Wisconsin SB commit Emily Bojan looking to lead another state title run at Marist
CHICAGO (BVM) – Emily Bojan is the epitome of a team-centric athlete. She does whatever it takes to win, no matter the sport, position or difficulty. However, she is also tremendously talented, and that will soon lead her to become a college athlete.
Throughout her athletic career, Bojan played multiple sports, and one she really stood out in time and again was basketball. Her mom is a former basketball coach at Marist High School, and growing up, Bojan also took on her team’s leadership role on the court as she typically played the point guard position.
But entering high school, the multi-sport athlete hit a six-inch growth spurt. The change may have affected her shooting and dribbling a bit, but playing in the post, Bojan found a new role as a rebounder.
Throughout the last couple of seasons, Bojan has thoroughly impressed on the glass with multiple 20-plus rebound efforts. She became one of the key members of the RedHawks’ squad, doing all the little things to make her team successful.
“I kept breaking the record for rebounds in a game,” Bojan said. “I knew my role for my basketball team and that’s just rebounding, passing it out and getting those assists, getting dirty. That was just my game, I have a nose for the ball and am always on the ground for it. I just love getting out there and battling.”
Bojan’s basketball career wrapped up over the winter, and she will undoubtedly miss the hardwood as well as the relationships she has made through the sport.
“I’ll miss it so much,” Bojan said. “It’s been such a big part of my life … My favorite memory has been playing with these girls who are literally sisters to me on the court and we hang out off the court … Basketball is just such a fun sport and it makes it even better surrounding yourself with great coaches and girls.”
Despite her basketball talent, Bojan’s main sport has become softball. She played it growing up, but did not get serious with it until her junior high years. As she began playing for her first travel team, Windy City Ice, Bojan realized there could be a future in the sport.
“At that time, I didn’t really think softball would be my main sport,” Bojan said. “I kind of just did it to get a feel for it and to at least say I did travel and had the experience. But from then on, I just stuck with it.”
Prior to high school, Bojan began playing with the Wheatland Spikes, competing alongside many future DI softball players.
“That’s kind of when we got our names out there,” the 18-year-old said.
Bojan continued to put in work to get herself to a higher level as she entered her freshman year at Marist. Becoming a strong hitter, Bojan made the school’s freshman team and had a successful season.
“I’m grateful for being on the freshman team,” Bojan said. “I think softball is a lot about confidence and being on the freshman team gave me so much confidence.”
As she entered her sophomore year, Bojan was poised to star on the varsity team. She made the squad, yet would never get the chance to play with the season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t have that year,” Bojan noted. “We had the first two weeks of practice. The team was actually looking pretty good, I was super excited and looking forward to it. When we heard the news and finding out it was actually canceled, it was devastating. I worked all the way up to that moment and so did so many other girls. It was a season that a lot of us were excited about. We had a great group of girls, so hearing that was heartbreaking.”
During the initial stages of the pandemic, Bojan and her teammates continued to put in work to get better. By her junior season, the RedHawks were more determined than ever as they got back on the field.
“We wanted it so bad,” Bojan said. “We had it taken away from us and this was the year … We were so motivated. Everyone on our team was so talented and we knew if we had great team chemistry, which we did, we would be successful.”
With plenty of talent returning, Marist was a heavy favorite at the Class 4A level coming into the season. Bojan settled in as the RedHawks’ catcher, again playing a role that requires plenty of dirty work to be successful, just as she relished in basketball.
In her first varsity softball season, Bojan dazzled as she hit .429 with 29 runs, 10 home runs and an impressive 66 RBIs. Her performance combined with the bond the team had formed led the RedHawks on a state run.
“I’ve never been on a team that’s so close before,” Bojan said. “It was such an awesome year.”
Catching for now-Boston College pitcher and good friend Abby Dunning in the state title game against Lincoln-Way Central, Bojan helped guide Marist to a 3-1 victory.
“The bus ride to the field, that’s when it really hit me,” Bojan said. “Some people were already crying because we were just such a close group of girls and we couldn’t believe we were going to play our last game already. Stepping on the field was so nerve-racking. But once that first pitch was thrown, I was like, ‘OK, it’s game time.’ I felt so much confidence in my pitcher and my team and knew if we kept playing our game, we’d be successful.
“That last out, it was a fly ball to left field. It was a tricky catch for our left fielder, but she made it, and right when she made it my emotions just hit, my heart dropped and I had chills … I just remember running up to my pitcher Abby Dunning and giving her a hug. It was the best thing ever.”
Perhaps making the moment even more special for Bojan was being able to share it with her family. In November of 2020, one of Bojan’s biggest influences, her grandfather Jack Quinn, passed away. Quinn was a long-time football coach at St. Rita High School, and it is clear some of his athletic mindset rubbed off on his granddaughter.
With sports returning in 2020 but still no fans allowed, Quinn was forced to watch Bojan through a livestream. Having trouble identifying which player she was at times, he gave her a white bow to wear in her hair, which she has continued to do to honor her late grandfather.
“I’m so close with my grandparents,” Bojan said. “My grandpa was an amazing guy, my biggest fan and he was always there for me. They never missed a game, my grandma is still at every single game to this day.
“I wanted to play every single game for him and make him proud. I know if he was here for last year’s season, he would’ve been so proud … Every time I go up to bat, I just grab the white bow and it’s a reminder who I’m playing for, what my reason is and why I come out on the field. Not only the love for the game, but to make my grandparents and my parents proud.”
Bojan will continue to honor her grandfather as she finishes up her Marist career this spring. With winning comes expectations, and once again, Marist is seen as a favorite to win back-to-back IHSA Class 4A state titles.
“We’ve played our first few games already and we’ve been successful,” Bojan said. “My goal for this year is to be a leader but also have fun like we did last year and have this group of girls feel like a second family. People may think that there’s pressure on us, but that’s kind of how it was last year. Anyone could win state, anything could happen in the playoffs, but I think if we keep working hard and keep our same mindset that we had last year, this will be a really successful and fun year.”
No matter what takes place in her final softball season, Bojan hopes to leave a program that has a rich history of producing tremendous players and people as a true leader for her team. She may come back to Marist as an assistant coach someday, but right now, her leadership is a quality she can take with her as she heads north to Madison, Wisconsin in the fall where she will officially become a Wisconsin Badger.
Throughout her recruiting process, Bojan formed many strong relationships with several schools. However, none could quite compete with the catcher’s dream school.
“Wisconsin has always been my dream school and I never thought in a million years that I’d be playing there,” Bojan said. “When I went to Wisconsin for the first time, stepping on the campus and stepping on the field, I knew 100% this could be my second home.”
Over the last few years, Bojan has looked up to another softball star who made the transition from Marist to Wisconsin, Brooke Wyderski. She will also make the transition to college alongside one of her travel teammates, pitcher Paytn Monticelli.
Playing alongside Monticelli recently with the Beverly Bandits and planning to do so again this summer, Bojan has become even further prepared for her career with the Badgers.
“The Beverly Bandits is definitely like a collegiate-level team,” Bojan said. “It’s preparing me 100% for college … Working with this program, I’ve already felt my skill level come up.”
Bojan certainly seems set for her college future. With the success she has brought to Marist, the 5-foot-11 catcher will hope to replicate it at Wisconsin, and believes her class will give the program exactly what it needs to take the next step.
Here's what @YvetteHealy has to say about the #Badgers incoming class!#NSD2021 || #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/hxcTeFPHA4
— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) November 10, 2021
“I still can’t believe that I have the opportunity to go play there,” Bojan said. “My goal is to just work hard and have fun each year while also being successful. Everyone says they want to win a Big Ten championship and I’m going into next year with high hopes for the season. The team they have now is doing really good this year. I think that with this 2022 class that’s coming into Wisconsin, there’s going to be a spark next year and I’m so excited about it.”
