Bowler’s Paiser commits to St. Norbert

Bowler High School senior Morgan Paiser took the next step in her athletic career when she signed a letter of intent to play softball at St. Norbert College on May 3 in front of family, teammates, coaches and classmates inside the school’s gymnasium.

“It means a lot,” said Paiser after signing. “There’s been a lot of tears, especially the last couple days. It’s kind of like it’s hit. Ten years of lots of hard work, countless nights out on the field hitting balls. It’s finally paid off.”

Paiser’s recruitment process wasn’t a quick one. It wasn’t until a second visit to St. Norbert that the Bowler athlete decided that’s where she wanted to continue playing.

“The coach (JoAnn Krueger) was just so welcoming. She felt like a grandma (to me),” said Paiser while chuckling. “She’s just so nice.”

Paiser, who also played volleyball and basketball at Bowler, added that the St. Norbert campus also appealed to her, and having the school be “close to home” was also a plus.

While Paiser’s high school career has been hampered by the pandemic and some shortened springs because of inclement weather, she’s left her mark.

As a junior, Paiser landed on the Central Wisconsin Conference-North Division honorable mention team. She drove in eight runs and clubbed six doubles during the conference portion of the season to help nab that honor, and ended up finishing near the top of the conference in RBIs for the entire spring.

This spring has added another dimension to Paiser’s high school career, with Gresham athletes joining the softball team to form a co-op.

Bowler was able to schedule the signing at a time when both her Bowler teammates and new Gresham teammates could be in attendance, which Paiser enjoyed greatly.

“It was actually nice that we got Gresham here,” said Paiser, adding there were issues earlier in the week.

“It was comforting knowing I have a family backing me up no matter what.”

With the high school softball season still ongoing, there’s time for Paiser to continue making memories. She said she’s hit a few home runs in her lifetime, but hopes to hit a grand slam before she heads off to college.

After her high school career comes to a close, Paiser will continue putting in the work so she can earn a prominent role on the St. Norbert team.

The Green Knights senior first baseman will leave after this season, and the coaching staff believes Paiser could be the one taking over that spot in the years to come. She also said third base would be another option.

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