PEABODY– Tanners softball senior Makayla Rooney is on to Merrimack College.
Rooney, Peabody’s third baseman, signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Division I Warriors earlier this month.
She also drew interest UMass Boston, Endicott and St. Anselm before deciding on Merrimack after visiting its North Andover campus.
“The campus was just beautiful,” Rooney said. “It’s not too big and not too small. The team itself, just the way they bonded was awesome. I did an overnight in the beginning of October and spent some time with some of the girls. I knew right away that they were very welcoming. The team creates a great environment.”
Rooney follows in the footsteps of her Peabody coach, Tawny Palmieri, who earned Northeast-10 All-Conference First-Team honors as a senior infielder in 2013.
“I think she’s going to fit in great. I think it’s a great move on her end and on Coach (Elaine) Schwager’s end at Merrimack,” Palmieri said. “I played for Coach Schwager at Merrimack. That was the best time of my life. Playing for her and reaching regionals, the life lessons she taught us where irreplaceable. She’s a unique coach and Makayla’s a unique player.
“It feels like you just played but to be here and send a player that plays for you, it’s pretty cool. It’s special. I’ll be able to bring the team there and watch some games. I still have that connection with Coach Schwager. I’ll be able to keep that connection with Makayla and her family. We have a family at Merrimack softball. Once you’re part of it, you’re part of it forever.”
Palmieri has nothing but confidence in Rooney’s abilities to excel on the Division I diamond.
“Makayla brings a lot of versatility,” Palmieri said. ‘She’s extremely athletic. She can play pretty much anywhere you ask her on the field and she’ll get it done, one way or another. She’s an extremely coachable kid, which makes it even better. She has an absolute cannon for an arm. Wherever you put her, she has a quick release time. She’s a key player to have on the team.”
Rooney takes pride in her versatility. She started her Peabody softball career as a catcher on the JV team during her freshman season before joining the varsity squad as its third baseman.
“There are girls that say ‘I can only play this position’ and they don’t have the advantage that I have in being able to play multiple positions,” Rooney said. “My freshman season it was kind of challenging but as my years went on in high school I got familiar with each position, how to play it and what to do.”
Rooney’s interested in studying chemistry and biology. She hopes to pursue a career in a health science field.
“My family has always been in the medical field,” Rooney said. “Just watching all my family members work in the medical field, I’ve always wanted to follow in their footsteps.”
Rooney described signing her NLI as “a weight lifted off my shoulders” but acknowledged that there’s still work to be done. In addition to finishing her senior year on a high note academically, Rooney’s hoping to make the most of her final Peabody softball season in the spring.
Last year’s team went 13-7 during the regular season, good for the No. 15 seed in the Division 1 North state tournament. The Tanners defeated No. 18 North Andover, 1-0, in the preliminary round. Peabody’s season ended in a 9-8 eight-inning loss to No. 2 Acton-Boxboro in the first round.
“I think we’ll have a decent season,” Rooney said. “With all of our upcoming players and returning players I’m hoping we’ll have a pretty good record. I’m hoping we’ll make the tournament this year.”
