Different Paths. Same Standard. GRIT+.

12/17/2025 10:00:00 AM | By: Aaron Kelly, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

ITHACA, N.Y. - The journeys that brought Cornell softball's coaching staff together could not be more different. One climbed steadily through the collegiate ranks while gaining international experience. Another arrived directly from professional softball, still immersed in elite competition. Another found her way home after coaching across multiple levels and rediscovering her purpose along the way.

Yet inside the Cornell softball program, those different paths converge around one clear and consistent standard.

That standard begins with head coach Tara Smith, whose promotion to the Jan Rock Zubrow '77 Head Coach of Softball position marked the continuation of a process she has helped build over time. While the opportunity came unexpectedly, Smith has embraced the responsibility with clarity and enthusiasm.

"It has been fun, challenging, emotional and rewarding so far," Smith said. "We've only just started, but I've loved every minute of it."

Smith's leadership philosophy has been shaped by coaching at nearly every level of the game, from high school and Division I to the international stage as head coach of Great Britain's U18 National Team. That breadth of experience has reinforced a belief she holds firmly: athletes succeed when they are supported as people first.

"I understand very clearly that the collegiate experience needs to be rewarding and enjoyable in order for the athletes to succeed," Smith said. "If we do that, the results will take care of themselves."

That mindset has guided Cornell's offensive growth in recent seasons. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, Smith emphasizes process, ownership, and understanding. Hitters are encouraged to learn the why behind adjustments and take responsibility for their development, a philosophy that has helped foster confidence and consistency throughout the lineup.

"Our offensive growth is a result of our athletes taking ownership, being prepared, consistent in their work, and investing in themselves every day," Smith said.

At the heart of the program is an identity built on intrinsic motivation. Cornell softball athletes are expected to care deeply about their growth, not because they are told to, but because they want to become the best versions of themselves.

That vision is strengthened by a staff whose experiences are intentionally diverse and deeply complementary.

For pitching coach Georgina Corrick, development begins with intent and trust. A current professional athlete and former NCAA standout, Corrick brings a perspective shaped by competing at the highest levels of the sport. Her transition into collegiate coaching has allowed her to expand the strategic and mental aspects of the game she always valued as a player.

"Managing a bullpen is radically different from being a part of one," Corrick explained. "Softball is like a game of chess. The real strategy is knowing your athletes well enough to always be one step ahead."

Corrick's approach centers on repeatability. Rather than chasing perfection, she teaches pitchers to focus on learning from every rep, reinforcing habits that can be sustained under pressure.

"Elite performance is only as achievable as it is repeatable," she said. "Every pitch is an opportunity to learn something new or reinforce something you want to repeat."

That philosophy shapes an environment where failure is not feared, but embraced. Corrick places heavy emphasis on the mental side of pitching, encouraging athletes to push limits in practice and develop trust in their preparation rather than relying solely on confidence.

"I like replacing confidence with trust," Corrick said. "To be in a high-pressure situation is a privilege because it means someone trusted you enough to put you there. Trust yourself enough to prove them right."

Her influence extends well beyond the pitching circle. Drawing from years of sharing the field with elite defenders and hitters, Corrick encourages preparation as a process rooted in awareness, information collection, and purposeful action.

"Preparation is not a final result but a necessary process," she noted. "If you can act with intent in the small things, you push the limits of what you thought was possible."

While Corrick represents the cutting edge of the sport, assistant coach Marisa Runyon brings a deeply personal connection to the program.

A Dryden, New York native, Runyon's return to Central New York carries special meaning. After coaching at the high school, Division II, and Division I levels, and stepping away briefly from the game, she found clarity in what softball has always represented in her life.

"Being back in a place I started playing the game truly feels like coming full circle," Runyon said. "It's incredibly special to be in an area that I love with the opportunity to give back."

Each stop along Runyon's journey added layers to her leadership style. Early head coaching responsibilities taught her confidence and humility, while navigating the uncertainty of a COVID-shortened season reinforced the importance of supporting student-athletes beyond the field.

"It really made you realize the importance of supporting your girls outside of softball as well," Runyon said.

As a former elite hitter at Alabama, Runyon brings championship-level expectations to player development, but she is intentional about meeting athletes where they are.

"Every single player has their own unique swing," she explained. "Our job is to help them understand their swing and make adjustments so they can be successful on their own."

Her practices are designed to be demanding, preparing athletes to respond when adversity inevitably arrives.

"You're going to fail. That's part of the game," Runyon said. "The quicker you can bounce back and make an adjustment, the more success you're going to see."

Runyon's competitive drive aligns seamlessly with Smith's vision for the program, one built on excellence without sacrificing connection.

"Coach Smith demands excellence in all that we do while also making you feel valued," Runyon said. "It's a people-first culture that values relationships as much as skill development."

Despite their different paths, the staff is united by a shared framework that defines daily expectations: GRIT+, which stands for Grateful, Resilient, Intentional, Tough and Prepared.

"That framework allows us to manage our success as well as our struggles," Smith said. "If we consistently live by these principles, we can trust we're doing things the right way."

GRIT+ shows up in the everyday experience of Cornell softball student-athletes, from the way they prepare for practice to how they support one another in the classroom, the weight room, and competition.

"When one falls behind, the others rise to meet her," Corrick said. "That commitment to trust and greatness strengthens what we can do collectively."

At Cornell, softball is not defined by a single season or a single role. It is shaped daily by intention, trust, and accountability. The standard does not shift based on circumstance, and it does not change with who is in the circle, the batter's box, or the dugout. It is lived in preparation, reinforced through adversity, and sustained through belief in the process.

Different paths brought this coaching staff together. Tara Smith's steady leadership, Georgina Corrick's elite competitive perspective, and Marisa Runyon's championship pedigree and personal connection to the program all contribute to a staff unified by purpose. Their journeys are distinct, but their expectations are shared.

For Cornell softball's student-athletes, that clarity matters. It means knowing what is demanded of them and why. It means being challenged to grow, supported through failure, and prepared for moments that extend far beyond the field. Growth as a player and growth as a person are not separate pursuits here; they are one and the same.

As the program continues to evolve, the direction is clear. The work is intentional. The belief is collective. And the standard remains unwavering.

Different paths. Same standard. GRIT+.