The REPORTER
Lily Roush, Hamilton Heights senior, has signed a letter of intent to play softball for Indiana University in Indianapolis this fall. IU Indianapolis is a member of the Horizon League and a NCAA Division I athletic institution. She is the daughter of Melissa and Todd Roush.
IUPUI offered Roush everything she was looking for in determining where she would continue her education and play softball at the collegiate level. “It was close to home, a great school, and a Division I athletic institution,” said Lily Roush, who plans to study chemistry or biochemistry to pursue a career as a biochemist at the Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly & Company.
Roush (Jersey #2) is as strong in the field as she is in the classroom. Last season, Roush shined on offense and defense for the Huskies, helping lead the team to a sectional championship and a school record of 19 wins. She holds the Hamilton Heights all time strike-out record which continues to climb during her final season at Heights. She was named Hamilton County Player of the Year and Hamilton Heights Most Valuable Player in 2023 and named to the All Conference Team in 2022 and 2023. Roush made the Indy Star Super Team in 2022. She was recognized as Rookie of the Year and received an All Conference Honorable Mention her freshman year (2021).
Roush is also active in extracurricular activities including National Honor Society, Business Professionals of America (BPA), and Spanish Club.
Roush has been playing softball since the age of 6. She joined the RoundTripper Academy and took fielding and batting lessons as well as toning lessons from Tichner Pitching for seven years. Roush is deeply dedicated to her sport. “I practice every day and never stop,” she said. It is this work ethic and love of the game that helped her build her skill, be a valuable player on her teams, and prepare for play at the next level.
Roush credits her father for showing her how to be tough and strive for greatness along with invaluable lifelong lessons. In addition, she noted, her various coaches over the years deserve credit for their guidance, knowledge, expertise, and support.
“Lily understands the game and pitching at a deeper level the most college ready players I have coached,” said Ken Olovich, Hamilton Heights Varsity Softball Head Coach. “She understands how to study batters and exploit their weakness and how to use setup pitches to get to her ‘out’ pitches. She just pitches at a different level, and I look forward to catching some of her games at IUPUI to see firsthand how she will help their program. They got a good one in Lily.”
“We are excited for the opportunity Lily has to continue her pitching career at IUPUI,” said Kurt Ogden, Hamilton Heights High School Athletic Director. “She has put in countless hours in the circle and her hard work has been a major contribution to the recent success of the program. We wish her well on the next step of her journey.”
“I look forward to joining the Jaguars softball program to potentially win the Horizon League and getting a berth to the NCAA Regionals,” she added. “I thank God for giving me this opportunity to able to play my whole life and share great memories of playing softball.”