Jessa Snippes poised to make ‘big impact’ on Minnesota softball
MINNEAPOLIS (BVM) – Jessa Snippes is the top high school softball player in the state of Minnesota and has the accolades to back it up.
In addition to earning all-conference, all-section and all-state honors, the Rosemount senior has led the Irish to a 45-5 record over the last two years which included a 2021 Class 4A state championship. The 2022 season didn’t end the way Snippes and her teammates wanted so revenge is on their mind this spring.
“Right when we won (the 2021 state title), it was so surreal,” Snippes said. “Even before the state tournament, we knew that’s where we wanted to be. We set our minds to it and we did it.
“I know this upcoming season, with last season not ending how we wanted it to, we’re going to use it as motivation to get back to where we were in 2021 and hopefully win that game again.”
Rosemount has as good of a chance as anybody at claiming a 4A state crown largely because of Snippes.
Beginning her athletic career as a dancer, Snippes began playing softball at 8 years old and quickly fell in love with it soon after thanks in part to Minnesota Magic, her club softball team. It’s with the Magic (and later the Illinois Chill) that Snippes said she began to fully understand the fundamentals and mental side of the game.
Nowadays, Snippes believes her two best attributes on the diamond go hand in hand: hard work and leadership.
“I work very hard and it influences others to work just as hard,” Snippes said. “I love to be a great model, have an open mind, be there for my teammates and be someone they can always go to and look up to.”
As good of a leader as Snippes is, it’s her talent – both in the circle and at the plate – that makes her the state’s top senior.
Had a great time playing with @ILChillGold in Top Club tournament in OK. It was fun hitting a HR at the OU field while I was there! pic.twitter.com/Ouw3kXEJtn
— Jessa Snippes (@jessasnippes) June 24, 2022
After the state title run in 2021 when Snippes’ ERA was below 1.00 and she led the Irish in both home runs and RBIs, the Rosemount star averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning last year as a junior in addition to hitting .452 with five homers and 25 RBIs. Snippes’ impressive high school softball resume is likely just the start of a bright future in the sport and luckily for her, the journey will continue nearby.
Rosemount is just 30 minutes away from the University of Minnesota campus and from a young age, Snippes wanted to be a Gopher.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve always looked up to the Gophers,” Snippes said. “We live in the area so we’ve always gone to any Gopher event and I’ve always wanted to be a Gopher. Having the opportunity to play with them and just be a part of that culture is what really turned me in.”
Snippes said she plans to pitch and hit at the next level and Minnesota softball head coach Piper Ritter knows the dual-threat senior can do both exceptionally well.
“Jessa Snippes (is) fiercely competitive in the circle with the ability to play on both sides of the ball,” Ritter said in a press release on signing day.
Snippes has one final season with her Irish teammates before fulfilling a childhood dream of hers. This spring will be about recreating the magic of the 2021 state championship run, but next year, it’ll be about representing the home state in the Big 10.
“I really want to make a big impact (at Minnesota),” Snippes said. “Just being from Minnesota, it’s a goal of mine to really represent the home state.”
✍️ 𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙉𝙀𝘿!
Welcome to Minnesota, Jessa!
🏡 Rosemount, Minn.
🎓 Rosemount HS
🥎 Minnesota Magic
🐤 @jessasnippes#SkiUMah | #Gophers〽️ pic.twitter.com/HAylWeuAlI— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) November 9, 2022
