When young people finish high school and begin their college careers, a new chapter begins. This experience is different for every person. Some head far from home, some stay in town, and others go somewhere in the middle. When it comes to future student athletes, additional variables must be taken into account when committing to a program.
On the Illinois State softball team, seniors Annie Heineman and Jordan de los Reyes couldn't be more opposite in this regard. Heineman was born and raised in Normal, Illinois, her entire life, compared to de los Reyes, who traveled over two hours south from Moline, Illinois, to attend ISU. Heineman is a lefty with speed to steal and cover the outfield. De los Reyes is a righty power-hitter with the arm to throw 18 base-runners out from behind the plate in 2016 alone. On top of that, Heineman is majoring in communication sciences and disorders, and de los Reyes will earn her degree in horticulture and landscape management. On paper, these two seniors couldn't be any more opposite.
But that's not the case. Heineman and de los Reyes have their roots in family, which laid the foundation for their softball careers with the Redbirds. Through their time at Illinois State, their friendship turned into being roommates and captains together during their final season. The pair leads by example, and they will leave their mark on Redbird softball for years to come.
For Heineman, Illinois State offered a threefold opportunity when making her decision: high-level softball, top-notch education and close to family.
Heineman grew up in Normal her entire life – even living in the same house only a three minute drive from the Redbirds' Marian Kneer Stadium.
"One of the reasons I decided to come here was obviously softball, but also to stay close to my family," Heineman said. "Family is the number one thing in my life, so I didn't want to go very far."
The youngest of four siblings, she recently became an aunt before entering college.
"I wanted to see them grow up," Heineman said of her nephews and nieces. "I didn't want to go away when they were newborns and miss that stage in their lives."
With her eyes set on a career in pathology from the start, Heineman knew the reputation of ISU's academics and how they would help her succeed.
"Illinois State has a great speech and language pathology program, and that only helped my decision," Heineman said.
Growing up, Heineman was surrounded by sports. Heineman was able to learn by watching her older brother and sisters play sports in high school and transition into college.
"I've grown up around sports, and it's been a huge part of my life," Heineman said. "Watching my older siblings go through the process of college athletics made it so much easier for me because both my parents and I understood how it worked."
Not only did both of Heineman's parents graduate from Illinois State, but her dad is also a Redbird for life, after playing baseball from 1972-76. He coached baseball and softball for Heineman and her siblings growing up.
"My dad was my coach and has always been there to push me," Heineman said. "With my mom in the stands, my siblings were my biggest cheerleaders from afar when I was growing up, since they were away at college."
De los Reyes had this same type of support system through her extended family, all living in Moline, Illinois. De los Reyes started playing softball at a young age and first appeared behind the plate in third grade, to catch her cousin, Haley Verbeke. The battery stayed in the family through high school until Verbeke focused on running cross country and track.
"Our moms are sisters and only a year apart," de los Reyes said. "My cousin and I are only two months apart, and we grew up together, playing on the same team and doing everything together."
With her grandfather coaching the local high school softball team to state championships, sports have always been in de los Reyes' blood. Her mom played basketball and softball growing up, and her dad tried baseball.
"He'll give me batting tips, 'Just stand in the box and do this. But then again, I never really stood in the box to hit, so I don't know,'" de los Reyes said. "They're so supportive and haven't missed a game since I've been at ISU."
When making her decision to play softball at Illinois State, like Heineman, several factors fell into place for de los Reyes.
"I liked the program, coaching, and the style of the program," de los Reyes said. "I knew several girls who had gone through the program and liked it, so it was a good fit for me. My cousin came to ISU, too, to run track and cross country."
When Heineman and de los Reyes joined the team, they were the smallest recruiting class and would be the pair of Redbirds in the 2017 class.
"Annie and I are always on the same page," de los Reyes said. "We have the same goals for the team and feel the same way when it comes to being leaders on the team."
As both Heineman and de los Reyes have grown, they have been able to challenge one another to be their best over the last three seasons.
"Even though we play totally different positions, you're always competing every day you go to practice," Heineman said. "Thankfully, we're not competing against each other for a position. We're not trying to look better than the other, but we're still going to be competitive and push each other."
Since their start with Redbird softball, both Heineman and de los Reyes have made their presence known. Heineman transitioned into a starting role by the end of her freshman year, scoring eight runs for the Redbirds. Since that point, she has started every game the past two seasons, earning All-MVC First-Team and NFCA All-Mideast Region Third-Team honors in 2015 and MVC Scholar-Athlete honors in 2016. The outfielder has logged 155 putouts with 18 assists, while also scoring 122 runs for the Redbirds before the 2017 season.
"I want to make this season the best, not only for myself but also for the team," Heineman said when reflecting on her accomplishments. "I want us to have a good year, hit all of our goals, and just play our game that I know we're capable of."
De los Reyes stands out for the Redbirds with her dominant offense. She ranks fourth in program history in home runs, fifth in RBIs and third in slugging percentage at the start of the 2017 season. The catcher logged 228 putouts with 126 assists to earn the MVC's Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2016.
"Softball is a team sport. You can't do anything without your teammates," de los Reyes said when talking about her career at ISU.
The character and leadership of Heineman and de los Reyes is undeniable when watching the team.
"They've had such a dynamic role in our program since their freshmen years," head softball coach Melinda Fischer said. "They totally get what this team has the ability to do and needs to do. They understand those intangibles that can get our program to where we want to be. You can say that, but to take action and help in that respect through their leadership makes a coach proud."
Heineman and de los Reyes have clearly left their mark on the Redbird program though their athletic accolades alone.
After graduation in the not-so-distant future, Heineman and de los Reyes have graduate school on their minds.
Heineman's path of speech and language pathology combined several skills she loved into a career in the future.
"I love working with kids and the medical field, so this was a perfect mix of the two for me," Heineman said. "You can do so much with the degree with a lot of variety. The material we learn is tough, but I love it."
On the other hand, de los Reyes is focused on a career in sport management, with her eyes set on a career as a groundskeeper for athletics.
"I honestly don't know how I got into horticulture," de los Reyes said. "But once I started taking classes in the major, I loved it."
Heineman and de los Reyes have excelled in and out of the classroom as they move toward graduation with their academics, athletics and volunteer work.
"Both will be able to apply things they've learned through their four years here in their next step of grad school and in their careers," Fischer said. "Being in this program and the role they've played with the team really sets them up to continue to be the same quality of person in their next path."
Although their time in a Redbird uniform will come to a close after this spring, their impact on the program to will continue on.
"You learn by watching, and they've provided a tremendous base for others to follow," Fischer said. "The family is a tremendously valuable part to everything they've done. That foundation leaves a great mark and legacy in the program for this to continue for years to come."
The Redbirds will honor their two seniors on Sunday's Senior Day after the 11 a.m. game versus Northern Iowa.
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