Former Benet softball star Nina Pesare got some good advice before beginning her college career at Illinois-Chicago.

Benet coach Janet Royal played at Illinois State after graduating from Benet in 2002.

“When you’re looking at schools, you always have to make sure that the school is the right fit for you first because obviously softball is great, but you have to make sure that academically it’s the right fit,” Royal said. “But you also have to remember that Division I is a complete commitment to studies, to playing the sport all year round, to conditioning all year round.

“You just have to make sure you’re ready for that commitment.”

Pesare got the message.

“She did tell me that you are going to be very, very busy, and she was telling me to try to have so much fun with it,” Pesare said. “There are going to be days where you’re questioning, “Why I am doing this?’ She just told me to make the most of it.”

Pesare, who led Benet to third place in Class 3A as a junior in 2023 and was a 4A all-state first-team pick in 2024, was prepared to do just that. Still, she got a bit of a shock when she arrived at UIC.

“You don’t really realize before you come into school and start playing a Division I sport how intense it really is,” Pesare said. “Some people even say it’s like a job, and I think I definitely learned that this past year.”

Those lessons began in September with offseason training.

“It was three days a week, waking up at 5 in the morning and then going to lift or work out at 6,” Pesare said. “That was definitely something I had to acclimate to. I was not ready for that.”

Those morning workouts were immediately followed by classes, study halls and then afternoon practices.

“Your day is packed,” Pesare said. “Our coaches tell us to treat this like a job. It’s a lot to handle, but it was definitely a great experience and something that I love to do.”

Pesare adjusted quickly and saw immediate results. She started the first 19 games of the season in left field and played in 40 games overall, including 30 starts.

“That was a great opportunity,” she said. “I’m very grateful that I got to start.”

Pesare, who batted .475 in 244 plate appearances during her three-year varsity career at Benet, struggled at times offensively in her first season at UIC. Hitting mostly first or second in the lineup, she batted .231 with 19 runs scored and a team-high five stolen bases in six attempts.

“The pitchers that we are facing in college, not a lot of them are freshmen,” Pesare said. “Most of them had pitched against other Division I athletes for at least a year.”

Pesare coped by keeping a journal and remaining upbeat. She excelled in the field, finishing with a .957 fielding percentage, tallying 63 putouts and three assists against only three errors.

“I’m very big on the mental aspect of the game, and I’m also big in putting my trust in God and my faith,” Pesare said. “When I was having a bad game, I would write down what I did, and the next game I would come in and fix it.

“In high school, if I had a low batting average, I probably would not have handled it as well as I did this year.”

Pesare is looking forward to her sophomore year. After posting a 9-46 record this past season, the Flames hired former DePaul standout Megan Coronado as their coach.

“I don’t think our record shows who we actually were as a team,” Pesare said. “I think we were a great team. It just didn’t go our way.

“I think it’s kind of fueled a fire underneath everyone. I’m excited to get back to school and put the work in because we really want to win.”

Royal won’t be surprised if Pesare, who is majoring in biology and aspires to become a dentist, helps the Flames take a big leap forward in 2026.

“It’s always great to see the girls that graduate from our program go on to Division I,” Royal said. “She was definitely the role model on our team and just one of the hardest workers.

“I think she adjusted well to the college level, and I can’t wait to see where she goes in the next couple years.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.