Heather Tarr says Washington seniors still deciding on futures

Heather Tarr will always be thankful for the 2023 season’s senior class, but the Washington skipper is waiting to see what they decide to do moving forward.

After the Huskies season came to an end on Sunday, Tarr spoke with the media for a bit, where she elaborated on the timeline concerning the future of some of her most talented players.

“We have three that are still deciding on what they’re going to do, and that’s up to them, us a little bit. I just think it’s taught us a lot about the super senior retention. It’s a challenging experience to be at a place for five years,” stated Tarr. “Of course it’s wonderful when you leave and you finish at the College World Series, but some of them have to extend their academics. At the University of Washington, it’s not easy to get into a grad school program that you love. So sometimes you’re just hanging on for the opportunity to play.

“Sometimes as an athlete that’s female, sometimes that’s hard to do. So I think we’ve learned a lot about how to nurture that fifth-year senior, but also at some point things have to turn over. There’s futures and new people that you get to grow and you get to develop. Of course it’s going to look a lot different next year without at least the super seniors, but as a program, it’s a great opportunity for us to just continue to build and continue to have those guys build Husky softball for us, Ruby Meylan, Syd Stewart, Alana Johnson, and Brooklyn Carter.”

While it’s tough for Tarr to think about the future following being sent home from the Women’s College World Series due to losses to Florida State (3-1) and Stanford (1-0), the future is bright for the Huskies, and they should be a tough out for years to come. Whether or not their seniors have played their last game for Washington, they helped build a foundation that will be grown for years to come.

Sometimes, that’s all you can ask out of your players as a head coach. There’s only one victor at the end of the season, but Washington should hold their heads high regardless.

Heather Tarr had a special bunch in 2023 that won’t be soon forgotten. Now, the challenge of building on their success will become the focus, and nobody will be doubting them this time around.