Buckeye Spotlight – Shelby Hursh – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 2, 2016
Junior pitcher Shelby Hursh, a Tipton, Ind. native, currently leads the Buckeyes in ERA (2.50), innings pitched (143.0), wins (14), strikeouts (162) and batting average against (.199). She and the Buckeyes conclude their regular season this week with five games at Buckeye Field starting with a doubleheader vs. Kent State on Wednesday and then a three-game series Friday-Sunday vs. Michigan State.
This summer, Hursh will be one of 38 student-athletes taking part in the Huntington Bucks Go Pro Internship program. She will work gain professional experience while working with the Student-Athlete Support Services Office.
Student Life
What is the best time of year on campus?
The best time of year on campus is definitely fall. Campus is buzzing because everyone is so excited to be back in Columbus to experience another historic season of Ohio State football.
What is your preferred mode of transportation to class?
Since I live about six miles from campus I always drive, but once I’m there I walk from class to class. I’d love to try to longboard like some of my teammates do but I also want to save myself from some scraped up knees and elbows.
Have you switched your major? If so, how many times and why and if not, how did you know your major was “the one?”
I’ve never switched my major from English Education. I’ve always loved to read and write and I’ve wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. Being an English teacher just seemed like a fit!
What has been your favorite or most interesting class at OSU?
My favorite class so far was Young Adult Literature. We got to read books like The Outsiders and Hunger Games and discuss the content in class. We also learned how to create lesson plans for young adult books.
If you had to give an incoming student advice, what would it be?
Utilize ALL of the resources and opportunities here at Ohio State. There are so many people willing to help you succeed, from your professors and advisors to the people at the Writing Center who will help edit your papers. There are tons of groups and clubs you can join to help you get involved and meet other people, which can be harder than you think on a campus of over 50,000 people.
Pop Culture
What social media do you prefer the most?
I use Instagram the most. I love to see what people are doing and it’s a great way to keep in touch with my friends from high school and see what they’re up to. My teammates might even say that I’m a little obsessed with checking and posting on Instagram.
Which do you watch more: Netflix or TV?
Out of season, I would say I watch TV more. During season I’m definitely watching Netflix more since we spend a lot of time in airports and in hotels.
Would you rather read the book or watch the movie?
I would rather read the book BEFORE I watch the movie. I love to read but it’s awesome to see how writers and directors can take all of the details that a book has and condense them into a two hour movie.
What was the last movie that you saw in theatres?
I think the last movie I saw in theatres was “Sisters” with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. It was the funniest movie I’ve seen in a long time. I also just read Amy Poehler’s book Yes, Please and it was even more hilarious than I thought it would be and I would definitely recommend it to anyone over the age of 18.
Sports
When is your favorite time of your sport’s season?
My favorite time of our season is our “pre-season” when we get to travel to all of the warm states to play teams from all around the country. It’s awesome because our coaches give us a lot of free time on those trips so we can see all of the cool places and tourist spots.
Which team do you most look forward to competing against?
Everyone loves to compete against TTUN. It’s so fun to play in such a heated rivalry because it makes you want to win that much more when you can feel that the whole crowd is against you. Obviously when we play them at home our crowd is for us and that’s even more fun because the whole stadium erupts when we make a great play or hit a home run.
Do you have any pre-game/match superstitions or rituals?
I always wear my “Block O” earrings and I wear my hair in the same style every game when we’re on a winning streak. If I have a bad game or if we lose I have to change my hair style up.
What is your favorite part about your sport?
I think my favorite part about softball is that it’s such a team sport. If one person is having a tough game then there are eight other players on the field who can pick her up. I also love when our hitting gets contagious. Since I’m a pitcher I don’t hit but I love to watch our hitters feed off each other and get hit after hit and score a bunch of runs.
What is your favorite athletic memory?
My favorite athletic memory was beating Nebraska my freshman year at the Big Ten Tournament. We were the underdog and we rallied back late in the game to beat a really good team. It was such an awesome feeling and our whole team had a part in that win.
Miscellaneous
When you are not at practice, what could someone find you doing?
If I’m not at practice you can usually find me editing one of my teammate’s papers. Just kidding! I’m usually catching up on reading for one of my classes or searching on Pinterest for new recipes for my roommate to make for dinner because I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a chef. She cooks dinner and I do the dishes.
If you could play another sport other than yours, what would it be?
If I could play another sport I think I would want to play volleyball. I love that they get a result on every play and I love to watch how excited they get on the court.
If you won the lottery, what would you do?
I would love to think I would be responsible with the money if I won the lottery, but I would definitely buy a mini golden doodle puppy and everything the puppy might need and then try to save the rest.
What do you most look forward to doing during the summer?
I’m from Indiana so I’m not too far from home but I love getting to go home for a few weeks over the summer and spend time with my family and best friends from high school.
If you were a superhero, what would your super power be?
I would love it if my super power could be teleportation because I have the worst road rage and want to be able to get anywhere as fast as I possibly can.
Do you have an interesting nickname?
My dad has always called me Queenie for as long as I can remember because he always said I ruled the roost. Some of my friends call me Shellberino because that’s my Twitter and Instagram handle.
Would you be the first O, H, I, or last O in a picture?
I always love to be the “I” in our O-H-I-O pictures which we take everywhere we go. You didn’t really visit a place unless you take an O-H-I-O picture there with your friends.
What is your favorite part about being a Buckeye?
My favorite part about being a Buckeye is that you meet Buckeyes everywhere. We have so many alumni and so many fans. You can wear an Ohio State shirt anywhere and you’ll always hear someone yelling “O-H!” or “Go Bucks!” It’s awesome to know that once we graduate we’ll be able to find our Ohio State family anywhere we go.
