Munster's Caroline Wendlinger decides to ‘stick to cleats.' But the versatile sophomore is no one-trick pony.

Chicago Tribune

04-04-2025

Munster sophomore Caroline Wendlinger may be showing the full range of her abilities this season.
As the Mustangs' catcher last year, she was a key cog in their Northwest Crossroads Conference championship run. But in the early stages of this season, Wendlinger has played not only behind the plate but also first base, second base and third base.
'Last year, she only caught,' Munster coach Jill Perez said. 'I never let her play anywhere else because she's such a phenomenal catcher. To allow her some reins to go out on the field and see what she's got, as soon as we put her out there, I was like, 'Whoa, she's good.'
'She's good everywhere.'
Perez has appreciated Wendlinger's willingness to move around.
'She really stepped up,' Perez said. 'Now it's like, 'Hey, you play first base?' And she's like, 'Sure, I play first base.' For her to be so open and willing to do all of that even though she loves catching, she loves playing third, it's great. … She's been super flexible. She's putting the team first.'
Meanwhile, Wendlinger is also mentoring freshman catcher Cali Rybicki.
'She's working with the younger catcher,' Perez said of Wendlinger. 'She might also know, 'If I work with my younger catcher, I can get out on the field more.' But it's just making her feel confident in everything she does.
'At the plate, she's doing awesome. Her offensive game is making her defensive game better, and her defensive game is making her offensive game better. That's just a win-win for everybody.'
Wendlinger, who was hitting .419 with three homers and 12 RBIs through nine games for the Mustangs (7-2), has embraced her versatility.
'I've been playing in multiple positions, so what's been working for me best is staying calm, staying relaxed and making sure I'm ready no matter where coach Perez decides to put me,' Wendlinger said. 'That's really important for me right now.
'I'm just making sure I'm ready to play anywhere she puts me. That's my biggest goal. I just want to be helpful anywhere, so wherever coach Perez decides to put me, I'm ready to go.'
Wendlinger was ready to go at the outset of her high school career. She is part of a talented class that also includes pitcher/third baseman Ally Compton, who set a program record with 15 homers last season, and pitcher/third baseman Kaylee O'Connell. Wendlinger hit .330 with three homers and 27 RBIs last season.
'She had a great freshman year, really great,' Perez said. 'I have this group of freshmen that came out last year that are now sophomores, and it's just so cool because they grew up together, they're super tight friends and they push each other. Once the first one hits a home run, they're like, 'I'm going to hit the home run next.' They're pushing each other, but never in a way like, 'I'm better than you,' which is cool.
'Caroline for us this year has just matured in every sense of the game and of her life — just everything.'
Wendlinger said she actually was 'scared' at first as a freshman catcher, particularly with then-senior standout Emily Siurek as Mundelein's primary pitcher. But Wendlinger credited Siurek, who is a freshman at South Dakota State, as well as other older teammates for aiding her transition.
'Last year, being a freshman coming in, catching all of those games was helpful,' Wendlinger said. 'What was also helpful was Emily. Emily helped so much. I called all of the games. Every single pitch, I called. Her being able to guide me through that helped me get more knowledge throughout the game and helped my game grow.
'Now I'm working with Cali. She's a freshman, and her and I working together is so great. I'm helping her with things that Emily helped me with, which is great.'
Wendlinger has impressed senior shortstop CeCe Mason.
'She came in hot as a freshman,' Mason said. 'Coming in as a third-year starter, I wasn't expecting a bunch of freshmen to be great like them. But she's a great addition to the team. She's a very vocal leader. She stepped up as a catcher right away, so she had to be. But she really stepped up in that aspect.
'Also as a hitter, she's usually our two hitter, and she's a great hitter. She gets our offense going. I know people always talk about Ally hitting bombs, but she's usually the person on base when Ally's hitting a bomb.'
Compton has long had an appreciation for her close friend.
'The bond that me and Caroline have is something so special,' Compton said. 'We've played softball together since we were 6 and play on the same travel team. We've been through it all together, and I think that's why we work so well.
'When she's behind the plate, there's no stopping her. She's always so locked in, and she leads the whole field to success. I love when she catches me because she knows me more than I know myself and always calls the right pitch. I know she'd run through a wall for me, and I do the same for her. Wherever I get flustered on the mound, she always knows what to say to snap me out of it.'
Perez said Wendlinger has grown into a leader for the team.
'She's just taking charge,' Perez said. 'The inning switch, she's calling whatever the team cheer is. She's just letting everyone know what's going on. She has such a high softball IQ. Even if she's never played first base before, she can say, 'Hey, on that play, go to the right, go to the left.'
'She's able to provide feedback for kids who aren't playing at that high-level travel, who aren't looking to play in college and are just part of our team. Especially because we have so many seniors, she's doing it in a way where she's not stepping on anyone's toes. She can just share advice that's going to make us all better.'
Wendlinger has made a concerted effort to stand at the forefront.
'Trying to support my teammates no matter what, being the leader they need me to be on the field, that has been a big focus for me,' she said. 'I'm always trying to be the person anyone can come to if they have a question about their swing or if they have a question about their mental game.
'Even when I have a problem, I know I can go to my teammates and be like, 'Hey, I need some advice. What can I do? What am I doing wrong?' So just trying to be a leader and helping my teammates and relying on them has been one of the things I've been focusing on.'
Wendlinger has also narrowed her focus after playing basketball as a freshman.
'Softball is very important to me,' she said. 'I want to play in college. Not playing basketball this year has really helped my game grow. Last year I got injured a lot with little stuff. I just wanted to make sure I was fully ready for softball.
'I was a basketball manager this year, so I was still with the team. A lot of my friends play, so that's why I played. But this year I really focused on softball, and I can see the drastic difference it has made to put my shoes up and just stick to cleats.'
Wendlinger is eager to make her college decision, possibly in the fall.
'The dream would be to go Power Four,' she said. 'But I'm open to any school that wants me. Playing college softball anywhere is a blessing, really.'
Not that Wendlinger is anxious for her time with the Mustangs to end.
'I'm really grateful to be in this position,' she said. 'I'm really grateful my coaches for Munster have set me up with such a great facility and environment and culture for me to be a part of. I'm grateful for all of the coaches who have helped me along the way, my parents who have always had my back no matter what.
'I'm grateful to be playing for Munster. It's really cool because Ally and I have always been like, 'Let's go play high school softball.' It's kind of surreal to be playing with Ally and Kaylee and all of those kids I grew up playing softball with. I'm really excited for the season and the next two years.'