FAYETTEVILLE — Rylin Hedgecock could have easily entered the NCAA transfer portal at multiple points during her softball career at Arkansas.
She instead decided to stick with the program she committed to in 2019, even if it meant not being a starter until 2023. Her dedication and loyalty paid off.
Hedgecock was named a first-team All-American on Wednesday. Her story of perseverance is rare in today’s climate of college athletics.
Behind the big bats of players such as Linnie Malkin, Braxton Burnside and Danielle Gibson, opportunities for at-bats were limited throughout her career. The coaching staff knew it had a talented player in Hedgecock who was unafraid of big moments.
She was inserted in some critical moments — including a pinch-hit situation during the 2022 NCAA Tournament — but many players her caliber would have transferred to greener pastures.
“I don't know that she's gotten enough credit throughout her time here,” Arkansas coach Courtney Deifel said in February. “Rylin Hedgecock, she is unique in the world of college athletics now. She worked her tail off, and she has worked her way into being in a starting position right in the meat of our order.
“In this day and age of college athletics, a lot of others would've transferred three years ago. And she's just worked.”
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Key to the Razorbacks’ success when she was not a starter — which included back-to-back SEC championships — was her ability to bring out the best of other players. She was primarily in a position behind Malkin, who was a first-team All-American as a designated player in 2022 and set the program’s home runs record.
“She is a Razorback,” Deifel said of Hedgecock, “and she is proud of being a Razorback. She was behind Linnie Malkin the last couple years. She's made Linnie Malkin into who she is. Linnie Malkin is not Linnie Malkin without Rylin Hedgecock. And she's waited and worked for her time.
“I just am really proud that she represents Arkansas, because I just think that's incredibly unique in college athletics and I'm just really proud of her.”
Her career at-bats more than doubled in 2023. Hedgecock hit 21 home runs, which is the third most in a season by a Razorback. She earned the title from fans of a “Bogle Bomber,” which is given to players who hit home runs frequently.
“I think it's really heartwarming,” Hedgecock said of fans embracing her. “Because my sophomore year I was roommates with Braxton and then now I'm roommates with Linnie [who is now a student assistant coach]. I've been close with them and I've been able to learn and grow from Braxton and Gibby and Linnie — all of them.
“It's just really cool to me that I looked up to them and now I'm at where they were.”
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Her final home run as a Razorback came while facing elimination against Notre Dame. It may have been her furthest. A seventh-inning, three-run homer landed near the parking lot past left field and put an exclamation mark on a 5-0 victory.
Other memorable home runs from her big season include go-ahead home runs in rubber matches against Alabama and Tennessee.
Her solo homer in Tuscaloosa, Ala., came in the 10th inning and lifted the Razorbacks to their first road series victory over the Crimson Tide. Hedgecock smashed a two-run shot in the fourth inning on May 1 to give Arkansas all the runs it would need to claim a top-three series victory over Tennessee.
It was the only series loss the SEC champion Lady Vols suffered.
Following the Razorbacks’ season-ending loss to Oregon, Deifel took a moment to speak on the four players who had played their final game. She spent tearful moments talking about Chenise Delce, Tymber Riley and Kristina Foreman, and finished with a heartfelt remark about Hedgecock.
“[It meant a lot] for Rylin to just stay committed to this program when her journey wasn’t a straight line,” Deifel said. “They’re Razorbacks, and they're exactly who you would want to represent your program and your university.”