Mt. Pleasant grad Courtney Poulich helps to power RMU softball to Horizon League title, NCAA Tournament

First, she transferred out of Liberty after one season that featured a mere three at-bats. Then she endured a torn hamstring that wiped out the first season at Robert Morris. Once she came back, she struggled through what, essentially, was another freshman season.

So no one could blame Courtney Poulich if she had a lot of pent-up frustration after not being able to show her true capability on the college softball diamond.

“It (2024) wasn’t my best year,” said the Mt. Pleasant grad, a redshirt junior, “but coming back after an injury … after transferring, too, kind of makes it even harder, I feel.”

Poulich more than made up for lost time this spring. Her offensive onslaught is a big reason Robert Morris (30-16) won its first Horizon League title and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

During the Horizon League Tournament, Poulich hit three of her single-season program-record 15 homers — one in each game — and knocked in five or her single-season program-record 52 runs to power the Colonials. She was named tournament MVP.

In the tournament-opening win over Green Bay, Poulich had an RBI single and a solo homer to stake the Colonials to a 2-0 lead. Robert Morris fell behind 3-2 in the top of the eighth, but Uniontown’s Sequoia Dunlap plated a run with a fielder’s choice, and Logan Black drove in the game-winner with a single.

In the championship game against Purdue Fort Wayne, Poulich homered to give RMU a 1-0 lead then was on base in the eighth via walk when Mary Brant hit a walk-off homer for a 4-2 title-clinching victory.

As to what finally allowed her to unlock her potential, Poulich chalked it up to mere experience. Despite her pedestrian numbers — she hit .218 with six homers and 20 RBIs in 2024 — she said having a full, healthy season paid big dividends.

“Having that year under my belt … it gave me that confidence of, OK … I can do this, and I know what to expect,” she said. “No moment is too big. I mean, it’s the same game I’ve been playing since I was — what? — 5 years old.”

Heading into the NCAA Tournament — Robert Morris will play in the Tallahassee Regional and face site host Florida State on Friday — Poulich is hitting .340. In addition to her record-setting numbers, she also leads the Colonials in runs scored (44) and slugging (.785).

“She’s been a huge piece to this,” said Jexx Varner, in his seventh season as RMU’s coach. “She’s the tournament MVP for a reason, a record-setter for a reason. … What’s been really great is finally seeing who she is as a ballplayer.”

Added Poulich: “(Winning MVP) was a super special moment. Honestly, I didn’t expect to get it. I thought Madison DeVault (who pitched every inning of the Horizon Tournament) or Mary Brant was going to get it.

“Honestly, everyone on the team deserved the MVP trophy just as much as I did. But it was a really cool experience, and I was thankful they gave me that opportunity.”

Next up for Poulich and the Colonials is a date with eighth-ranked Florida State (44-8), runner-up to Clemson in the ACC. Amid the chaos of preparing for the NCAAs, Varner has tried to remind his players that it’s still just a softball game.

“We stay within ourselves and play our game and know when we play our ball, we can give ourselves a chance,” Varner said of the team’s approach to playing FSU.

Poulich, who plans to use her final year of eligibility in 2025-26, said she hopes this group isn’t finished making program history. She wants Robert Morris to be “that Cinderella team” and vowed she and her teammates will “play our hearts out.”

Regardless of what happens, Poulich is ecstatic to have been part of such a magical season.

“It means everything to me,” she said. “It’s every little girl’s dream to be at this point. … We want to go make a statement and give it our all.”