Sophomore catcher Emily Naegele is on the fast track to success in her first season.

Naegele took over catching duties at the start of the season and has played in all 20 games. Not only has she become a key cog in the offense and defense, but she’s taken on a leadership role with a team she didn’t plan on playing for after her high school career.

Naegele, a four-year varsity letter winner at Oak Forest High School, was named to the All-State First Team during her senior season. She was an ESPN Top 100 recruit in 2012 and was a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist in her junior and senior seasons.

Naegele said she had a handful of offers after high school, but she wanted to look at smaller schools.

“I just wasn’t a big-town girl,” Naegele said. “… The atmosphere of the big school kind of frightened me a little bit.”

Naegele decided to attend Radford University, a smaller school in the Big South Conference. She thrived in her comfort zone.

Naegele was named to the Big South Conference All-Freshmen Team last season with the Radford Highlanders. Following her freshman season, she talked with former NIU players Amanda Sheppard and Emily Norton about Christina Sutcliffe, a first-year head coach at NIU. Sutcliffe had just taken over the program and led the Huskies to the MAC Championship game.

“I heard great things about coach [Sutcliffe],” Naegele said. “Amanda Sheppard and Emily Norton had nothing but good things to say about coach Sut. I actually played with both of them in high school, so I knew I could trust their word. So far, so good.”

Naegele transferred to NIU for her sophomore season and was expected to contribute immediately at catcher in place of senior Erika Oswald. Sutcliffe said Oswald suffered an undisclosed injury toward the end of last season and will be utilized as a role player.

Naegele has started 18 games at catcher, one game at first base and one game at designated hitter this season. Sutcliffe said Naegele’s consistency and work ethic have given her more trust in Naegele as a catcher.

“She’s just really solid,” Sutcliffe said. “She’s a rock. She allows the pitchers to have the confidence to throw any pitch on any count because they know she’s going to get it blocked. She gets outs when we need them with steals.

“Offensively, she’s one of a couple kids that … if anybody asked who you would want at the plate in the bottom of the seventh, I would say her.”

Naegele’s tied for the team lead with three multi-RBI games, second on the team with six extra-base hits and third with five multi-hit games.

“I think she’s been doing really well,” Oswald said. “I know it’s new to come in here and kind of pick things up very quick, but I think she’s done pretty well. She’s a big hitter, and she brings leadership to our team.”

Naegele said she’s adjusting to taking on more of a leadership role with the Huskies, but being a catcher is like being a leader.

“Catcher has to kind of be a leader, even if it’s unannounced,” Naegele said. “The catcher’s role is to pretty much run the field. The rest of the team, their backs are to the play, so they kind of have to rely on you and have a lot of trust in you.”

Off the field, Naegele was named to the NIU Leadership Council, which helps student-athletes develop leadership skills. Sutcliffe said voting was based on which underclassmen the captains and coaches felt were close to being a captain and needed a little more guidance and learning in the leadership category.

“Naegele’s done phenomenal,” Sutcliffe said. “… She’s a solid leader, and I think she’s still growing into her confidence of being a solid leader. I think once she realizes she’s as good as we know she is, the ceiling’s endless for her.”