Lone Star State talent brings southern edge to Rider

By Benjamin Shinault

In the small town of Lampasas, Texas, where grazing cows and horses might outnumber the residents, you might also hear the sound of a metal bat cracking against a neon green softball.

Growing up on 100 acres of land was sophomore infielder Aspen Wheeler of Rider softball, a four-time All-District player in high school, a member of the USA Softball Regional team and a member of the Texas Blaze Fastpitch.

Wheeler’s Texas home might be a 25-hour car ride away, but she surely found her home away from home at Herb & Joan Young Field at Rider.

‘We are not the sport, we are people who play the sport’

Growing up on her grandfather’s land, Wheeler reminisced about her two brothers, Cole and Cale, feeding goats and horses. 

In a small town like Lampasas, Wheeler had a huge support system through her high school coaches, family and teammates, something that helped her tremendously in her quick softball development.

Having two brothers growing up, Wheeler did not have the average childhood as a little girl, as she spent most of her time outside, playing sports and getting dirty.

Wheeler and her parents knew she had a knack for playing softball. At the age of four, she was already hitting off the tee. Wheeler then skipped a year or two of development and went right into facing pitching when she was only 7 years old.

“My process was sped up. I was always playing with bigger kids and my parents said that I might as well get into it right away and they always taught me that adversity builds character and it allows you to grow,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler’s parents always had their voices in their daughter’s ear to teach her that anything is possible if she puts in the time and work.

“I’ve always been the underdog. I’ve always been one of the smallest people on the field, little 5-year-old Aspen is playing with a bunch of 8-year-olds,” Wheeler recalled. “I’ve kind of learned, even if your talent and skill isn’t there, your dedication and hard work will push you over that hump.”

That same 5-year-old dominating older competition continued to develop and hone down her hitting.

In all of her four years at Lampasas High School, Wheeler was named the team’s offensive most valuable player and was named to the All-District team all four years.

Wheeler also was a member of the Blaze, a select softball team that develops some of the best softball talent in Texas.

In her time with the Blaze, Wheeler learned something beyond how to hit the softball harder and further.

“I really just learned to have fun,” Wheeler said. “It reminded me of how we all were once little 5-year-olds running around, just caring about the snacks at the end of the game. It just humbled us, once again, we are not the sport, we are people who play the sport.”

With a stacked high school resume and time playing with the Blaze under her belt, Wheeler then committed to play softball at Rider in November 2023.

‘They had faith in me’

Wheeler also faced a lot of adversity during her high school career, tearing both ACL’s and her shoulder over two years. With injury after injury, the star-studded infielder began to lose a lot of interest from other schools. However, one school stuck around.

“Three surgeries is a lot, and a lot of coaches said, ‘you’re accident prone,’ and I came to accept that. [Rider] were really the only ones after everything that happened to continue to have faith in me and believe in me,” Wheeler said.

Head Coach Davon Ortega knew Wheeler was special and had the “it” factor.

“She came in ready to earn a starting position and to make an immediate impact,” Ortega said. “On her recruiting visit, she said to me that she wanted to be a part of a program where she could be a star, and she has proven that every day by her actions in practice and in games.”

The injuries would not stop there for Wheeler, as she suffered a torn meniscus in fall 2024. But when Wheeler suffered setbacks in the past, her support system was always there. When she came to Rider, the new team and coaching staff was there to help her out.

“I was a little nervous after that happened because of all my surgeries and my past, but once again, here at Rider, as a community, the softball team in general had my back, which was great because it was all I really knew,” Wheeler said.

After quick recoveries and successful surgeries, Wheeler did not miss a step. In her first season with the Broncs, she led the team in batting average in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action, was a member of the MAAC All-Rookie team and recorded six multi-hit games. 

Not only did Wheeler enjoy a successful regular season, but she also experienced a magical run all the way to the MAAC Championship elimination round.

After an upset of the third and second seed in the tournament to a no-hitter, Wheeler still gets chills across her body to this day.

“It was insane,” Wheeler said. “I think it’s good that I experienced that in my freshman year, because I don’t know anything other than that, especially our team being pretty young this year, it builds another resolve and a sense of grit.”

A sophomore superstar

Wheeler, in just her second season, has dominated. This season, so far, Wheeler ranks top 10 in the MAAC for batting average and hits. 

Wheeler has also recorded 12 multi-hit games, already doubling her total from last year.

“Aspen is special in how she plays the game so naturally and in her uncanny ability to play instinctive and raw and to ball out,” Ortega added.

However, it is not just Wheeler who has swung a hot bat, as the Broncs have the second-best team batting average. The last time Rider was ranked in top three for batting average was in the 2022 season.

“Offensively, we’re insanely good, I don’t think our bats have been this hot in a very long time,”      Wheeler said.

Looking back on what the team completed last season, Wheeler has full confidence that the team can get back to being deep within the MAAC tournament.

Wheeler said, “With the taste that we all had last year, I think everybody has that same mindset and same goal, same drive in their mind, I think that we are really motivated and it’s the best word to describe our team.”