Eisenhower’s Brynn Minor found team success she’s always chased

During her four years at Eisenhower, Brynn Minor never achieved the ultimate team success she desired in volleyball, basketball, or softball.

That all changed two years ago when Minor arrived on the Butler Community College softball team.

The past two years Minor has led the Grizzlies to a combined 111-5 record and two straight NJCAA championships, as she set program records this season in batting average (.497) and home runs (30) and was chosen the NJCAA Softball Player of the Year.

Minor added more hardware on Thursday evening when she was named the Junior College Female Athlete of the Year at the Greater Wichita Sports Banquet for the second straight year.

“I wouldn’t change the past two years for anything,” Minor said. “I had so much fun and losing five games in two years and winning two national titles, you don’t even dream of stuff like that. I’ve had the best teammates and we all just clicked so well. It’s a great honor to win this for a second year in a row.”

Minor had a historic sophomore season. She led NJCAA Division I in extra base hits (57) and slugging percentage (1.158) and led her team in hits (91) and doubles (23), while finishing second on the team in RBIs (98) and fourth in runs scored (81). She was also 13-0 on the mound with a 1.07 ERA with 71 strikeouts and just nine walks. Butler finished with a 58-1 record.

“What impressed me the most was her ability to turn it up another notch the higher the level got,” Butler coach Doug Chance said. “Some kids you put on the bigger stage and they fade a little bit, but Brynn stepped up every time. That, more than anything, is going to make her successful at the next level.”

Minor credited her dedication to the weight room for her breakout sophomore season. After hitting six home runs as a freshman, Minor crushed 30 as a sophomore.

“I kept hitting home runs and I kept thinking, ‘This isn’t me, this isn’t me,’ ” Minor said. “But now that I look back on it, it really was the weight room. I mean, hitting three home runs in the national championship game, nobody even dreams of doing that.”

“I watched her this summer go in and transform her body in the weight room,” Chance added. “She changed her eating regimen and she went in on a mission this summer and she accomplished it. A lot of people would have been content with what she accomplished last year, but Brynn wanted more.”

Diamond Gulick, Minor’s softball coach at Eisenhower, isn’t surprised by the success Minor has had at the collegiate level.

After qualifying for state during Minor’s freshman season, Eisenhower’s softball team floated around .500 for her final three seasons. Gulick was happy Minor finally had the experience of winning a championship.

“I really do think Brynn is one of those once-in-a-lifetime kind of athletes to coach,” Gulick said. “She just has that extra want-to that all successful players have. It’s rare to see at the high school level, but Brynn always had that and I’m super proud of what she has gone on to accomplish.”

Minor will continue her career at Kansas, where she will finish her softball career and pursue a degree in exorcise science.

“I’m excited to get to Lawrence because it will be something new and it’s just way bigger than Butler,” Minor said. “They have some great facilities and I love their gear. What really impressed me was that they have a plan for me and they really know what they want me to do.”

Other winners:

High school female: Jewell Bolden (Andover Central basketball, track and field)

High school male: Matt Pile (Eisenhower basketball, track and field)

High school female coach: Joe Hutchinson (East swimming)

High school male coach: Jamie Fowler (Independent baseball)

Junior college male: Shakur Juiston (Hutchinson basketball)

College female: Chelsea Baker (Friends track and field)

College male: Hunter Veith (Wichita State track and field)

Professional: T.J. Mittlestaedt (Wingnuts)

Coach of the Year: Steve Eck (Hutchinson men’s basketball)

Johnny Bench Award: Matt Whatley (Oral Roberts)

This story was originally published June 29, 2017 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Eisenhower’s Brynn Minor found team success she’s always chased."