them is the amazing education that I would get from attending the university. Another reason is the family atmosphere at Auburn. The coaches are literally family, but all the players understand what it is like to be a team, not a group of individuals. Also, the level of coaching is amazing. All of the coaches give constructive criticism and have reasoning to back up their opinion on the way things should be done.

FCS.com: Is it still surreal to think you know where you’re going to college and that you’re playing at the highest level of competition possible?
HN: It is absolutely still surreal to think I know where I’m going to college and playing at the highest level of competition possible. Every little girl at the ballpark always looks up to these types of players and I still find it amazing and hard to believe that I could become one of these players. After all of my hard work and time spent on softball, I am still in awe of where I am going to be.

FCS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, did you have planned what you were going to say or did it just roll off your tongue?
HN: It was extremely nerve racking to tell them that I was going to commit. My recruiting process had flew by before my eyes so fast that it was hard to believe that I had made one of the biggest decisions of my life. I had originally planned out what I was going to say, but after they answered the phone, my adrenaline took over. I stayed along the basis of my plan, but the conversation flowed with excitement.

FCS.com: What did Auburn say they liked about you or what do YOU do well that got you the offer?
HN: Although I have natural skills, I am very determined and aggressive. I feel as if this is what got me the offer along with raw talent. Auburn saw how intense I am when playing softball and loved that I am very versatile being I can practically play anywhere on the field along with my primary position, catcher.

FCS.com: What’s been the highlight of your athletic career so far (or top 2-3)?
HN: Committing to Auburn is definitely one of the highlights of my career. Getting a scholarship for college softball has been one of my goals as a player ever since I started playing, so it was very special to me.

 

Quick Hitters

What has your high school experience been like so far on and off the field?    
My high school experience on the field has been a learning experience and my experience off of the field has been great. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge this year and hopefully my years to come will be just as fulfilling.

Fill in the blank… If I wasn’t playing softball, I’d be: ______________________
… probably competing in track or basketball.

Last movie you saw:
Jurassic Park.

Favorite motto or philosophy of life:
“For better is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure…than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
— Theodore Roosevelt

If you were handed a $1,000 and had to spend in one day, what would you do with it?
I would get a customized DeMarini CF8 then buy lots of stuff for my friends and family.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?                            
I love writing, poetry, and art.

What’s something, besides your phone, that you can’t live without?
Music and my softball equipment!

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?                                                            
I always listen to music to help get me pumped up and always end on the same few songs.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?                                                           
The best advice I’ve been given is to play the game how it’s supposed to be played. All of my best coaches and mentors have always taught me to play hard and respect the game as playing soft doesn’t do any good.

What’s your “guilty pleasure,” something you hate to admit you love?
Watching UFC (especially bloody, hard-fought battles).

If you could have a super power, what would you want it to be?
I would want the power to heal anything. I could go hard, heal myself and keep going hard without any downtime.

Last song or CD you bought?
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (album) by My Chemical Romance

If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?                    
I would have dinner with both of my great grandpas. They were both in World War II and it would be amazing to hear their stories.

What did you want to be when you were little?
I wanted to be a soccer star.

Nickname(s):
“H” and “H train.”

Something on your “must do” list:
Play in the Olympics or on Team USA

What is your hometown/area best known for and what makes you proud to say you’re from there?
My area is known for Southern hospitality and personal pride. Everyone from Texas is proud to be a Texan and is not afraid to show it.