It’s been a memorable year for Audrey Bickel and halls of fame.
In February, the 2010 Andrean graduate and former star shortstop was inducted into the Andrean Sports Hall of Fame.
Last week, Bickel was announced as a member of the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame, overseen by the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association.
Bickel, who is the assistant director of annual giving for the Red Raider Club in Texas Tech’s athletic department, couldn’t attend the ceremony at Andrean because of work responsibilities, although family members represented her. The ICGSA ceremony was postponed until next June because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bickel, who also had a standout career at Ball State, cherishes this latest recognition.
“My first reaction was I couldn’t believe I graduated 10 years ago,” she said with a laugh. “Obviously it’s a huge honor. I go back to all the coaches and teammates I had. It definitely makes me nostalgic. It brings back a lot of good memories.”
Foremost among them: The 59ers won the Class 3A state championship in 2007, when she was a freshman. Sharing that experience with her sister Allison, then a senior first baseman, made it sweeter.
“Being able to play with my sister definitely was my favorite part,” she said.
Bickel hit the decisive home run in Andrean’s 2-0 win against defending champion Boonville. Alyssa Moseley led off the fourth inning with a single, and Bickel connected to center field with one out against Erika Taylor, who was 19-0 with a 0.20 ERA.
“We all knew how good their pitcher was,” Bickel said. “When I went up to bat with Alyssa on base, I knew we weren’t going to get many opportunities. I just took my best shot, and it worked out. Rounding third and coming home and having our whole team surround me, that was a great feeling.”
Bickel, who also led the 59ers to a runner-up finish in 2009, made first-team all-state in both her junior year and her senior year, when she was selected as a North All-Star. She made second-team all-state once.
She hit .474 with 30 home runs and 145 RBIs during her career. She graduated ranked in the top 10 in the state record book in nine categories, including No. 3 in career homers, No. 3 with 13 homers in a single season (2009) and No. 2 with a 29-game hitting streak.
Bickel was a three-year starting third baseman at Ball State, making first-team all-conference as a senior in 2014 and second team in 2012. The Cardinals won regular-season titles each of those three seasons. She hit .312 and ranks in the top 10 in program history with 25 homers and 149 RBIs.
Bickel also received the conference’s Medal of Excellence.
“The friendships I built there will last a lifetime,” Bickel said. “We had a lot of success my four years, and winning makes any experience a little better.”
Bickel graduated with a degree in sport administration, cum laude. She earned a master’s degree in 2016 while simultaneously working as a graduate assistant in the school’s office of engagement and giving.
Bickel landed a two-year post-graduate internship with the Red Raider Club in May 2017 and was hired for her current position in July 2019. Her responsibilities include raising money for scholarships and facilities.
“I always knew I wanted to stay part of athletics, particularly college athletics,” Bickel said. “I love that level.
“I’m definitely optimistic, but no one really knows what the fall is going to look like. With a big school, football is really important, and we’re working as if it’s going to be normal. You just try to do your day-to-day and stick to the grindstone. I’m super blessed to still have a job and my team, and we can still get things done.”
