Wisniski follows her biggest fan, keeps up family tradition

James Cook, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

Nov. 25—ONEKAMA — Chloe Wisniski gets to save a lot of vehicle miles next year.

The Ferris State sophomore travels back home about an hour and a half each way to Onekama for as many of her sister's athletic events as possible.

Now, her sister is coming to her.

Onekama three-sport standout Sophie Wisniski committed to Ferris State last week, keeping a family tradition going.

"The whole reason I visit home so much is because she's here," said Chloe, an English education major at Ferris. "I try to make it back to everything I can. It'll save me a lot of gas money. She's kind of a legacy."

That included Sophie's signing day ceremony last Friday at Onekama Consolidated Schools, where she committed to play softball for the Bulldogs.

Caleb Wisniski, a senior offensive lineman for Ferris State, also came back for the signing day. The swing tackle could use his COVID year to play another football season with the Bulldogs, but he doesn't plan to return because he's scheduled to graduate on time with a welding engineering degree.

"I'm happy for her," Caleb said. "I'm friends with a lot of girls on the softball team, so I know she'll fit right in. I'm glad she picked Ferris. Now I don't have to buy new shirts."

Chloe, who refers to herself as Sophie's biggest fan and a NARP (non-athletic regular person), planned on missing a literature class to attend her sister's signing ceremony before the professor moved the whole class to Zoom, allowing her to get there.

"I planned on skipping," Chloe said. "This isn't the kind of thing you miss."

Sophie said she was uncharacteristically nervous before the signing ceremony held in the Onekama gym with fellow students looking on.

"I was very nervous, which is surprising," she said. "I was fine all morning, but as I walked into the school, I just got nervous."

The sibling trio's mother, Heidi, also attended Ferris State.

Onekama softball coach Rob Johnson said he thinks Ferris State unearthed a gem. The Portagers only played 18 games last season because of teams dropping games from COVID-19 and weather cancelations, but Wisniski struck out 167 batters in those 18 games.

"I really think as she rolls into her junior and senior year, a lot of colleges will look back and say, 'Why didn't we look more at her?'" Johnson said.

Wisniski said she also had interest from Cornerstone University, Saginaw Valley State and Grand Valley State after missing her sophomore season because of the COVID-19 pandemic and getting a late start on the recruiting trail.

"I've always loved Ferris, loved the campus," Sophie said. "Loved the head coach and assistant coach. They're amazing people."

The All-Northwest Conference pitcher batted .435 with four home runs, sporting an earned-run average of 2.18, walking only 15 all season for a strikeout-to-walk ratio of more than 11-to-1. She throws three pitches currently (fastball, change-up, rise), but she is working on adding a drop ball to her repertoire. She also plays first base.

Caleb's Bulldogs host Grand Valley State University and Glen Lake brothers Cade and Drew Peterson in the second round of the NCAA Division 2 playoffs Saturday at 1 p.m. at Top Taggart Field.

FSU (10-0) makes its seventh straight postseason berth and earned a first-round bye by virtue of being the top seed in Super Region Three. Fourth-seeded GVSU (10-1) advanced to the second round by beating fifth-seed Lindenwood 20-3 last Saturday in Allendale. Cade Peterson completed 10-of-16 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in the Lakers victory.

Sophie Wisniski aims to help the Bulldogs make similar postseason runs in softball. The 6-foot-tall pitcher joins Boyne City infielder Katelyn Gabos on the Bulldog roster after FSU posted a 15-27 record.

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