Former Bremen softball star Erin Coffel continues to thrive for Kentucky Wildcats

Erin Coffel is never satisfied.

It's that inner drive that has made the former Bremen High School softball star one of the nation's top collegiate players.

Coffel recently capped her sophomore season at Kentucky by being named a second team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

All that honor did was motivate Coffel to shoot for bigger things next season in Lexington.

"(Being named an All-American) shows how hard work does pay off," Coffel said in a recent phone interview. "But I plan to work even harder, I want to be a first team All-American next year."

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The starting shortstop for the Wildcats, Coffel became just the sixth All-American in program history. She hit .423 with 20 home runs and a program record 68 RBI. Coffel had 32 extra base hits and scored 44 runs. Kentucky, as a team, batted .333 with 381 runs and 85 home runs.

Coffel, who was a first team All-SEC selection this year, was motivated by her freshman season. She was not satisfied even though she hit .337 with a school freshman record 16 home runs to go with 56 RBI to earn All-SEC second team honors and All-SEC freshman accolades.

"I was not happy with my results last season," she said. "The biggest thing for me this season was the mental part of the game. That's where I think I really improved.

"I got to know the game better and was more focused on playing it every day. I just love the game and I love getting better at it."

Coffel, who led Bremen to a state championship as a junior in 2019, returned home for about three weeks following the season.

"I just came home and did what normal kids do like hang out with my friends and my family," said Coffel, who is back in Lexington now taking a summer class and working out with teammates. "People really don't understand the time you don't have as a student-athlete. It's non stop for us from August until May."

Coffel, who was also a standout high school basketball player, helped lead Kentucky to a 37-19 overall mark (13-11 in the SEC) in 2022. The Wildcats lost at No. 3 Virginia Tech in the NCAA Regional on May 22 to finish their season.

"The No. 1 goal for coming to Kentucky was to make the World Series and that's still there," Coffel said. "My other big goal was to be an All-American."

Coffel was also one of 25 finalists for the USA Softball National Player of the Year Award.  Record-setting slugger Jocelyn Alo of national champion Oklahoma won the honor. Coffel's top game of the season was a program record seven RBI performance in a 15-1 win over Miami in the NCAA Tournament. The seven RBI in a game in which Kentucky hit six home runs topped Coffel's old single-season record of six RBI.

"It just felt like another game to me," noted Coffel of her game that included a 4-of-4 showing at the plate with two home runs. "Our team play that game was just insane. But to beat my old record (of six RBI in a game) was awesome."

Coffel did not have a senior season at Bremen in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She still hit a state record 50 home runs in just three prep seasons and was the Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year in both 2019 and 2020. She was ranked No. 7 nationally in her class and was one of the highest ever recruits to choose Kentucky.

Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson, who just finished her 15th season, tweeted the following after Coffel was named an All-American on June 1:  "All American person. All American work ethic. All American teammate. All American athlete."

"One of the biggest reasons that I chose Kentucky was the coaches and that's still true," said Coffel, who made her verbal commitment to Lawson as a high school freshman. "They support you in every way here.

"Coach Lawson means the world to me. My award (All American) would not have been possible without her and all of my coaches and teammates here."

Lawson has won 532 games in her 15 seasons in Lexington. She has guided the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament 13 times after the program had never played in the tourney prior to her arrival.

Coffel also continues to credit her family for her success. Father Rob was a baseball star at Bremen and was drafted by the Yankees in 1987. He has spent countless hours with his daughter at an indoor batting cage located near the family's Bremen home. Older brothers Tyler and Drew were both standout catchers and mother Missi has always been a key part of Coffel's tremendous support system.

"My dad has grown," said Coffel of Rob, who was an assistant softball coach for Mike Huppert at Bremen during his daughter's prep career. "He understands the grind and knows when I need a break. He really knows what I'm going through."

Coffe has her mind set on the challenge of next season.

"My first goal next season is to help our team get to the World Series," she said. "As far as myself. I want to be even more consistent offensively and working on my defense never stops.

"I also want to continue to work on the mental part of the game."

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Bremen's Erin Coffel a softball All-American this season at Kentucky