Softball: Marengo’s Kylee Jensen commits to Northwestern

Marengo’s Kylee Jensen was thrilled to hear from Northwestern on Sept. 1, the first day college coaches can start recruiting juniors for softball, and over the moon after receiving an offer to play for the NCAA Division I Wildcats after an official visit on Sept. 27.

“I just started screaming,” Jensen said. “I was running around and screaming in my house. It was like one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Jensen, who also was considering Boise State, Pittsburgh and Dartmouth, had been to many camps and clinics at Northwestern, so she had a pretty good idea that the Big Ten school in Evanston was the best fit for her.

Jensen announced her commitment to the Wildcats and coach Kate Drohan on Oct. 17.

Northwestern is coming off its first Big Ten Tournament championship since 2008 and has made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

“Northwestern was my dream,” Jensen said. “Only being an hour and a half away, the facilities, the people there, the academics, it was kind of like the whole package for me. All of the coaches are super cool.

“It was very easy to connect with them right away. They allow everyone to be themselves. They’re amazing people, and I feel like they really respect you as a person before a player.”

Jensen, a catcher, was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team selection in back-to-back seasons, hitting .415 with a .493 on-base percentage, 16 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 38 RBIs and 37 runs scored last spring.

The Indians went 30-4 and were especially tough down the stretch, going 20-1 before losing to Rock Falls 8-2 in the Class 2A Stillman Valley Sectional final. Marengo led the Northwest Herald area in wins, reaching 30 wins for the first time since 2017, and captured the Kishwaukee River Conference title with a 10-0 record.

Marengo coach Dwain Nance said Jensen was a big part of the Indians’ success.

“Kylee brings a lot of energy to the table,” Nance said. “She’s always ready to go, and you need to have somebody like that in the dugout. You need to have that internal drive from players, wanting to be good, and I think that’s what’s you are going to see with our entire team this year.”

Nance has coached Jensen for six years and said her softball IQ always stood out.

“She understands the game, she’s a really smart kid,” Nance said. “It’s nice because me and her can have conversations that most kids would not understand what we’re talking about, let alone coaches. She’s good at making in-game adjustments, and she’s really good with our pitchers. She’s very good vocally and leads by example in the dugout.”

Jensen said it was a big relief to make a college decision before the start of her junior season.

“It’s like a weighted blanket lifted off of me I didn’t know was there until it was gone,” Jensen said. “It’s like a crazy relief. Now I can just worry about turning myself into the best player and person I can be. I’m excited to be able to compete at the highest level, meet my new teammates and the family we’re going to build.”

Marengo graduated two top outfielders in Maddy Christopher (Morehead State) and Mia Lulinski, but again should be among the top contenders in the KRC.

“I think we can make if pretty far again,” Jensen said. “We have (senior pitcher) Lilly (Kunzer) returning and we have some good freshmen coming in that are going to help us. We have good chemistry; we all get along so well. It’s going to be a fun season, for sure.”