PEORIA, Ill. -- Meet Bradley Braves Ace, Sydney Kennedy, who has taken the Valley by storm.

Coaches often talk about the effect that one player can have on an organization and that effect is clearly seen on the Bradley Softball field this season.

Sydney Kennedy, the Des Moines Community College transfer junior, came to Bradley University being named to the NJCAA DII First-Team All-America team. Kennedy posted a 1.95 ERA in 169.0 innings pitched with a .404 batting average on the other side of the ball.

"Sydney Kennedy is a major addition to our softball program," said Braves Head Coach, Sarah Willis. "She was one of the premier JUCO pitchers in the country and an All-American that provides great leadership in the pitching circle."

Kennedy decided to make the jump to the Division 1 level after her two years of eligibility were done at the junior college level. She chose Bradley because it was close to home, where her parents were able to come and watch her play for weekend home series'. 

"I also grew up playing at the Louisville Slugger Complex for my travel team, so coming here and knowing that I would be able to play at these fields was a full circle moment for me." 

Kennedy said how coming into a culture that has already been set by Sarah Willis and the coaching staff at the Division 1 level is challenging because it is something new to adjust to, but her teammates and the staff had made the transition easy.

"Coming from a JUCO school, I'm sure people were skeptical about my abilities, regardless of my achievements, because it is a completely different level of play. But being able to establish those relationships and trust has made the transition to the team culture a lot easier."

Sydney Kennedy has proven that her presence is essential to the success of this Bradley team, who was projected to finish eleventh in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. When the Braves have Sydney Kennedy on the mound they are 14-8, and when she is in the lineup as a hitter, the Braves have collected 19 of their 21 wins this season. The Braves also now stand fourth in the conference standings and have wins against two of the top three teams, all with Kennedy on the mound. 

Junior shortstop and leader of the Braves, Addie Welsh, mentioned how Sydney Kennedy has proven herself as a competitor and teammate. 

"Sydney is a beast out there, and her fiery energy that she brings on the field helps us as a team make the next steps for our program. She brings everything that she has, every game."

Because of that drive and determination, Sydney Kennedy has been able to record these statistics this year:

• 4th  in the MVC in batting average and leading the Braves at .360. 

• 4th in the MVC in ERA at .201

• 1st in the MVC in innings pitched with 153.0

• 2nd in the MVC in strikeouts with 149

• 7th in Bradley history for single season strikeouts (149)

• 1st in the MVC in looking strikeouts with 35

• 2nd in wins in the MVC with 14

• 8th in the nation in complete games with 14

• 5th in the nation in innings pitched 

Braves Head Coach Sarah Willis mentions that "Nothing is ever expected in this game, but the confidence our ball club has in Sydney when she takes the mound comes super close."

Kennedy attributes her competitive nature on the field to growing up a multi-sport athlete. She was a three-sport athlete for a majority of her life, playing volleyball until her eighth grade year and continuing basketball until she paused to perfect her craft in softball. Mentioning that her competitive drive and passion for softball was amplified by the lessons she learned from the other sports she grew up with. 

"Being a college softball player is something that I knew I wanted to do from a young age, so that was my biggest motivation growing up."

Her accomplishments on the field say a lot about the individual that Sydney is; however, she would say herself that she is not the same person on and off the field. 

As a Kinesiology major, Kennedy mentioned that a majority of her day is filled with her classes and homework, so softball has become her outlet.

"When I play, the in-game emotions bring that level of competitiveness out of me and that type of emotion is not present in the rest of my life."

Softball is a place where Kennedy is able to calm her competitiveness. In addition to volleyball, basketball and softball, Kennedy played on an all-boys football team and she talked about how the physicality is what elevated her competitiveness. 

Sydney Kennedy's catcher and roommate, Macey Moore, a transfer from University of Toledo said that her competitive factor is solely something seen on the softball diamond. 

"Syd is one of the nicest people I have ever met," said Moore. "The only crossover between the field and at home is her discipline and structure that she has, but other than that she is not very intense, which is typically shown on the field." 

Sydney Kennedy has evidently made her mark on Bradley University in only her first season here, winning the MVC honors of Newcomer of the Week, twice, as well as MVC Pitcher of the Week, she has taken the ball club and the Missouri Valley Conference by storm.