MISHAWAKA — Marian High School senior Sam DeFord isn't afraid to take charge.

"I like just being able to be in control and being able to control the tempo of the game,” she told WSBT Sports.

"She brings a lot of dedication to the sport of softball,” Marian head coach George Grenert said. “She really loves the game; I'm not so sure she loves the conditioning part of it! But I know she loves the game, and the technology of pitching if you will."

While Sam rules the mound, her 3.4 GPA proves that she's also follows the rules in the classroom.

Sam does a great job of balancing academics and athletics and she gives a lot of the credit to her coach.

"Everything we have to do is revolved around school, and athletics comes second so that makes it a lot easier,” she said. “He’s really understanding if you need to stay after school to get extra help, it's OK to miss practice.”

"We talk a lot about the academic side of softball, and the academics of the classroom, and that you have to try to balance the two, but I think she does a good job of all that,” Grenert said.

Next year Sam is heading to the University of Illinois in Chicago on a softball scholarship.

"I love Chicago in general,” she said. “I love the campus and the coaches are amazing and just seem really understanding, as far as I know!"

Before Sam finds out how understanding they actually are, she's got one more season left with the Knights, who are ranked sixth in the state.

"We have a lot of young talent and I think we come together on the field really well and we gel together really well,” she said.

Congratulations to Sam DeFord, the Burger King Outstanding Student Athlete of the Week!