Austin grad Sydney Murphy is nearing the end of her college softball career, but she’s leaving the sport with a lot of good memories and plenty of life experience.

Murphy who is hitting .296 with five doubles and four RBIs while starting 36 games for the Eagles (20-16 overall) will try to help her team put together one last run as UWL opens WIAC tournament play against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Whitewater at 10 a.m. Friday.

She feels like her team has a fighting chance to make some noise in the tournament.

“I think we have a pretty strong lineup and we have a chance to win some games and surprise a lot of people,” Murphy said. “We can play with anybody.”

Murphy has had a lot of experience on the field over the past four years with UWL, but she said she’ll mostly cherish the memories she’s made with her teammates away from the competition.

While learning how to play softball at the next level, Murphy has brought some of her knowledge back with her to Austin as she’s coached summer leagues and helped out with the youth program.

“I really enjoyed seeing the next generation of Austin softball players,” Murphy said. “I was able to help the team that I used to play on so they can be better than when I used to play.”

Murphy is majoring in nuclear medicine technology which involves doing tech scans for cancer. She’s set to work a year-long internship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester next year and then she’ll be finished with her schooling.

She’s also worked as a CNA at a nursing home and she’s worked with Aptiv, where she’s helped people with disabilities grow accustomed to every day life. The lessons Murphy has learned in those positions will surely stay with her for the rest of her life.

“It really teaches you to be appreciative for what you have and it makes you want to live in the moment,” Murphy said.