22 saint francis magazine | fall 2025 Abby Robakowski spent a year chasing NCAA Division I dreams at Indiana State University, but gradually lost some of her passion for playing softball. In a fortuitous phone call, she shared her feelings with Saint Francis infielder Sam Baker. Robakowski and Baker became friends while playing travel softball together in their early teens. “Indiana State just wasn’t a great fit,” Robakowski said. “I was talking to Sam and telling her, ‘I’m not happy here, I want to find somewhere to transfer to.’ She said, ‘You should talk to (Saint Francis coach Ryan) Bolyn and check out the campus. I love it here and I’d love to play with you again.’” Robakowski talked for more than an hour with Bolyn, who has coached the Cougars’ softball team for 21 seasons. A Saint Francis alumnus, Bolyn knows exactly what Saint Francis has to offer student-athletes. “I felt like we just clicked, and then I got to see campus and I loved campus,” Robakowski said. “I thought, ‘I could really fit in here.’ So, I made the switch and I’m so happy here.” A happy softball player can often be a productive softball player. But “productive” doesn’t even come close to describing how Robakowski has fit in at Saint Francis, where she joined Baker—now her campus roommate and teammate—and a talented team. In helping the Cougars to a 29-21 record last spring, Robakowski set seven school single-season records: batting average (.515), hits (84), runs (60), doubles (23), home runs (17), runs batted in (57) and walks (24). She became the first Saint Francis player to be named First-Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, and she was a Second-Team NAIA All-American. Not surprisingly, she was named the Crossroads League Newcomer of the Year. Robakowski’s first season at Saint Francis marked the greatest offensive season by a Cougar in softball history. And she has two more years to try to top it. Photography by Jeffrey Crane (BA ’97) RESTART RECORD-SETTING In her first season playing softball for Saint Francis, third baseman Abby Robakowski rewrote the program’s hitting records. “You hope you can get people like her in the program,” Bolyn said. “She’s a great kid, a high-energy kid. She works her tail off, and you can just follow what she does. She’s a great leader that way, fun to play with and fun to coach. She really complements the rest of our team. We were good already, and she made us better.” Robakowski’s knack for winning and setting records is nothing new. As a senior at New Prairie High School in northwest Indiana, she led the school to its first state title and set the Indiana record for most home runs in a season. Bolyn said it often takes a former Division I athlete some time to adjust to NAIA pitching. “Abby adjusted much quicker than most of them do,” he said. “In Division I, every pitcher is throwing 60 to 70 (mph) and it was just fast, fast, fast,” Robakowski said. “Here, pitchers focus more on locations and spin, and it’s very different. I did a lot of work in the offseason with our own pitchers and that helped.” The Saint Francis softball team’s success last spring produced even higher expectations for next spring, as most of the team’s top players return. Six players received Crossroads League honors after last season. Reaching and advancing in the NAIA national tournament remains the team’s No. 1 priority, Robakowski said. Robakowski, a Health Services major, feels relaxed and optimistic about the year ahead because she’s found her perfect college home. “I have made so many friendships,” she said. “I know I can trust these girls. We have had so many laughs and made so many memories. I feel like I regained my love for softball.”
