Power at the Plate
Like Ray Kinsella in the movie Field of Dreams, Logan Halleman has been able to enjoy having a catch with her father Edward. Unlike the character portrayed by Kevin Costner, she has done so with her dad very much alive.
Those special moments began while growing up in Flower Mound and led her to ultimately choosing to play softball over lacrosse her junior year at Flower Mound High School.
“My dad played baseball (at Furman University) so he basically taught me everything I know,” she said. “We would just work out every day hitting and taking ground balls or fly balls. I really just fell in love with it. Lacrosse was fun, but the girls and my teammates I was so much closer to in softball. I guess I just related more. And I was a little bit better at softball than lacrosse.”
Her success caught the eye of Texas Tech University, which offered her a scholarship to play beginning in the 2023-24 season. While the Red Raiders didn’t make the NCAA Women’s World Series in Oklahoma City her first year, they did this year — finishing second to the University of Texas, in part because of Logan.
“It was so much fun,” said Logan, whose grandfather Norman played football at Illinois Wesleyan University. “It was amazing. Our team worked so hard even outside of practice in the (batting) cage and on the field. It definitely proved our work paid off and prepared us for the big game we’ve dreamed of since we were 8 years old. It was a dream come true.”
The 5-foot, 5-inch sophomore played mostly in left field for Tech after competing in the outfield her sophomore and junior years and shortstop her senior season at Flower Mound. This season, she played in 60 games, starting 24 and batting .340 with 15 stolen bases and scored 19 runs. Her freshman year, she started 34 of 44 games, finishing second on the squad in batting average at .345. She also had 18 stolen bases, which led the team and was third best in the Big 12 Conference.
Her efforts in 2023-24 netted her a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman team and as an Easton/NFCA Scholar Athlete.
“I just want to play, so put me in at any position, but my favorites are left and center,” said Logan, who attended Wellington Elementary and McKamy Middle schools. She began playing competitive softball at age 8 and joined the famed Texas Glory select program around age 12 and stayed through high school.
Logan’s senior season at Flower Mound resulted in setting school records for season and career batting average, stolen bases, hits, and runs as she was selected as a High School All-American. That led to her choosing Tech over the University of Mississippi.
“I chose Tech because it felt like home,” she said. “The coaches at the time before everything changed everyone there were the nicest people.” The sports management major has played for two coaches in two years.
“This past year there were only three returners – me and my two roommates. It was like a whole new team. Our coach (Gerry Glasco) brought some folks from Louisiana (Lafayette) and we had some transfers from a bunch of other schools. Having a new set of teammates and new coaches definitely helped. A lot of kids counted on Coach Glasco. He is a great coach. Becoming close to each other and playing with a new team definitely helped the new girls.”
Before returning to Lubbock for her junior year in August, Logan spent time in Florida with friends and Hilton Head, South Carolina, with her family. In between, she completed a workout program produced by the school’s strength and conditioning coach for use on a telephone application.
Logan’s team goal next season is to get that one extra win to take the national title. Individually, she’d like to earn more playing time.
“I would like to make a bigger impact on the team, which I did,” she said. “I also showed I could hit the ball too. I improved my power this year with doubles and triples and hope to play more so I can help my teammates.”
