Breaking a stolen base record takes more than just raw speed. It requires a sharp baseball mind and an eye for the smallest details—a combination that Arcanum High School graduate Meghan McCans has mastered on her way to setting the Wittenberg University and North Coast Athletic Conference career record with 102 steals.
“At a young age, because I was fast, my dad harped on me about base IQ and looking for the little things,” McCans said. Her strategy involves studying the pitcher's movements, analyzing the catcher for any hitch in her throw, and, crucially, believing in her own speed. That foundational coaching came from her father, David McCans, a former track athlete who founded Focus Fastpitch Softball in Arcanum.
McCans eclipsed the previous NCAC record of 99 steals, set by Lauren Combs from 2013-16, with a standout performance last week. She hit .462 with six stolen bases in four games, helping Wittenberg to a 3-1 conference start and earning herself NCAC Player of the Week honors. “Coming into college, I knew my role as a player was to get on, steal bases and get home,” she explained.
Her career trajectory shows a player who has fully embraced that role. After a freshman season with eight steals, she broke out as a sophomore, hitting .400 and setting a single-season school record with 36 steals. She followed that with 34 steals last year. Now a senior, she leads the team with a .371 average and has 24 steals in 22 games, putting her on pace to reach her goal of 40 steals this season.
McCans credits her unique skill set to her father's early influence. Originally a right-handed hitter, she was switched to the left side to maximize her speed, eventually becoming a skilled slapper—a technique perfect for players who use their legs as their primary weapon.
Choosing Wittenberg for its proximity to home, McCans has excelled off the field as well. She earned her undergraduate degree in sports management as a sophomore and will complete a master's in sports administration this spring, with aspirations to become an athletic director or coach. As her collegiate career winds down, she leaves a legacy defined by lightning-fast feet and a sharp, strategic mind—a true testament to the power of speed and smarts in softball.