Illinois Wesleyan 2016 graduate Laura Bonds ended her career ranked No. 3 at IWU with a .401 career batting average and No. 4 with a .472 on-base percentage. As a senior she batted 331 with 23 runs batted in and scored 23 runs and was named to the inaugural Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Year Watchlist.
As a junior she was a third team NFCA All-American and earned first team all-Central Region honors. She was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin "Newcomer of the Year" and first team all-conference as she led the league in hitting with a .558 average. She also led IWU with a .472 batting average with 58 hits. The average is the fifth-best in an IWU season and the hit total is tied for ninth-most.
She transfered to IWU after two seasons at Lincoln Land Community College, where she played for teams that made two national appearances, finishing seventh in the nation in 2014 and ninth in 2013.
With a degree in business administration from Illinois Wesleyan, Laura is moving to Arizona and will start graduate school at Arizona State University in August to get her master's degree in Sports Law and Business.
Why you chose Illinois Wesleyan: To succeed on the softball field and in the classroom
IWU class you’re most qualified to teach: Casstronomy
The hardest challenge about being a Division III student-athlete is: Find time for homework between naps and Netflix
Worst grade in a class you ever got – what and when? A B in Macro Economics at LLCC. I swear he wasn’t speaking English.
I’m deathly afraid of ... : Putting miles on my new car
Worst habit: Forgetting where I put my phone at least 5 times a day
Most expensive traffic ticket: Going 80 in a 55 on my way to school. I was late.
Language I’d like to learn: French
The longest I could survive without my cell phone: About 20 minutes. By that time, I realize I don’t know where my phone is.
One word your mother or father would use to describe you: Sarcastic
Favorite sports figures: Jonathan Toews, Anthony Rizzo, Buster Posey
My greatest moment in sports was: Going to the National Championship in three of my four years in college (two NJCAA, one NCAA)
The best player I ever faced was: Junior College rivals Sam Gudat and Dani Smith. Sam played dirty and gave me pink eye while playing against one another.
Worst dresser on my team: Delaney Olinger. She should be a spokeswoman for groutfits.
Thing that’s been in my fridge the longest: Pickles from Mary Rankin’s mom. Mary’s a pickle lover.
Person I’m dying to have dinner with: Anthony Rizzo, but only if it’s a date. If not, then definitely Cha Boi Z.Strock #1 Softball Fan.
Favorite food: French Fries
Vegetable I won’t eat: Corn
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Favorite TV show: “How to Get Away with Murder”
Favorite musical group: Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana
Favorite movie: “White Chicks”
If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following person to play me: Kristin Wiig
If my life were on TV as a reality show, I’d call it: “Laura the Explorer”
The person in history I would most like to meet is: Willie Mays
My dream job would be: Owner of the Chicago Blackhawks or Chicago Cubs.
Place I’d most like to live: Arizona.
Two things that are tops on my “bucket list”: Travel to London and watch the Cubs win a World Series.
My possession that would fetch the most on eBay: A porcelain doll I got as a White Elephant gift. It’s worth quite a lot.
Who is the luckiest person in the world? My parents for having such a wonderful daughter.
What I miss most about being in the third grade: My teacher letting me bring snacks to school every day.
