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Although she never had an official at-bat for the Cerritos College softball team, Danielle Rivera has signed with NAIA school Cardinal Stritch University in Wisconsin. Rivera, who will have all four years of eligibility remaining, was part of the Falcon softball team during the 2020 Covid-19 season where the college opted out of competition. The first baseman/outfielder from La Serna High will be joining a Cardinals team that went 18-17 in 2021.

"I have known Coach (Katherine) Hannagan at Cardinal Stritch since my senior year of high school ever since my travel ball coach's daughter introduced me," stated Rivera. "She offered me my senior year for a visit, but at the time I was already committed to Cerritos College and it was just too late for me personally to go to that school. It's the beginning of my sophomore year (academically) of college and I get a text from Coach Hannagan saying, 'hey, we're still interested in you. We'd like to have you come out for a visit let us know when you're available'. At that moment, I was talking to Alabama A&M and Belmont (TN) University, so I was like, 'wow... this coach has been staying in contact with me for two and a half years and is still interested'. After my visits with the other schools, and having conversations with some four-year schools in California, I decided to take the visit to Stritch in October."

"I never would have expected an NAIA school to catch my eye until I went to visit this school," continued Rivera (pictured, left). "The girls and the coaching staff were super welcoming. I got to stay in the girl's apartments and then I went to stay in the dorms the next day. I got to see their underground facility and watched a few of the sports teams games. It was just overall an amazing time on campus. Besides the softball team, the academics and the diversity of the school was just amazing. I fell in love after two days. What convinced me right away was the job opportunities that I get to make out of being a student at that school and the priorities that school has for their students to get internships and jobs right after college."

Rivera, who focused her time in high school playing on travel ball teams, knew that due to the pandemic, many scholarships that would normally be available, would be limited. She was getting contacted by schools in Tennessee, Colorado, Arizona and Kansas, along with Cardinal Stritch. That helped her make the decision to come to Cerritos College, where she was trained under head coach Kodee Murray (pictured, above right with Rivera) and her father Bud, who serves as the team's hitting coach. Prior to making the decision to come to Cerritos, she met with Murray and assistant coach Josh Mussleman, who gave her a tour of the campus and most importantly, Nancy Kelly Field, considered to be one of the best at the community college level in the state.

"There's no doubt we're going to miss out on Danielle's big bat," stated Murray. "I think missing last year affected everyone in a different way. Danielle has wanted to play at the next level since she got here, so for her to get this opportunity, I think it was a geat decision on her part. I really believe she's going to thrive in that environment."

Initially looking to play first base, her natural position, the Falcons were asking her to play in the outfield for the first time. Over the course of the 2020 season when the team was allowed to meet and practice, all the way through the fall semester in 2020, Rivera worked on tracking fly balls and hitting the cut-off. She was showing marked improvements, which will only increase her availability for Cardinal Stritch.

"I came to Cerritos as a first base recruit and for my big bat," commented Rivera (pictured, right with her family). "You look at me and see height, you instantly think, oh yea she's a corner position. But my freshman year, Coach Murray saw speed. I don't know how or where, but she saw that in me and said 'outfielder'. I was in shock! I've never played outfield in the 15 years I've been playing this game. Not once have I played that position. And so throughout this year and a half, I've worked with my coaches before and after practices to enhance my speed and my mechanics to be the best outfielder I could be. If my freshman year self would see how much I've improved, I wouldn't have thought it was the same person from a year ago."

The big bat, along with her versatility as a first baseman and now someone with outfield experience, is just a portion of what Rivera feels she can add to the Wolves for the upcoming season.

"I feel like I can bring energy and a strong mentality to play the game," commented Rivera. "Once I met these girls, everything they did was softball. Even if they didn't have practice, they'd be in the weight room or hitting in the facility. The mindset there is something you don't see a lot. But I think I can bring a big bat to the lineup, 100%, and I'm hoping to compete with the tough conference that we do have and win it all."

Rivera, who will be majoring in Sports Communications with aspirations of enhancing her baseball podcast and becoming a commentator for the MLB, shouldn't have any issues when it comes to communicating on the field.