Student Of The Game
This feature originally appeared in the 2024 Spring edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
Anna Reimers began her path to being a student-athlete at the No. 1 public university in the world well before she decided to commit to head coach Chelsea Spencer and the Golden Bears' softball program. Today, Reimers is a junior right-handed pitcher and a main cog in the pitching rotation for the nationally ranked Bears.
Reimers grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and attended Rock Canyon High School, where her path to becoming a student-athlete at the Division I level began. She played softball and tennis, but also was an avid hiker and snowboarder as she lived near the Rocky Mountains.
Reimers really started to hone in on her potential as a softball player while in high school, but also realized she had another love in life - something that would eventually take her on her path to Cal.
Academics.
Reimers was always a good student and worked hard in school, receiving strong grades in middle school and achieving honor rolls. Once she got to high school, however, is when Reimers realized her grades could help her achieve what she wanted as an athlete as well.
Reimers wanted to combine the best academic institution with the best athletic program she could find, having interest in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University and a few Ivy League schools. Yet, when she first talked with Spencer during her recruiting process, Reimers realized Cal was the place she wanted to be.
"I knew right away at that time Cal was the place for me," Reimers said. "The elite softball program with the combination of amazing academics made it really easy for me."
Before she could realize her dream of going to Cal, Reimers had to first get herself to the right place where she could make that happen.
Reimers always loved doing her homework and staying on top of her grades, really putting that to work late in her time at Rock Canyon. She received National Honors Society recognition and earned the highest Honor Roll every semester of high school.
Preparing for the SAT, Reimers was hoping to get a high enough score that would get her into MIT. But when she decided to come Cal, it was no longer necessary to take the SAT. Reimers decided to take the test anyway, scoring a 1540 out of a possible 1600.
That score would earn her an even higher honor as a student, as she qualified for 2021 National Merit Scholar semifinalist honors. Reimers became a finalist by writing an essay and getting sponsored. She became the only person from her school to earn the honor. The accolade also came with a $10,000 grant. Fast forward to 2024. Reimers is in her third year as a pitcher with the Bears. She had a 1.93 ERA in her first 10 appearances this season with four wins and 20 strikeouts.
She has earned Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll honors in each of her first two years at Cal and also received College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition in 2023.
Reimers also realized she could make an impact at Cal by becoming a tutor to fellow student-athletes.
"I decided to apply to be one of the Athletic Study Center tutors so that I could provide help for others who might need a little extra time or really want to improve their academic standing," Reimers said. "It was a way I felt like I could lend a little hand to some of my fellow student-athletes who already have a busy schedule balancing athletics and academics at a place like Cal."
Reimers is majoring in data science and has been able to help tutor other student-athletes with the same major, along with mathematics. She is one of just a handful of student-athletes who volunteer to tutor at the Academic Study Center.
Reimers received some tutoring herself when she was a freshman to get used to the college mix of academics and athletics.
"I used the tutors because I was in some harder classes and it was recommended to get used to the grind of what being a student and an athlete can entail," Reimers said. "I felt like they were helpful at the time and it was them that truly inspired me to try and help people who really needed the help."
One of the student-athletes Reimers has been helping is freshman track & field distance runner Roland Ruckmann-Barnes.
"Anna has been a huge help for me throughout calculus and even gave me ways to calm my nerves before the first midterm," Ruckmann-Barnes said. "She has gone out of her when traveling to away games to make sure we understand the concepts of class and is always available via zoom or in person when we need extra help."
Reimers hadn't always considered being a tutor for the ASC with her own academics and softball demands, but when it was first brought up by softball academic advisor Gwen McMahon, she realized it was something that interested her.
The ASC likes to hire student-athletes as tutors since they can relate to the demanding schedules of students, even though it's not an easy task given they are taking on an additional role while still students and athletes themselves.
"I recommended Anna to be a tutor because she is an extremely strong student and also has great communication and interpersonal skills," McMahon said. "I wouldn't have offered Anna the opportunity if I didn't believe that she could manage the workload to be an effective tutor, both of which she has proven thus far."
Heading into the spring of her junior year and season at Cal, Reimers is continuing to excel as a student, athlete and tutor as she looks to help the Golden Bears reach their second straight NCAA Tournament and continue her path toward graduation from the top public institution in the world.