University of Georgia Athletics
Consistency The Key For Wilson
April 23, 2015 | Softball
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
ATHENS, Ga. -- Paige Wilson was in the starting lineup for the Georgia softball team Wednesday night against Georgia State at Jack Turner Stadium. Also, the grass in the outfield was green and the sun rose and fell.
Being in the starting lineup is nothing new for the Chicago native, who played shortstop and drove in a run in the No. 14 Bulldogs' 15-6 win in five innings. Not starting or playing, now that would be news.
Wednesday's regular-season home finale was start No. 236 in Wilson's stellar career. Since the start of her freshman season in 2012 to Wednesday, the Bulldogs have played 236 games, and she's been in the lineup, producing, for all of them.
"I've really just competed since Day One and tried to fight for each spot and for everything," Wilson said. "It's crazy that it's almost ending."
Wilson, who has split time between shortstop and third base in her Bulldog career, has obviously been remarkably healthy for the past four seasons. She's also been remarkably consistent.
Wednesday's game, in which she went 0-for-4, was only the 12th this season in which she failed to get a hit.
"She's hard worker, a consistent hard worker," said fellow senior Niaja Griffin. "She never takes a day off and it's always 100 percent. Like today, she didn't have the results she wanted, but she competed every at-bat. And that's what she's done since she got here ."
Here's another example of Wilson's consistency: Griffin has been her roommate for all four years at Georgia. They met while taking their official recruiting visits and "just clicked," Griffin said.
A lot clicked early for Wilson.
As a freshman, she started all 62 games and was second on the team with a .342 batting average, earning SEC All-Freshman team honors. She also hit nine home runs, scored 36 runs and drove in 45.
As a sophomore, she started all 61 games, led Georgia with a ,403 batting average, went deep 16 times, drove in 66 runs and scored 59. She reached base safely in 54 of the Dogs' 61 games and was voted first-team All-SEC.
Last season, in 64 starters, she led Georgia with a .387 average, hit 11 homers and had both 50 RBIs and 50 runs scored. She also went back to back on first-team All-SEC.
Oh, and she made the SEC All-Tournament team in each of her first three seasons.
So far this season, Wilson has 49 starts, a .388 average, 55 RBIs, 40 runs scored and one homer. Her previous low for home runs in a season was nine, as a freshman. The hits are still coming, even if the homers aren't.
"I'm really just trying to hit to the `G' (on the wall in center field), and if it goes over, it goes over," Wilson said.
Wilson's career totals show how productive she's been: 288 hits, 37 home runs, 202 RBIs and 185 runs scored. And in her four seasons the Bulldogs have 170 wins.
So what, out of all those numbers and achievements, stands out most to her?
"Just fighting for my team and being here for my team," she said, "and having a smile through adversity."
If she's in the starting lineup Friday to kick off this weekend's regular-season ending series at Kentucky, Wilson will have made 237 starts, which will put her into the top 10 all-time in program history. Like there's any doubt.
John Frierson is a staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Hall of Fame at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. You can follow him on Twitter: @TheFrierson and @ITAHallofFame.
