Over the next several weeks, we will be highlighting senior student-athletes from all spring sports whose seasons – and in many cases careers – were cut short due to cancellation of competition across all sports in response to concerns relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On March 30, the NCAA Division I Council voted to extend the eligibility for spring-sport student-athletes and allow schools to provide an additional season of competition. While some will take advantage of the additional season, others will graduate and move on to their next chapter in life, bringing an untimely end to their athletic careers.

Kayla Crutchmer, an outfielder with @UCASoftball, came to Conway from Tulsa, Oklahoma's Union HS in 2017, and in her career with the Bears has been an All-Southland Conference performer in both 2018 (honorable mention) and 2019 (2nd Team All-Southland), and was a preseason All-Southland selection for 2020. In the shortened 2020 season, she had been named Southland Conference Hitter of the Week on Feb. 25, and broke the program career stolen base record on March 10th in what would prove to be the final day of the season. She would become the first Bear to break the 100 mark – finishing the season with 102, eclipsing the old mark of 99 set by Briana Whisenhunt in 2017. Crutchmer finished the abbreviated 2020 season as the Division I national steals leader with 31, putting her 5 ahead of any other player in the country. 


What is your major?
Health education

What are your future plans/career goals?
Future plans is to finish my second bachelors degree in FACS, and eventually go to nursing school after I graduate.

What were your thoughts when you found out the season was being canceled?
I was devastated, my parents didn't even get to watch my last game. I didn't feel like this was fair but I knew it was for the health of others.

What led you to UCA?
The people that I visited with on my visit for the second time really made me feel like I was home.

What has been your favorite thing about your time here?
The bond with each team has gotten stronger each year. The bus rides get funner each year.

What is one of your best memories from your career?
Best memory in my softball career was breaking the stolen base record.

What is one of the most embarrassing moments from your career?
Getting tagged on the back after I tore my ACL at Ole Miss my freshman year.

Who is someone who has had a major impact on you – be it in your athletic career or personally?
Athletically, Kate Myers showed me how to be a leader. I played with her for so long she was just very confident and I admired that. Personally would be my parents. 

What is your favorite activity or best talent outside of your sport?
Working out. I love to do Olympic lifts and just lifting in general.

If you had to be quarantined with four celebrities, who would they be?
Justin Bieber, Odell Beckham, Beyoncé, Michael B Jordan 

If you were going to be isolated in your house for a month, what are the first three items you'd make sure to grab at the store?
Meat, water, candy 

One musical artist you'd recommend to everybody?
Justin Bieber

What's a show you're currently watching, or have recently?
All American 

You have the power to make one law – what would it be?
That every kid has a home and not let them live in the orphanage.

If you could give your 10 year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don't let one thing define who I am.