THE JOY IN THE JOURNEY
4/8/2021 2:58:00 PM | Softball, Champions' TriBUne
I Have Grown In So Many Ways Over the Last Five Years
Champions' TriBUne ArchiveBy: Sidney Holman-Mansell
Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Sidney Holman-Mansell, a junior pitcher for the Baylor softball team, is 6-1 with a 3.51 ERA, 50 strikeouts and a .183 opponent's batting average. An elementary education major from Belton, Texas, Sidney is in her third season at Baylor after starting her career at ACU. She married her best friend, Peyton Mansell, in June 2019 and earned Academic All-Big 12 first-team last spring:
The last five years have been nothing short of eventful. From graduating high school, to starting college and getting married, and all the things in between, I have certainly grown in more ways than one.
My journey to Baylor was exactly that, a journey. After graduating from Belton High School in June 2016, I left to begin my collegiate softball career at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. That first semester of college left me feeling like I had run right into a brick wall. Although I was only three hours from my hometown, I felt homesick and made the trip back home as often as I could. Second semester hit, and I was still having the same feelings. . . . I just didn't feel like I fit in and I was starting to lose myself, so I made the decision to transfer closer to home.
Let me remind you, this was in 2017, before they passed the new transfer rule. The head coach decided not to release me, so that set me on to the next part of this five-year adventure. After finding out I wouldn't be able to attend and play at one of the bigger schools near home, I decided to go to Temple College for a year. During the fall of 2017, I was part of the Lady Leopards softball program, and I was grateful for the time I spent there developing my craft and for the opportunity to play in front of Baylor (where I, obviously, ended up). But, as the spring approached, I decided to forego the 2018 season so that I could have three spring seasons of eligibility at Baylor.
The semester off gave me so many opportunities to spend time with my family and watch my siblings grow. Unknowingly, taking this break was probably one of the best things I could have done to prepare my body for the next chapter. Another great thing that came out of this semester off was getting to spend more time with my boyfriend (now husband). In fact, the day before my graduation from Temple College, my boyfriend Peyton proposed!!!
After a long spring semester and summer, it was time to head down the road to Waco, Texas, and start a new chapter. Growing up, I had visited Baylor a few times to watch the Lady Bears tear it up at Getterman Stadium, and I had only dreamed of what it would be like to play there. The first day of practice had arrived, and I just couldn't believe it. Not only was I getting to fulfill my dreams of playing softball at the highest level, but I was getting to do it close to home! I was able to go home on Fridays to watch my brother, Denver, play his senior year at Belton High School; watch my sister, Morgan, compete in her powerlifting meets and her FFA talent competitions (and make it all the way to state), and watch my younger sister compete in both volleyball and softball. I loved getting to show my support for them like they did for me during all those years of travel ball and high school softball. But there was one person that I wasn't able to see all the time, and it made the Fall a little more difficult – Peyton, my then-fiancé, was 14 hours away at the University of Iowa. It was our second year of long distance, so we had learned a lot about how important communication was. We made sure to call or FaceTime each other, whenever possible. The long distance was not easy, but it made us cherish our time together even more.
After the best winter break, full of special memories from traveling and spending time with my family, I was ready to move back to Waco and begin my first Spring season as a Baylor Bear. Coming in, I fully intended to work hard to earn a starting spot, just like every other player at this level. Little did I know, this season was going to be a little more rigorous than I had expected.
We started out pretty strong. Opening the season in Mexico, we played some very competitive teams and battled hard. That year, a few of the starters from the previous year were out due to injuries. And as the season went on, we lost a few more, including one of our other pitchers. I ended up starting the majority of our games, including all but one of our Big 12 games. It was tough, to say the least, but I learned that I couldn't just depend on my own strength to make it through. I had to depend on God to provide the strength to help me finish out the season.
During that first season, I learned a lot about myself, but most importantly I learned that I couldn't place my identity in softball. That year, we went 18-31. If I would have relied on softball only and placed my identity in that, I don't think I would have gone back for another season. Placing my identity in the Lord was what kept me head-strong and in the game. Because of Him, I knew better was yet to come, so I worked hard and came back for another season.
Over the summer, I took a little time off and prepared for one of the most memorable days of my life. June 30, 2019 was the day that I married my best friend and changed my last name. it was the most wonderful day I could have ever imagined. We took off for our honeymoon and, once the week was over, Peyton had to head back up to Iowa and I had to head home to Belton to get ready for summer school. We made many trips to see each other. We went through the next semester being 14 hours apart once again, but after a long football season and a big decision, Peyton moved back to Texas and started attending Abilene Christian University. It was still long distance, but much easier to make the trip three hours down the road.
Spring semester came around, and we were off to a hot start in softball for the 2020 season. A few weeks in, COVID hit, and our season was canceled. A roller-coaster ride of emotions took place, trying to navigate the new ways of the world. It took a while to adjust, but we did it. The world opened up, and we went back to school. Our team worked hard through the fall semester, despite the COVID craziness. And after 348 days, we were able to get back on the field and compete as one. This season has been great so far, and I am looking forward to the rest of it with my girls!
Previous Champions' TriBUne Features:
Women's Golf - Gurleen Kaur (March 25, 2021)
Baseball - Andy Thomas (March 4, 2021)
Men's Tennis - Charlie Broom (Feb. 11, 2021)
Volleyball - Marieke van der Mark (Dec. 3, 2020)
Football - Raleigh Texada (Nov. 12, 2020)
Men's Cross Country - Ryan Hodge (Oct. 29, 2020)
Women's Cross Country - Sarah Antrich (Oct. 15, 2020)
Volleyball - Hannah Sedwick (Oct. 1, 2020)
Soccer - Maddie Algya (Sept. 10, 2020)
Men's Basketball - Freddie Gillespie (March 26, 2020)
Women's Track & Field - Tuesdi Tidwell (March 20, 2020)
Women's Basketball - Moon Ursin (March 5, 2020)
Men's Track & Field - Cole Hardan (Feb. 27, 2020)
Volleyball - Shelly Stafford (Jan. 30, 2020)
Men's Golf - Mike McGraw (Jan. 3, 2020)
Volleyball - Yossiana Pressley (Dec. 5, 2019)
Baseball - Nick Loftin (Nov. 21, 2019)
Men's Cross Country - Ryan Day (Nov. 1, 2019)
Women's Cross Country - Lindsay Walton (Oct. 15, 2019)
Men's Basketball - Obim Okeke (Oct. 1, 2019)
Volleyball - Gia Milana (Sept. 17, 2019)
Soccer - Raegan Padgett (Sept. 5, 2019)
Football - Sam Tecklenburg (Aug. 29, 2019)
Men's Golf - Cooper Dossey (July 11, 2019)
Baseball - Richard Cunningham (June 27, 2019)
Men's Tennis - Jimmy Bendeck (June 14, 2019)
Baseball - Shea Langeliers (May 30, 2019)
Women's Track & Field - Kiana Horton (May 22, 2019)
Men's Golf - Garrett May (May 9, 2019)
Women's Golf - Maria Vesga (May 2, 2019)
Acrobatics & Tumbling - Camryn Bryant (April 25, 2019)
Equestrian - Shannon Hogue (April 16, 2019)
Women's Tennis - Angelina Shakhraichuk (April 9, 2019)
Women's Basketball - Lauren Cox (March 22, 2019)
Men's Track & Field - Wil London (March 7, 2019)
Men's Basketball - Jake Lindsey (March 4, 2019)
Softball - Nicky Dawson (Feb. 21, 2019)
Baseball - Josh Bissonette (Feb. 14, 2019)
Men's Tennis - Will Little (Jan. 31, 2019)
Men's Basketball - King McClure (Jan. 17, 2019)
Women's Basketball - Chloe Jackson (Jan. 3, 2019)
Football - Blake Blackmar (Dec. 13, 2018)
Volleyball - Braya Hunt (Nov. 29, 2018)
Soccer - Jackie Crowther (Nov. 16, 2018)
Women's Cross Country - Alison Andrews-Paul (Nov. 8, 2018)
Football- Ira Lewis (Nov. 6, 2018)
Players Mentioned
Baylor Soccer: Highlights at UCF | October 23, 2025
Friday, October 24
Baylor Basketball (M): Big 12 Media Day Vlog
Thursday, October 23
Baylor Basketball (M): Big 12 Media Day Interviews (Scott Drew & Tounde Yessoufou) | Oct. 22, 2025
Thursday, October 23
Baylor Basketball (M): Big 12 Media Day Press Conference | October 22, 2025
Thursday, October 23
