Jackie Burd, former Pace Softball player, discreetly walked away from her co-workers to answer her phone and before long, tears were slipping through her eyelids.

No, these were not tears of sadness, but rather tears of joy and fulfillment because Burd was informed by Pace Athletics Director Mark Brown that she was being inducted as a new member to the Pace Athletics Hall of Fame.

During her time at Pace, Burd would stroll through the athletics facility, and stare admirably at the plaquess of Hall of Fame members displayed throughout the facility. Now, she will be one of the plaques admired for years to come.

“I was ecstatic,” she said. “I wish someone filmed my reaction because it came out of nowhere and just blew my mind. This is something you hope but never expect, but obviously now that I’m being inducted, it is probably one of the biggest accomplishments of my life.”

Burd’s journey began as a young girl on Long Island; she was the daughter of Bunny and Mike Burd, who met while playing softball. Unsurprisingly, the two signed their daughter up to play the sport.

“My parents are both very active influences in my life,” Burd said. “They signed me up for softball when I was 12 and my mom coached me throughout high school on the intramural teams and my parents always supported me and came to all my games.”

Highly recruited out of high school, Burd selected Pace University to play– a decision that came with immediate benefits.

As a freshman in 2002, Burd hit a grand slam in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship game that helped the Setters pull away from Adelphi and secure Pace’s first ECAC title.

What made the game more special than others was the fact it took place on Mother’s Day, and as a surprise to no one, Bunny and Mike were in the crowd.

“My mom was going crazy,” Burd said. “She was jumping up and down. It was just so special. That’s a game that I will always remember.”

The success continued for Burd as she aided Pace to its first NE-10 Conference Championship her sophomore season. She also posted elite personal stats throughout her career such as 181 hits, 37 doubles, 73 walks and 101 runs scored.

Burd clearly excelled in athletics, but what sold her to attend Pace more than anything–including the softball program–was the school’s five-year business program.

“The business school, especially, is what intrigued me about Pace,” she said. “The Lubin School of Business is well known, so I think that was a selling point to an already good athletic program.”

Burd was taught work ethic during her career in softball. This prepared her for her career as an accountant.

“Working in a business world is just like playing for a team,” she said. “You put so many hours into playing softball, so when you stop playing softball and stop going to school, you’re still able to continue that work flow at your job.”

Burd graduated in 2006, but she still attends events at her alma mater.

“I think Pace and everything they offered me is why I am who I am today,” she said. “So, I think it’s important to go back and reconnect with students I never played just to share my experiences with them, and also continuously connect with alumni I already played with.”

Of course, the most significant event Burd will return for will be the Hall of Fame ceremony on April 26th in Harrison, NY.

“I’m hoping everything goes okay and I won’t start crying, but I can’t make any promises,” she said.