SARASOTA, Fla. – For New College of Florida softball rising junior Ashlynn Sentner, a desire to study abroad has turned into an opportunity to grow the game she loves halfway across the world. 

The Brooksville, Florida native is spending the summer in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, where she is playing and coaching with Softball Austria and the Wiener Neustadt Crazy Chicklets club. While continuing to work on her thesis in her spare time, Sentner has immersed herself in a culture and softball community unlike anything she has experienced before.

The opportunity came through former New College assistant coach Gracie Lopez, who informed Sentner she would be coaching in Austria this summer and connected her with several European leagues.

"I've always wanted to study abroad, and that's not the easiest thing to do financially," Sentner said. "Gracie Lopez knew about this and reached out to me because she was going to coach over here. She gave me contact information for different leagues, and that's how I ended up here."

Unlike the United States, Austria does not have college softball. Instead, players compete for club teams throughout the country. Those clubs also feed players to Austria's national teams and compete in major international events such as the Euro Cup.

"Every country has different teams, and a lot of players even on our club go and play for the national team, which is really cool," Sentner said.

Sentner is serving as an "import," a term used for American players brought overseas to compete and share their knowledge of the sport. Her role extends far beyond the field.

"Softball is not a known thing here," Sentner said. "Nobody knows what it is unless you either play it or know people that play it. They don't even have sports stores that carry equipment. It takes over a month to get stuff shipped in. The girls talk about how much they love when imports come because they learn so much from people from America, where softball is much bigger."

In addition to preparing for her first games with the Crazy Chicklets, Sentner has helped coach players throughout the organization. She recently assisted with second-division games and works weekly with younger girls who are not yet old enough to play softball competitively.

 "In Austria, you're not allowed to play softball until you turn 14," Sentner said. "If you're younger, you have to play baseball. I help coach the little kids once a week so they can learn softball even though they're playing baseball right now."

Her summer experience has also included giving back to the community. Sentner joined club members in outreach efforts with students from Föhrenwald Middle School, helping middle schoolers with varying levels of special needs enjoy baseball and softball activities.

"The club had been going to the school and teaching baseball and softball, and I got to help on their final day when they came to the fields," Sentner said. "That was really cool."

Despite arriving in a foreign country where German is the primary language, Sentner said her Austrian teammates have made the transition seamless.

"They're so kind. They help me with everything," Sentner said. "They invite me to everything they do. The club is really close, and everyone has been really accommodating. It's awesome."

Back in Sarasota, Sentner has already established herself as one of the top baserunners in program history. Through two seasons, the outfielder has appeared in 75 games and ranks second in New College history with 24 career stolen bases.

As Sentner continues her summer in Wiener Neustadt, she is not only pursuing a once-in-a-lifetime experience abroad, but also helping grow the game in a country where softball continues to gain momentum. Through playing, coaching and community outreach, the rising junior is making an impact both on and off the field while preparing to return to Sarasota for the 2027 season.