She started playing softball when she was only five years old thanks to her grandfather’s advice to “carry on the legacy,” as a baseball player himself. She continuously grew as a player throughout her childhood and into high school, and when it came time to decide on a college to continue her softball career, she decided Glenville State University was the perfect fit for her. 

After consideration however, she realized Waynesburg University was the place she would call home, and she went on to be a part of the 2023 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship team. That “she” is junior softball player Jasmine Demaske.

Demaske, a third baseman for the softball team, learned leadership skills early on in her time at Waynesburg.

“I started as a freshman here. I was used to stepping up early, but not on a team like this. I was used to a team that didn’t communicate as well and didn’t have a great bond,” Demaske said. “When I got here, this team had such a special connection and bond and it was very easy to come into. It was special playing on this team and knowing they had my back.”

Demaske continues the tradition of bringing a welcoming atmosphere to the Waynesburg diamond by looking after the freshman from last season, such as pitcher Brynn Charnesky.

“‘Jas’ helped me my freshman year by taking me under her wing and being a friend from the start,” Charnesky said. “ I saw right away how she was close with the upperclassmen, and I felt that she was the bridge that helped me form friendships with them too.”

Demaske came in strong as a freshman, as she would lead the team in slugging and triples, was tied for first on the team in home runs and walks drawn, came in second on the team in stolen bases and third in runs. Her talent mixed with the previous skill-sets on the team led  to them winning the PAC Championship that year, giving the team their second championship in a row following the 2022 title win against Westminster. 

While Demaske enjoyed being a key part of a team full of talent and personality, nerves and expectations still came to mind at times.

“I did feel pressure since the team was expected to do big things, and I knew I was going to be a part of that. However, I just told myself to be the leader I am and it would work itself out,” Demaske said. 

The softball team continued to look strong going into the 2024 season last spring, as expectations of a third consecutive PAC Championship were being discussed and Demaske, along with the rest of the Yellow Jackets, looked confident. However, Westminster got their revenge from the previous two seasons and took home the title.

Going into the 2025 season, Demaske reflects on growing up playing the sport and all the challenges an athlete faces. When she started playing competitive softball on a travel team, she realized how many great players were out there that were “stronger and more advanced” than her as she put it. She used that realization as a motivator to build off of her already advanced skill set at the time.

Demaske attended Jefferson-Morgan High School, which sits about 15 minutes from Waynesburg University. As a freshman, she was forced to step up and become a young leader on a team that didn’t have as close of a bond as the Waynesburg University team does as Demaske noted. Having to step up so early in her career allowed her to learn skills such as creating bonds between teams and being a communicator for her teammates.

In hopes of winning her second PAC Championship with Waynesburg, continuing to be a leader on the team will be  looked upon for Demaske in that task.

“It is impossible not to love and respect Jas, and with that being said, I believe she will continue to have a leadership role this year,” junior Kassidy Trimble, a teammate of Demaske’s, said. “She is a role model and she is cared for on our team. She knows how to encourage others, put others before herself and how to be a respectable leader.”

With practices already underway, Demaske and the Yellow Jackets are chasing that championship high they felt in 2022 and 2023. 

“Winning the PAC as a freshman is one of the best experiences I’ve had in college,” Demaske recalls. “Moving forward, we are looking to make a special run in the PAC Tournament again by pushing ourselves to get one percent better everyday. I think we all have the mindset this year that we want to redeem ourselves from last year’s championship game and show everyone that our run isn’t over.”

Demaske and the Waynesburg University softball team will continue offseason workouts throughout the fall and winter, and will begin regular season play in early March of 2025. 

Demaske continues to “carry on the legacy” of the sport played in her family and she invites the rest of the Waynesburg softball team to “carry on the legacy” of a winning tradition in the program in the upcoming 2025 season.