A Coach’s Dream: Mary Chvatal sets standard for UNK softball
KEARNEY – Game after game, season after season, Mary Chvatal has been a constant for the University of Nebraska at Kearney softball team.
The senior shortstop from Wahoo built her career on consistency, reliability and an unmatched work ethic, etching her name in the school record book while setting a standard for the program moving forward.
A two-time All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection, Chvatal will play in her 200th and final game as a Loper this weekend when UNK hosts rival Fort Hays State during a doubleheader at Dryden Park. That ties a program record set by Julie Norskov in the mid-1980s.
Already UNK’s all-time leader in walks (115), Chvatal also ranks sixth in program history in stolen bases (63), and she needs just three assists (389) to move into second place on that career list.
Head coach Katie Ackermann calls her a “one-of-a-kind athlete.”
“She does everything the right way,” Ackermann said. “She bought into this program from Day 1 and truly left an imprint on UNK softball. Mary is someone every coach dreams about having in their program.”
Leading by Example
The youngest of five siblings, Chvatal grew up in a sports-oriented family. Her brother and two sisters were college athletes, so there were plenty of opportunities to watch and compete at an early age.
“All of my older sisters played softball, so I spent a lot of my childhood at the field learning from them,” said Chvatal, who started in the local rec league before joining a club team around age 12.
At Bishop Neumann High School, she was a multisport athlete in softball, basketball and track, helping lead the Cavaliers to a Class C state championship in 2021. Chvatal earned all-state honors and later competed in the Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game.
One of her assistant coaches happened to be a former teammate of Ackermann’s at Chadron State College, so word quickly spread west about a hardworking, talented athlete in Wahoo.
“I really wanted to bring more of that Nebraska culture into our program,” Ackermann said. “I knew right away she was going to earn a spot on this team and be an impact player for us.”
Chvatal was already familiar with Kearney and central Nebraska since one of her sisters used to live in Cozad, so the decision to become a Loper was an easy one.
“I remember having a thought in seventh grade that I was going to go to UNK. I just had a gut feeling about it,” she said with a smile.
A four-year starter, Chvatal has played in every game over the past three seasons, leading the Lopers in batting average, hits, runs scored and steals as both a sophomore and junior. She has a team-best 36 walks, 27 runs, 12 steals and .428 on-base percentage this season.
Beyond the stats, she became a “coach on the field.”
“She definitely leads with action and sets an expectation for our team,” Ackermann said. “Mary wants to win, and she’s helped everyone around her become uncomfortable with losing.”
Chvatal’s career unfolded during a stretch when team success was limited, a reality that became part of her growth process.
“This experience has taught me how to weather storms and handle adversity in all areas of life, because things won’t always be perfect,” she said. “I definitely wish we had won more games, but I’m also grateful for the opportunity I was given to play college softball and contribute to this program.”
She may not have a conference championship to remember, but Chvatal found something even more meaningful.
“I’ve met some of my best friends through softball,” she said. “Getting to play with them and for them has been the most enjoyable part for me.”
Academic Commitment
Next week, Chvatal will graduate magna cum laude with a degree in journalism and minors in strategic communication and creative writing. The MIAA Scholar-Athlete and CSC Academic All-District honoree has always taken her work in the classroom as seriously as her play on the field.
“My mom is a guidance counselor, so she was always like, ‘School first. School first,’” Chvatal said with a laugh. “That’s been my main focus. Softball has been a fun thing I get to do, too.”
Her resume reflects that commitment.
Chvatal served as a reporter for The Antelope student newspaper, contributed to KLPR radio and wrote feature stories for UNK Communications and Marketing. She was also part of organizations such as the Lambda Pi Eta honor society, Ad/PR Club and Students in Mass Media.
A key piece of her professional development came through an internship with News Channel Nebraska, where she gained additional experience in broadcast, radio and digital reporting.
“The classes and experiences I’ve had covered such a wide variety of journalism, from broadcast news and radio to newspaper and websites. I feel very prepared going into life after college because of this,” she said.
A manager at Fanatics Sports Bar, Chvatal plans to remain in Kearney after graduation while pursuing opportunities in journalism.
While her next chapter is just beginning, her legacy at UNK is already firmly established.
“She’s going to be a kid who you remember for what she’s done here,” Ackermann said. “I’m truly blessed to have been able to coach someone like Mary, and I hope I get to coach a few more people just like her in the upcoming seasons.”
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