University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Missouri-Rolla, Columbia College, St. Louis University and Ball State University all wanted Amy Doyle, social studies teacher, because of her talents in softball. Her talents paid off this year on Feb. 3, when she was inducted into her college’s hall of fame.

Starting at the age of nine, Doyle began playing softball for St. Catherine Laboure, a parish in South St. Louis County. She played until eighth grade and then she began playing at Cor Jesu Academy. With the support of her parents, Doyle said she decided to play in college.

“Playing in high school makes you want to play at the next level,” Doyle said.

Doyle accepted Ball State University’s offer and went to play in Muncie, Ind. Doyle said she had never heard of Ball State until they asked her to play softball, but it was located close to her grandma and her parents were from Indiana.

“If there was anyone who impacted her career it would be her grandmother,” Marilyn Doyle, Amy Doyle’s mom, said. “Amy was close to her grandmother and admired her strength and commitment to the family.”

Marilyn Doyle said she was thrilled when her daughter chose Ball State because it had a good reputation for students wanting to become teachers, it wasn’t too big of a school and her grandma, aunts and uncles were only an hour away.

After she began playing for Ball State in 1996, Amy Doyle said she preferred playing center field.

Marilyn Doyle said her daughter could throw out a player running to home from center field.

“I like seeing the whole field from center field,” Amy Doyle said.

Amy Doyle said one of her softball lows was when she started as a freshman against East Carolina University. When she went to bunt the ball, the softball bounced off the bat and broke her nose.

“I broke my nose in five different places and had to get surgery,” Amy Doyle said. “I was out for two weeks.”

Amy Doyle said her biggest year was junior year. That year, Amy Doyle helped the Ball State’s Cardinals get into the Mid-American Conference Championship, the first time ever for Ball State softball. Then the team made it for the first time to the NCAA Tournament in 1998.

“I was a consistent hitter, but I was fast and that helped in the infield and outfield,” Amy Doyle said.

That same year, Amy Doyle was ninth in the nation for triples. Her name appeared in the top five 22 times on the school’s single season and career lists. Some of Amy Doyle’s records include 38 RBIs and 93 on bases in the 1998 season.

“I think she was best at hitting,” Marilyn Doyle said. “As a player, Amy was very competitive.”

At the end of her college career, Amy Doyle was drafted in the sixth round by the Tampa Bay Firestix of the Women’s Professional Softball League. Amy Doyle said she wanted to pursue teaching instead.

Amy Doyle’s talent in softball paid off when she was inducting into Ball State’s Hall of Fame on Feb. 3. Along with her, Laura Szczepanski was inducted for her gymnastics, Bonzi Wells was inducted for basketball, and the 1949 football team was inducted.

To be inducted into the hall of fame, Joe Hernandez. associate athletic director, said players had to letter in their sport for at least two years and it has to have been ten years since they left Ball State. Amy Doyle lettered all four years, meaning she played on varsity.

“An 11 person committee made of staff members, former players, alumni, and sponsors choose the hall of fame recipients,” Hernandez said.

On average, the committee chooses between four and five athletes for the honor. They look at their athletic career at Ball State, academics, and what they have done since leaving Ball State, Hernandez said.

For the past 36 years, about 160 to 170 athletes have been put in the hall of fame. The hall of fame inductees get a plaque put in Ball State’s arena honoring them for their achievements, Hernandez said.

“I think everyone we have in our hall of fame was an outstanding athlete,” Hernandez said. “Amy Doyle was very deserving and she was one out of a handful of softball players to be inducted.”

Amy Doyle coached softball at MHS for seven years. During that time, the team was in the final four three times and they went to State. She took a break from coaching and recently resumed coaching at Parkway North.

Amy Doyle said she was excited to have a plaque honoring her in the Ball State arena.

“It was probably one of the biggest honors in my life,” Amy Doyle said. “It was one of those big moments in life where you wonder how I got here.”