Fiona Crane, a Mother McAuley graduate and Northern Illinois transfer, realized right away what her strengths and weaknesses would be on the softball field for St. Xavier.
It’s something she learned even before her high school career began.
“Speed in general as my M.O. started when I was 12 and I was slapping the ball,” Crane said, looking back on her early days in the sport. “I always knew that speed was more of my game.
“I’m not the most powerful and I’m not going to hit it over the fence.”
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The senior center fielder doesn’t need to hit home runs to be effective.
Crane, who transferred to play for Cougars before last season, has become the most dangerous base stealer in the country on the NAIA level.
In 2025, Crane earned the Golden Shoe Award, leading the nation with 71 stolen bases. She also was the CCAC’s player of the year as well as being named a second team All-American.
This spring, she already has 33 stolen bases for St. Xavier (11-8). With 30 more games on the schedule, not counting CCAC Tournament and potential postseason play, she’s on pace for 85 steals, which would beat the NAIA record by four.
But she still has some team goals in mind.
“As cool as that would be, the biggest goal is the World Series,” she said. “I know the stolen bases will help. I won the Golden Shoe, but our team didn’t make it to the World Series last year.
“So it was only cool for a little bit.”
St. Xavier coach Erin Mollohan knew what was coming when Crane made the move from DeKalb to Chicago, but she wasn’t expecting these eye-popping numbers.
“She’s impressing me all of the time,” Mollohan said of Crane. “She’s impressing everybody. She will do things people shouldn’t do. She’s fantastic. We love having her.”
Mollohan confirmed there’s more to Crane’s game than the ability to run fast on the bases.
“We’re all about speed on this team and we know Fiona is fast,” Mollohan said. “But what people leave out about Fiona is her instincts. She’s obviously lightning fast.
“Her instincts and aggressiveness are what make her so great.”
So what goes through Crane’s head when she reaches first base?
“I’m watching the pitcher,” she said. “I know that this year I have a target on my back. It’s no surprise that I’m going.”
While Crane watches the pitcher, she understands that many eyes also are on her.
“I have the umpires watching me now to make sure I’m not leaving early,” Crane said. “I know the catcher knows I’m going, too, so I’m in her head a little bit.
“She needs a good catch and to prop her feet and make a good throw. I just have to get to the bag and slide. I have that edge there.”
St. Xavier’s program record for career stolen bases is 132 by Lyda Robinson from 2019 to 2023. Crane can wipe that out in two seasons.
The Cougars open CCAC play on March 20 at Judson. Last season, St. Xavier went 16-0 in conference and is hoping for another big season as Crane closes her competitive softball career.
An elementary education major, she’s getting a jump on teaching young players the finer points of the game. Crane and teammate Lily Strand, an Evergreen Park graduate, are coaching the 10U Strikes out of Berwyn.
“It’s a fun age because they are 10,” Crane said. “We get to start teaching them all of the beginning stuff and they are so excited to play.”
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Just like Crane is.
“I just love the team aspect of softball,” she said. “When you are up to bat, you are by yourself but you have the team doing different cheers.
“When I’m out in center, no one is close to me and I can hear the dugout. It’s such a team sport where you get to perform individually.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.