Former Bay Port standout Emma Krueger shines for UWGB softball

Emma Krueger thought her collegiate softball career was over in 2024, medically retiring after two years at NJCAA Division II Rock Valley College in Illinois because of injuries and illnesses that took a toll on her body. It started with a torn labrum before her freshman year in 2023 that sidelined her the entire season. It occurred during the team’s final preparations when she was injured sliding into second.

It took six or seven months after surgery to return to health, but Krueger had a big 2024. She displayed her talents at the plate, hitting . 364 with eight home runs, 34 RBI and 36 runs.

She also became the first player in program history to win a Gold Glove for her work at first base. Krueger was set for an NCAA Division I opportunity at Northern Illinois the following season. But she started having stomach issues that plagued her at the end of that 2024 campaign – she missed one game after ending up in the hospital – and resulted in her gallbladder being removed.

Krueger never even made it to NIU before stepping away from the game. Enough was enough. Her body had given out on her.