“That hurts a little bit,” Rocco said.
Her highlights were traveling with teammates to Hawaii (where the Hawkeyes went 5-0 and outscored Portland State, Missouri-Kansas City and Hawaii, 24-7), overcoming flight delays en route to the Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida, and bouncing back to avenge losses to Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech.
On Feb. 7, Iowa lost to Virginia Tech, 9-1. Two days later, the Hawkeyes defeated the Hokies, 4-3 in eight innings. On Feb. 15, Iowa lost to Georgia Tech, 8-0. The next day, the Hawkeyes defeated the Yellow Jackets, 5-0.
“Those were little moments we needed as a team to realize we are not invincible,” Rocco said. “Anyone can win on any given day, you have to give your all.”
As for travel issues?
“That’s where memories happen,” Rocco said.
Rocco is from Woodbury, Minnesota, 4 ½ hours north of Iowa City. Her parents encouraged her to try different sports, so she played soccer…hated it. She played hockey…hated it.
“I wasn’t great at softball, but I had something there,” Rocco said. “My dad could see it, my mom could see it, everyone could see it. I stuck with that.”
As a member of the Minnesota Strong 14U team, Rocco played a tournament championship game on the Women’s College World Series field in Oklahoma City.
“I got an inside-the-park home run and I will never forget that,” she said.
Rocco was that girl no one wanted to play catch with. She had a live arm but didn’t want to pitch. Instead, she found a spot behind the plate. In high school, Rocco focused on softball, was a manager for football and wrestling teams, and participated in junior ROTC.
“That was the best experience I ever had,” Rocco said of ROTC.
She attended Northern Kentucky in 2018-19, hitting .233 in 54 games and driving in her team’s only run in her final game with the Norse. Rocco intended to participate in ROTC in college but wasn’t able to do so at Northern Kentucky. Plus, her family was 14 hours from watching her play in person.
Rocco reached out to Iowa head coach Renee Gillispie and when she stepped on campus…
“This is what home away from home is supposed to feel like,” Rocco said. “It’s like the University of Iowa steals your heart the minute you walk on campus.”
In the fall semester at Iowa, Rocco began ROTC, but withdrew before the season.
“It hurt to have to tell my commander,” Rocco said. “I’m a kid who likes to be great at everything I do and trying to juggle ROTC, sports, school, social life was not bearable at the time.”
Rocco is pursuing a degree in criminology with a minor in human relations. After college she will attend Air Force Officer Training School (OTS) and resume her ambition of a military career.
“I am focusing on living out the softball dream I have had since I was 12,” Rocco said. “I’m working on that, getting school done and getting good grades so I can get accepted into OTS.”
If you think Rocco’s explanation of integrity first sounds like it was lifted from a military how-to manual, you might be right. She cherishes the core values taught in the United States Air Force (more on that later) and both parents are retired from the United States Navy.