As both a senior and a captain, Susan Jallo plays a huge part in the success of the University of Tampa’s softball team. With her as a key part of the lineup, the team’s record is currently 21-3, (6-0 SSC).
Although she is now a star player, Jallo didn’t start her athletic career playing softball. Her mother only signed her up to keep Jallo active when the soccer season was over. She quickly fell in love with the game and directed all of her focus to it.
“My older brother was always a good athlete. I wanted to be the girl version of him,” the Dunedin, Fla. native explained.
While attending East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Fla., Jallo received the Freshman Standout Award as well as being named the Eagles’ top offensive player. Jallo also received the City of Clearwater Sportsmanship Award.
When it came to choosing a college, UT was the clear winner. “It’s close to home, and my parents wanted me to stay close.” Plus, UT had a great softball program that Jallo was more than happy to join.
The Spartans proved to be a good match for her. In Jallo’s four years on the team, she has started in all 153 games the Spartans have played. As a sophomore, Jallo led the Spartans in stolen bases with 14 in the 2010 season. She also had 11 RBI and scored 16 runs.
During the 2011 season, Jallo was named first-team all-SSC and NFCA second-team all-South Region. She scored a team-high 40 runs and finished her junior year with 47 hits. She also had a team best 22 stolen bases, four triples and four home runs for the season.
Currently, Jallo leads the team with the most at bats (74), runs (18) and triples (4). “Susan had a break out year last season, and she’s repeating that,” said head coach Leslie Kanter.
The senior leads the team in a lot more than statistics. “She loves the game, and she loves to win,” Kanter said. “It rubs off on the team.”
Teammate Brie Walton added, “As a team captain, she’s a great role model.”
“She’s the hardest worker on the team in the weight room, the field, anything physical,” explained Kanter.
Jallo is the lead off batter, and the team trusts that when she is up, she will produce. With Georgia College up by one run in the seventh inning this season, Jallo had a two-out RBI single that allowed Walton to score, and tie the game.
Still tied in the ninth, she drove in another run, leading the Spartans to a 5-4 victory over the Bobcats. She finished the game with two hits, two RBI, and one run scored.
The slugger is hoping to beat her stats from last year. “I would love to stay under 10 errors on the field. I would love to hit over .350 and steal over 30 bases.”
The senior’s favorite memory with the Spartans was going to NCAA South Regionals during the 2011 season. She hopes that the Spartans are able to repeat this and go even farther in her last season. “I just want to get that ring, and I hope this is the year.”
Hanging up her jersey at the end of this season will be difficult for Jallo. “Being a Spartan means being part of a team. I couldn’t have gotten through school without my team. They’re my closest friends.”
In the four years that Kanter has coached Jallo, she has seen changes. Although she’s stepped up her game and matured, she has not stopped being the team comedian.
“She slid and cleated herself. She ended up ripping the crotch of her uniform in the middle of a game,” the coach said with a laugh.
Walton added, “We laugh a lot with her.”
The finance major hopes to get involved in a stock broking firm after she graduates in May.
Analisa Trstensky can be reached at atrstensky@spartans.ut.edu.