Entering the 2004-’05 softball season, Ellen Stoddard was not expecting a starting position in the NIU lineup. After spending a year and a half away from the game, she was more worried about getting back in shape and making the team.

But after a summer and fall of reaclimation, Stoddard has emerged as the starting third baseman and is batting over .400 on a rejuvenated Huskies offense.

As a prep star at Fremd High School in Palatine from 1999-2002, Stoddard’s name litters the school’s offensive records. She is the all-time leader in hits and runs scored as well as second in doubles, extra-base hits and walks.

“We recruited Ellen out of high school, but she decided to go to Illinois State,” NIU coach Donna Martin. “When that didn’t work for her, she took some time away to figure out what she wanted to do.”

But Stoddard left the Redbirds for personal reasons after one semester, transferred to Harper College and was no longer playing collegiate softball.

“Actually I didn’t play at Harper,” Stoddard said. “I took a year and a half off and then decided I wanted to play again. I came here mainly because it was close and they had recruited me before.”

The Rolling Meadows native called Martin in the summer of 2004 and the 11-year head coach of the Huskies agreed to give Stoddard a chance.

“She has the ability,” NIU hitting coach Kevin Welch said. “She just needs to stay aggressive and she can hit the ball to any part of the field. The biggest thing after taking time off is getting the hand-eye coordination back.”

After a self-described slow start, the NIU sophomore has solidified her starting position at third base, thanks to a team-best .408 batting average and 16 runs batted in.

“She has tremendous bat speed,” Martin said. “So if you make a mistake, it’ll get hit hard. She’s worked really hard to hit the ball the opposite way and using the whole field.”

NIU’s anemic offense last season produced a .202 team batting average and only 14 victories.

But Welch’s new emphasis on “small ball” and advancing runners has sped along Stoddard’s offensive progress. The Huskies are now hitting .285 and have already passed last year’s win totals.

“The people before me have to get on base for anything to happen,” Stoddard said. “It’s more of everyone doing their job than just one person. I just came into this season, worked as hard as I could and it’s paying off.”