Priebe remains focused on a career in firefighting after completing college, following in the footsteps of her mother. transfer. The Yellow Jackets’ catchers, Jessica Weaver and Kate Kuzma, had struggled with injuries. And first baseman Whitney Haller, the top slugger in ACC history, graduated in 2009.
to come to Georgia Tech in 2006. Perkins arrived on campus that September to replace Ehren Earleywine, who left Tech to coach at Missouri, to find a surefire star in the making. It didn’t take Perkins long to recognize the same budding skills in
“I don’t know the story behind what went down … but we got a diamond in the rough.” – Jen Yee “I didn’t know what we were getting, but it gave us an insurance situation at catcher and the potential for another power hitter to offset Whitney’s departure,” Perkins said. “I figured she could help us somewhere.” Perkins had figured the same about another transfer four years ago. Yee left Niagara University
Priebe last fall. “Right away, I saw she could make adjustments at the plate in the middle of an at-bat,” Perkins said. “I’d tell her to work on something and she’d nod her head because she already knew it.” Priebe knew she could produce, too. Her spot duty at Florida frustrated her, to be sure, but she never
lost confidence at the plate. She fed off the positive reinforcement she received upon arriving at Georgia Tech. The only surprise she acknowledges is the power. She’d always been a gap hitter, a batter more likely to hit 15 doubles than that many home runs. “I’m still hitting line drives, they’re just carrying out,” she said. “That’s always nice.”
Last laugh
Priebe has game outside the baselines, too. Her Southern California wit makes her the Yellow Jackets’ queen wise-cracker. She’s quick with a good-natured dig, although many of her jokes escape her Southern-bred teammates. Priebe’s humor “kind of loosens everybody up,” Perkins said. “I’m all about somebody who is going to make me laugh every day at
practice,” Perkins said. “I’m just as sarcastic as she is, but there’s a lot I can’t say because I’m the coach. She’s a fun person to have around.” Yee is one teammate who gets all of Priebe’s jokes. The native of Vancouver, British Columbia, is the only other West Coast girl on the team. “We’re a little different out there,” Yee said. Yee is the biggest beneficiary of Priebe’s presence in Georgia Tech’s lineup. Priebe teams with Kelsi Weseman and Hope Rush to protect Yee, who bats leadoff in the order. Priebe, Weseman and Rush all hit 11 or more homers during the regular season, which discouraged teams from pitching around or intentionally walking Yee. “It’s a blast,” Priebe said. “It’s awesome knowing anybody can hit a bomb. I just really enjoy playing on this team.” Playing makes all the difference.
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