While some players on the Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball team have deservedly received national and SEC recognition for their performances so far this season, one player has quietly been playing as well as any of them.
In just her second season, sophomore Haley Tobler has become a consistent starter for the Lady Vols and leads the team in batting average during conference play (.448).
Tobler got her start at Winters High School in Winters, Calif., where she was a multi-sport athlete playing basketball, soccer and volleyball in addition to softball while trying to compete with her two older brothers, who also played multiple sports.
Ultimately, she chose softball, because at 5-foot-6 she said she was too short for volleyball and was not fond of all the sprinting involved in basketball.
Softball’s variety appealed to her the most, as she played all over the field, including pitcher, during her time in high school.
In her four years as a Winters Warrior, Tobler hit .503 at the plate with 73 total RBI, which garnered the attention of Tennessee, her father’s hometown school.
“If I really wanted to go somewhere, it would have been Tennessee,” Tobler said. “Once the opportunity presented itself, I was like ‘OK, I gotta take it,’ because obviously Tennessee softball is huge – anywhere in the nation, they know Tennessee softball.”
In 2012, Tobler joined the long list of Californians to play softball at Tennessee, including eight fellow current team members. However, she came to Knoxville without knowing anyone but her stepsister, who also attends UT.
It was during preseason her first year that Tobler said she had her favorite moment of her career.
“We were in Western Kentucky – just a little fall game that didn’t really mean much – (co-head coach Ralph Weekly) put me in left field, and I ended up throwing a runner out at the plate, and that memory has just stuck in my head this whole time.
“Our coach might have forgot about it, but those are the plays that I love to be in the position to make.”
After playing only a bit-part role (18 at-bats for two hits, 0 starts) in her freshman season, Tobler was determined to work on her hitting in the offseason to gain a starting role.
“I was coming in with the mentality that I was going to start,” Tobler said. “I needed to start because I needed to help out my team, and with all the freshmen coming with the same mentality and pushing even harder because there are kids younger than me working to get my spot.
“So I had to beat them out because you can’t let a kid younger than you beat you out.”
The coaching staff took note of her improved hitting at the plate and have rewarded her with 22 starts so far this season
“Haley is the most improved hitter on the team,” co-head coach Karen Weekly said. “Haley’s done a really nice job at the bat and that’s what has been keeping her in the lineup.”
Tobler played much of the season at center field until the coaching staff changed the defensive scheme last week and put freshman Megan Geer at center field and Tobler at second base.
It turned out to be a seamless transition for Tobler as she led the team with a .750 batting average against Texas A&M this past weekend.
“I just felt like any other person on this team would have been trying to get the job done,” Tobler said, “so it was my job to get it done for my team.”
In her second season, Tobler has finally earned the opportunity to be a consistent starter and has taken full advantage.
“It’s awesome,” Tobler said. “All my hard work is finally paying off. It feels really good to be out there with my teammates, just ready for any ball that comes to me.”
