SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Kylie Harmon

Hard works always pays off

Unlike many student-athletes, Samford didn't find Kylie Harmon. Kylie Harmon found Samford.

Harmon was first introduced to Samford during high school. While playing volleyball for St. James High School in Matthews, Ala., Harmon's team would play in the volleyball tournament that is hosted by Samford's neighbor, Homewood High School, every fall.

"We would come up here and go to the tournament and we'd always just drive around the Samford campus before leaving," Harmon said. "Ever since then, because it's a gorgeous campus, I just fell in love with it."

Harmon played basketball, volleyball and softball throughout her grade school years. She decided to drop basketball her senior year and soon decided that she would like to play softball at the next level. She officially visited Samford over Spring Break during her senior year, but athletics was not part of her tour.

Harmon walked onto the Samford softball team her freshman year after she contacted head coach Beanie Ketcham over the summer. Ketcham sent Harmon the team's workout. She did the workout, came campus in good shape and passed the ever-daunting fitness test. Ketcham decided to give Harmon a try and at the end of her freshman year, the infielder had earned a scholarship.

"I've always been a firm believer that hard work always pays off," Harmon said. "I've always believed that. And Beanie, I feel like, is the same way. If you work hard, you know, she's going to give you that look. It's been such an honor to be able to put on that Samford jersey every year."

Three years later, Harmon is able to share that honor with her younger sister, Robyn. Kylie Harmon has been able to show her sister the ropes of collegiate softball as well as back her up when she in the pitcher's circle and play alongside her when she is in the outfield.

"I couldn't think of a better way to go out than being able to play with Robyn," Harmon said. "It's almost like a Cinderella ending."

According to Ketcham, Harmon is the ultimate Bulldog. Her work ethic and attention to detail are unparalleled. She leads by example on and off the field.

"I've always been of the opinion that actions speak louder than words," Harmon said. "It's one thing to be able to talk it, but if you can walk it, that says a lot more. I definitely think that I am a leader by example. I may not necessarily be the best player on the team, but I think being able to work hard and give that effort...there are just no excuses not to do that."

Harmon has faced a few obstacles this year that she could have used as excuses to not give her all and not lead by example. However, she has chosen to rise above them and use them as fuel to spur her on.

She has played the past month with a broken finger on her throwing hand and earlier this season, she and her sister, along with their family, were devastated by the death of her brother.
After a short break from playing, the Harmon sisters made the decision to return to the field. They were received with open arms by their "other family" - a loving and supportive family of three coaches and 14 fellow teammates.

"I'm going to be honest with you," Harmon said. "We could not have made it this far without the team. I cannot tell you the countless number of text messages, calls and hugs that we've gotten over the past months now that have just made the days go by better. We were dreading coming back, but at the same time, we knew we were coming back to our other family."

Both Kylie and Robyn Harmon have returned as two of the most impactful players on the team as of late. Harmon is second on the team in hitting going into the Southern Conference Tournament with a .370 batting average. She leads the team in stolen bases and is just one away from tying fellow senior Jessica Owens' record of 20 stolen bases in a season.

Harmon has also excelled in the classroom as she was named a 2007-08 NFCA Scholar-Athlete at the beginning of this season. She is a five-time Dean's List member and has posted a 4.0 grade-point average three times. She was named to the OVC's Commissioner's Honor Roll her first three years, and was named to Samford's Highest Honors Club in Spring 2007 and Spring 2008.

Harmon was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma College Athlete Honor Society last spring, and she was the athletic department's nominee for the NCAA's Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship this year. She recently received a post-graduate scholarship from the Southern Conference called the Camp Champs Scholarship.

Upon graduation, Harmon hopes to go to veterinary school at Auburn University and one day open up her own small animal veterinary practice with her younger sister, Robyn.

When asked what the one thing is that she will miss about playing softball, Harmon said:
"Just the camaraderie of the team. We are a very, very tight-knit team. Being able to see all the girls every day and just being able to step across those lines and work towards a goal together. That's why I love team sports because it's a group of different people, working together for something. It's great to be part of something so big."