For some athletes, dreams unfold slowly—but for Gabby, her moment came in a single, unforgettable day on the field. “I went down to a recruit day and got to practice with the team, and that’s when the coach offered me. I wasn’t really expecting it to happen quite yet; I thought she would have taken more time to think it over. I felt like I had to suppress it at first, but I went over and told my parents right away. It was definitely a very exciting moment,” said Gabby.
Division 2 commit, Gabby Cunningham, first sparked her interest in the sport at Latrobe Little League, playing tee-ball and baseball. At the age of twelve, Gabby transitioned to softball and instantly fell in love with it. She played one year of rec, and going into middle school, she started playing travel ball for the first time.
Gabby plays travel ball for Nitro 18u Pagliei as the team’s center fielder. Throughout the summer, the team traveled to Ohio and various places around the area for tournaments. They also went to multiple showcases, which Gabby believed helped her get recognized by college coaches.
“My most recent coaches, Ashley Pagliei and her dad, really believed that I could play in college. Before I met them, I didn’t really plan to play in college, so they definitely had a big impact on my career,” said Gabby.
Not only does Gabby put countless hours into softball, but she also trains outside of it. Once a week, Gabby attends hitting lessons at Domination Sports to get in extra practice. On top of that, she also goes to Innate Fitness to work out and improve her speed, strength, and agility. “Soccer season just ended, so now I’m just going to focus on softball, so like getting back in the gym lifting and hitting, and working on my mental game so I can try and be the best player I can be,” said Gabby. These extra workouts and practice have played a big role in Gabby’s commitment and have helped her become a better athlete.
“My parents have always been my biggest supporters, and have always given me access to get whatever I needed to get to this level,” said Gabby. They always drove her to various places, got her hitting lessons, and got her into the gym. Gabby’s mom is also willing to go outside and load the machine or throw a front toss to help Gabby when hitting.
On October 14, Gabby committed to play softball at Point Park University. The center fielder had the idea that she might continue her career at Point Park, but other schools she looked at were Penn State Behrend and Shippensburg. Gabby knew she wanted to attend a school somewhat local. “I knew I wanted to go somewhere not super close to home, but also not far away,” said Gabby.
“Last year, we went to the student media day, and that was the first time I had been on campus. I knew I had always liked the city, and it had a great program for what I wanted to do. Then, when I found out they had a softball team, everything just kind of fell into place. It was perfect,” said Gabby.
Gabby plans to major in Sports Broadcasting at Point Park. She was first inspired by it when she took Intro to Broadcasting her freshman year. From there, her love for broadcasting continued to grow. Gabby has always had an interest in sports as well, so she knew she wanted to pursue a career in that field. She then went on to take Sports Broadcasting for two years.
Gabby attended college-sponsored camps to learn more about Broadcasting. The first one she attended was at Penn State University. The camp was held at the Bellasario College of Communications and had many great learning experiences. While Gabby was there, she got to do news packages and work in the studio hands-on to get the college experience.
The next camp she attended was more journalism-based at the University of North Carolina. Gabby got to interview a basketball player and then continued to write a story about him. It was cool because she got to see a different side of everything.
When Gabby attended the Sports and Broadcast Camp this past summer at Point Park, it was exactly where she wanted to be. While there, she learned about all the different aspects, such as photography, sports writing, broadcasting, and podcasting, as well. But the most exciting thing Gabby got to do was play-by-play with Point Park Alumni and Pirates announcer Greg Brown. After experiencing the camp, Gabby had solidified that she wanted to go there.
Gabby’s commitment to Point Park University marks a new and exciting chapter in her athletic and academic career. She’s combining two of her biggest passions-playing the game she loves, and telling stories that will inspire others. Gabby is building a future that connects her love for the game with her dream of sharing it with others. Her determination and hard work not only highlight her athletic skills but also give her the strength to be a confident voice in the world of sports media.
