NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Roné Phelps, a senior from Nolensville, Tenn., has been inspirational and inspiring through her own battles to stay on the diamond for the Trojan softball team. This cornerstone of the rising of the Trevecca Nazarene University (Tenn.) softball program will play her final two home games on Thursday night.

Roné was recruited by former Trevecca head coach Angela Sullivan, and before Roné could put her spike marks on the infield, she lost her freshman season with an injury. Another injury in the fall of 2004 forced Roné to postpone until this spring her senior year.

The most impressive thing about Roné has been her ability to shrug off the injuries and focus on getting back on the field. To see her on the field is to understand the joy she derives from playing the game and with her teammates. Through it all, she is approaching becoming the schools career hits leader among other significant marks. Phelps has 205 career hits, Jami Toomey holds the record with 218. Phelps is top five in six career categories at Trevecca and is top three in three categories. Phelps is second in season batting average and is third in season on base percentage and triples. She is on pace this season to finish ranked in the top five season rankings for doubles, hits, RBI and runs scored.

According to her coach, Roné is bootstraps. Coach Reynolds says, "Roné is what college athletics are all about: someone taking the opportunity and running with it and making the most of her ability and opportunities. She's what Trevecca is all about."

Phelps took a season to rehab and delayed her freshmen season. Her red shirt freshman season set the tone for her career. She worked hard, and the results were evident in what is still one of the best statistical freshmen seasons on record. Phelps hit .370 with 14 doubles, 22 runs scored, three triples, and 29 RBI. The freshman only struck out 11 times in 154 at bats and had 77 total bases. Phelps was named All-NAIA Region XI, All-TranSouth, All-TranSouth Academic, and was named the TranSouth Player of the Week during the season.

During her sophomore season Roné was limited to just 119 at bats because of an injury, but she still produced an impressive .437 batting average and scored 31 runs, with nine doubles, five triples, three home runs, and 22 RBI. Roné was named to the All-TranSouth Academic team for the second consecutive season.

Her junior season produced another strong performance with 39 games and a .369 batting average. Phelps added 20 runs scored, four doubles, 16 RBI, and just seven strikeouts in 122 at bats.

Phelps' delayed senior campaign has been worth the wait: she has produced her finest season. Phelps is hitting .408 with 30 runs scored, 14 doubles, four home runs, 79 total bases, and 35 RBI. Phelps has already posted personal best numbers in stolen bases, RBI, doubles, home runs, and total bases.  Her injuries not withstanding, Phelps has a triple and has been successful on six of her seven stolen base attempts.

Phelps has been a cornerstone in the Trevecca softball program's best years in school history. Phelps has witnessed (during red shirt freshman season) the program's first winning season, first conference winning season, first 30-win season, first conference title (red shirt senior year), first Region XI Tournament berth, first NAIA National ranking, and the highest national ranking in school history.

On the field of play Phelps' teams have produced a 126-65 overall record and 41-27 in TranSouth play. Only Evyn Terry's teams have produced more wins overall or in conference play (Terry's team records are 132-53 overall record and 42-26 in TranSouth play). Phelps in

Some of the character Roné has shown was evidenced when she participated as a full member of the team during her red shirt freshmen season and her willingness to do anything the coaching staff wanted or the team needed while rehabbing. As she headed into her senior season, the coach  who recruited her left, and Roné, facing another ACL surgery that fall, chose to sit out of school so that she could retain her final semester of eligibility.

Further showing her love for the game and desire to end her career on her terms, Phelps took a job working in the office of a landscape company during her break and coached a youth softball team. Not only did she coach the youth softball team, she led them to nationals.

Roné's journey to Trevecca is an interesting one as well. Her parents owned a farm in upstate New York during her youth. During her early teen years her parents decided to move south because the future of the family farm looked bleak. Roné and her parents, letter carriers for the U.S. Postal Service, packed up and moved to Tennessee.

Even though Roné might be the first in her family to graduate from college, she isn't content with a undergraduate degree. Phelps, who plans to be a forensic pathologist, has just been accepted will start classes in the Trevecca Physician Assistant Program next month.