The 2024 Summit League Softball Player of the Year lets her skills do the talking.
“She is the best that I have ever seen,” McSweeney said. “Offensively she is gap to gap with power. At second base there are not many things that go past her. She is just a fierce competitor in every way shape and form.”
Jarecki was not only the Summit League Player of the Year, but also a NFCA All-Midwest Region First Team Selection, a Summit League All-tournament team selection, a two-time All-Summit league First Team (2024 & 2023) and a three-time Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence award winner.
But Jarecki doesn’t let her long list of accomplishments distract her from the main goal of getting better and winning games.
“I felt like there was still a lot of weaknesses that I had, defensively and offensively that I really wanted to take into and try to better my overall talent,” Jarecki said. “Yes, I felt like I was consistent last year, but I wanted to be more constant and more well-rounded.”
With SDSU boasting an 18-17 record, she doesn’t see the games as wins and loses. She sees them as opportunities for her and the team to get better.
Jarecki has always had a positive outlook on the outcomes from the field. The Nebraska native doesn’t let the wins or losses affect her abilities and continues to be herself on the diamond.
The Jackrabbits are making the most of the games remaining and continue to grow as a team.
“We are just trying to find little things that we can grow and improve in each game to prepare us for Summit League,” Jarecki said. “The Summit League this year is [a] level playing field, and we might have some really good games, we might have really bad games but really the end goal is to win the Summit League championship.”
The Summit League championship has eluded SDSU in the past and with ten seniors that graduated last year, Jarecki has had to step up and be a main leader on this team.
“Mia is a lead by example [person], and she is going to do everything that you ask. She is going to do it well. She’s going to get here before everybody, she is going to be the last one to leave, she is going to [do] everything extra,” McSweeney said. “These last couple of weeks, I’ve seen her kind of transition into being vocal and telling people what to do for us to get better, so I’ve seen a lot of growth in the last couple of months.”
The Jackrabbits are 3-0 through conference play this season, which means the season is inching closer to the end, and for Jarecki that means the end of her collegiate career.
SDSU’s catcher Brooke Dumont has been Jarecki’s best friend since fourth grade. They have been playing softball together for a long time and have been important factors in each other’s lives.
“I don’t necessarily like to be told that I’m wrong, but when it’s her telling me I’m wrong, usually I know she is right,” Dumont said. “She’s pushed me a lot on the field to give everything I got when we don’t have a lot of time left together.”
Jarecki cares about others and pushes herself, which makes others want to be better and give their all.
Looking back at her time at SDSU she has seen her confidence grow as a player and wishes she lived in the moment a little more.
“I feel like the four years here have gone by so fast and I know every senior says that, but it’s crazy that it’s been 4 years since my freshman year,” Jarecki said.
She has many memories, but her favorites were winning the Summit League tournament and upsetting No. 15 Arkansas 7-3 in 2024.
“Beating ranked opponents is just saying and proving that we are just as good as them,” Jarecki said.
The Jackrabbits take on USD on Saturday at home for their home opener. First pitch at the Jackrabbit Softball Stadium is set for noon.
