No place like home
for Elise Wilk

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

After spending the past decade traveling the country, Elise Wilk is happy to be home.
"I love Philadelphia," Wilk said. "It’s so nice to be home with my family."
The recent graduate lived in the Lehigh Valley for the past four years, while attending DeSales University. However, her traveling ways started long before that.
Wilk first had an opportunity to explore the country while playing with the Philadelphia Flash, a fast-pitch softball tournament team. The squad competed in Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Florida and North Carolina, among other states.
"I love to travel," said Wilk. "And softball is the best way to do it. You get to see the country and play on these gorgeous softball fields."
The pitcher experienced some exceptional trips as well during her four years with the Bulldogs.
"In college, we joked about spring break because our coach scheduled us in some amazing places," she said. "We went to Florida, Arizona and California. We got to see the Grand Canyon. We got to go to the beach and Disneyland. We have had some incredible trips."
But now — for the time being — her days of exploration have ceased, and Wilk has returned to her Somerton home.
"It’s a little bit of an adjustment living with my mom and dad again," she said. "But it’s really nice to be back."
The 21-year-old student athlete accomplished a lot during her time away.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, with a minor in mathematics. She received an award for marketing excellence and graduated with honors.
Wilk was a star in and out of the classroom.
On the diamond, she dazzled fans as a freshman. She appeared in 18 games and had a 3.00 ERA in 95.2 innings pitched. She went 9-6, including three shutouts.
"I love the pressures of pitching," said Wilk. "I thrive on it. That’s when you find out what you’re made of."
The following season, Wilk returned to strike out 41 batters in 95.1 innings. She walked 10. As a junior, Wilk played in 22 games, but her record was 5-13.
The hurler finished her final season with the Bulldogs by compiling a 3.21 ERA and an 11-10 record. She also earned All-Conference honors her final year with the squad.
"Elise had a fantastic career at DeSales," said coach Rachel Turoscy. "She’s a great competitor on the mound."
The Bulldogs had a 16-17 record this season, which was bittersweet for the seniors.
"The final year was a little disappointing," said Wilk. "We had a young team, but we had so much talent. I thought we would do better. College went by so fast. You start thinking that you have forever to grow up. Then, before you know it, it’s over."
Wilk was one of five seniors on the Bulldogs squad this year.
"The five seniors had a strong core for the team," said Wilk, who was team captain. "Everyone shared the leadership responsibilities. I liked that there were no class distinctions. We spent so much time together that we knew each other really well. And we all got along great."
Teamwork is one quality that has never posed a challenge for Wilk. The outgoing athlete easily created camaraderie among her teammates.
"The time you get to spend with your teammates, and the bonding aspect, is great," said Wilk. "That’s definitely what I’ll miss the most."
Now that her collegiate and tournament softball days are over, Wilk is entering the real world and has landed a new job.
"I am a management trainee with Enterprise," she said of the rental-car company. "I like the company a lot, though, because they focus on teamwork. And I’m used to working as a team. So I kind of fit right in with the whole thing."
As she looks down the road, Wilk would like to maintain her ties with softball.
"I’d like to eventually get into coaching," she said. "I think it would be great to start with a younger team, like five- or six-year-olds, and stay with them. Then I can watch them develop as players. Softball is such a huge part of my life. And I know is I want to stay in the game." ••
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com