HATTIESBURG, Miss. --Â The term cornerstone is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "a basic element or foundation". For five seasons, the Southern Miss softball program has had not one, but two student-athletes that fit this definition.
Graduate students Tata Davis and Destini Brown have donned the Black & Gold since 2018, and through five spectacular seasons, the pair have etched their names into the Southern Miss record books.Â
Both standouts had to decide whether they wanted to return for their final year of eligibility in 2022. For Brown, the choice to return was an easy one, as her desire to compete and build a legacy at Southern Miss brought the McComb, Miss. native back for one final season with head coach Brian Levin.
"I knew I was going to come back before the end of last season," Brown said. "I told Coach Levin at the end of the season that I was going to come back and he asked, 'what made you decide?' I just knew I wanted to continue to compete."
However, for Davis, the decision wasn't as clear. The second baseman strongly considered hanging up her cleats, but her friendship with Brown and the idea of one last ride brought her back for her fifth season.
"I said to myself that I was done, my body hurts and I'm getting old," Davis said. "Destini really had a big impact into making me want to come back because I didn't want to leave her by ourselves. She literally would be the only senior here that had some experience. So, I decided that I was going to come back and enjoy the last ride."
Both Brown and Davis have shattered program records and exceeded expectations this season. Davis recently became Southern Miss' all-time leader in career hits, while Brown stands alone as the program's stolen base queen and is one of two active Division I softball players with over 100 career steals.
Destini Brown moments after becoming the Southern Miss program record holder for steals in a career.
The pair's decision to return has paid dividends for a young Southern Miss squad. Brown and Davis have led the Golden Eagles and have combined for 111 hits and 15 home runs, while the pair have maintained stellar batting averages that place them among the elite in the country.Â
Led by their veteran stars, Southern Miss holds its best win percentage, not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season, in over two decades. Levin expressed his gratitude for Brown and Davis' decision to come back and lead their teammates one last time.
"What they bring is invaluable to this program," Levin said. "They are the ultimate example of what a student-athlete should be in terms of how they go about practice and things like that and how they work. Having Destini and Tata come back was extremely humbling for me as a coach."
Prior to their success at the collegiate level, Davis and Brown were familiar foes as young travel softball players. The in-state athletes faced off with one another numerous times, as Brown played for Southwest Slam out of McComb and Davis played for Rampage, a club based out of Jackson.
"When we played her, I thought to myself 'dang, this girl is good,'" Davis said of Brown. "She's fast, she runs hard, she can hit home runs, so I was excited to get the chance to play with her instead of against her."
Davis recalled how they kept to themselves at the beginning of their relationship, but their knowledge of one another meant that there was a level of mutual respect from the very beginning.
"Destini was quiet, and I like keeping to myself too," Davis said. "Our friendship at the start was based on us being quiet and not having to talk to each other for a long time, but the respect was understood from day one."
Over the course of five seasons, Brown and Davis have become inseparable, and their bond has grown beyond the game of softball.Â
"In the beginning, we were on two sides of not talking to each other," Brown said. "But as the years went on, we got closer, it was natural. It wasn't forced or anything. Even after softball, we've talked about being each other's kid's godmoms and going on family vacations."
Southern Miss softball has benefited from the presence of its two veteran leaders throughout this season. This can be seen in the success the team has had, which includes a victory over teams such as then-No. 4 Florida and Mississippi State. Levin believes that their success comes from their internal desire to win at all costs.Â
"There's an internal fire and drive in Destini and Tata that is very uncommon amongst athletes, especially nowadays," Levin said. "You can just tell that just there's something special about them. I think they're intrinsically motivated. It has nothing to do with the statistics or anything like that. It's just a drive and will to win that they have that's uncommon.
Tata Davis rounds the bases after becoming the program leader for hits in a career.
Davis and Brown looked to set an example for their younger teammates throughout this season. Through big wins over quality opponents, Davis believes that the program is prepared to flourish in the coming years.
"I feel like we helped show them that we step on this feel the same way they do," Davis said. "We're all on the same level here. There's nobody better than we are, we can beat anybody at any given time and we've proven that. That will be huge for them as they go forward."
The softball team's cornerstones certainly accomplished their mutual goal of leaving the program better than they found it half a decade ago. Through their tireless efforts on and off the field, both athletes have created legacies that will last long after they step off the diamond for the final time.Â
"I want to say that there has been, and there will never be a regret for choosing Southern Miss and for staying for our final season," Brown said. "If I had to choose it again, I would do it in a heartbeat."
Davis had a message for Southern Miss fans that illustrates her feelings about not just the softball program, but the athletic department as a whole. Her passion for Southern Miss is palpable, and her message is clear; never count Southern Miss out.
"Don't count Southern Miss out in anything," Davis said "We've opened so many eyes, not just in softball, but in so many different sports. Baseball, women's basketball and so many others. Don't count us out because we'll shock you. To the fans, keep supporting us. Just follow your hearts and stay with us through the course of this journey."
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