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How Rachel Roupe transformed into one of the nation's best outfielder

Reitzheadshotby:Nicole Reitz•about 12 hours•

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Screenshot 2025-04-15 at 11.39.56 AM
Courtesy of Jessie Jordan/Liberty Athletics

It took about three days as a Liberty Flame before Rachel Roupe presented her coaching staff with a backup plan. Upon arrival to Virginia, bicep tendonitis was ripping through her pitching arm and shoulder, making it unbearable to throw in a windmill motion anymore. 

Though she was recruited solely as a pitcher during her freshman year of high school, she experimented a bit with the outfield shortly after. It was a better fit than she thought. Plus, she strengthened her presence at the plate. 

With those skills in her back pocket, she was determined to save her career and prove that she could still benefit the program despite a loss to the pitching staff. 

“I knew I had to let go of pitching because it would be the best thing for our program and my body physically,” Roupe said. “I got with my coaches and told them I wanted to do outfield workouts and said I would rather focus on outfield and hitting. I was able to do what I wanted, and that was nice of (my coaches). They trusted that I was going to get the job done.”

Along with Roupe, assistant coach Sami Fagan was new to the program. Losing a pitcher on the roster is something no coach wants to hear, but they had to adjust. While it was worrisome at first, little did Fagan and the rest of the coaching staff know that Roupe in the outfield and her bat at the plate would be one of the best things to happen to the program. 

“I was kinda upset because I knew we needed a pitcher, but I had never seen her hit and had never seen her play outfield,” Fagan said. “And then I saw her play, and I was like, wow. Thank goodness we used her in the outfield.” 

With previous experience in just center and left, Roupe was put in right field for the first time, but it turned out to be destiny for her and the Flames. The Gold Glove-esque player has started nearly every game and has kept a keen fielding percentage, currently at .983. 

She has taken the opportunity in the outfield to see the game differently than she did on the mound and has allowed herself to become a free player and vocal leader. 

“I just love outfield,” Roupe said. I am very grateful for that (opportunity). In the outfield, I talk to all the players in front of me and our outfield circle. I just love being able to track balls down. I have a strong arm, and I love throwing the ball super hard. I feel like it just lets me play a lot more freely.” 

Stepping away from pitching and into right field allowed Roupe to focus more time on hitting as well. She entered her senior season ranked fifth in program history in home runs (40), tied for fourth in hit by pitch (20), sixth in extra-base hits (79) and walks (89), seventh in RBI (137), tied for eighth in total bases (326) and sacrifice flies (6) and ninth in runs scored (120). 

After shaking off the nerves of freshman year and the minor slumps of sophomore year, her junior year broke out a whole new ball player from an underclassman to an upperclassman. Prioritizing her mental strength and being in the present moment have been the keys to success for Roupe, and those numbers have carried into her senior season. 

“My junior year, I started strong, and the ball was like a beachball to me,” Roupe said. That momentum carried throughout my season, and I was able to see how much potential I had, and it didn’t matter who we were playing, I was just showing up for myself every day and staying committed to that.” 

Fagan has seen Roupe blossom exponentially throughout the last four years. Forming her batting stance and pushing her to go after the hardest fly balls in the outfield has pushed her to new heights. But the perfectionist within Roupe is what Fagan says stands out over others. 

“Roupe is a coach’s dream,” Fagan said. “She is constantly asking questions about how she can get better. Every single play in the outfield, she is like, ‘What could I have done, should I have done this?’ She is constantly critiquing herself and seeing what she can do to be the best out there. Her constant drive to improve herself obviously has paid off the longer she is here.” 

While Roupe has made Liberty history at the plate and has put up those Gold Glove-type numbers on defense, her ultimate goal has never been about herself. While the Flames have had the best start to a season in program history, Roupe wants to continue being present and make another great run in the postseason. 

“It is really hard to give myself credit for what I have done,” Roupe said. Looking back on my career, if you had told me my freshman year what my career was going to be like, I would have said you were crazy. Stats will take care of itself. I play my best when I don’t even worry about that stuff anyway. I want our team to compete to our best ability in every game because we are fully capable of it.”

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