The University of South Florida softball team was already the best squad in the American Athletic Conference and one of the top one-the-rise programs in the entire country. Recently, though, the Bulls have taken things to another level.

With seven straight wins and now a No. 20 ranking national, the USF players are drawing inspiration from the off-the-field fight of one of their teammates.

Last week, the school announced that reserve infielder Meredith Bissette had been diagnosed with chordoma, a rare, life-threatening type of cancer involving a tumor on the spine.

Chordomas are rare, occurring in approximately 1 per million individuals each year. Chordomas comprise fewer than 1 percent of tumors affecting the brain and spinal cord. 

It is difficult to treat, requires special care and the median survival rate is seven years, according to the Chordoma Foundation.  

Bissette, a sophomore, has left the team to return to her North Carolina home and will soon head to Boston for radiation treatments, according to a release sent out by the school.  

In her absence, her teammates are doing their best to hold it together. The result has been quite impressive. USF (39-10) has only allowed one run in its last seven games and only has one loss since March 4. 

Though their play on the field has been incredible, things have not been easy for the Bulls. They have attempted to channel the good spirits of their teammate in this devastating time.

"It was definitely hard the first week, after the day that we learned," star pitcher Erica Nunn told FOX 13 News. 


"It was hard, because we wanted to be with her and we wanted to help her. How many times do you hear of a 20-year-old having cancer? Especially a teammate who is very positive in the dugout. Since she's so positive, it helps us kind of forget about her while we're playing, because we know that she wants us to win more than anything."

In the press release, Bissette thanked her support system and said she believes she can defeat the cancer because of those around her. She added that she feels like she can be back with the team and on the field in time for the fall season.

"I want to thank everyone for the huge support I have received from friends, family, my entire USF family, the softball community, and supporters through social media,” 

Bissette said. “I feel like I have the confidence to overpower this cancer and it is thanks to y’all.

"I am staying positive, happy and confident through this whole ordeal. I know I will beat this cancer, and that it is just a small bump in the road. I will be back better and stronger than ever after completing my treatment over the summer. I plan to be back at USF kicking and screaming again come fall."

Longtime USF coach Ken Eriksen would not put it passed her.

"Obviously, everyone was stunned by Meredith’s diagnoses and the battle she is now facing," he said in the release. "The way she has handled everything has really been inspirational to her teammates, her coaches and everyone she touches. She has been unwavering and so positive in facing this challenge. Her teammates and coaches love her and miss her, and we will do everything we can to support her in this fight."

The program has set up a GoFundMe page to help offset the cost of Bissette's treatment and the #MereBearStrong hashtag has taken the softball community by storm with multiple teams across the country showing their support.

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USF has put together a fundraiser for Bissette, as well, on May 8. There will be a home run derby in between the softball and baseball games on their Tampa campus. People can donate based on the amount of home runs hit and there will be a silent auction of USF softball merchandise.

"Once we found out the news, we knew right then it was just going to be like, we are coming together," Nunn said. "We're gonna help her with this. I think she's helped us more than we've helped her because of her positivity."

According to the GoFundMe page, Bissette will need five weeks of radiation, surgery, two more weeks of radiation and then rehab and recovery. The Chordoma Foundation says the 68 percent of patients live five years after diagnosis, while they 40 percent live for 10 years and 13 percent survive 20 years.

It's clear that Bissette is not thinking that way. Neither is Eriksen nor her teammates. The Bulls are trying to lend a hand to their teammate while also moving toward an almost-certain NCAA tournament berth on the softball diamond.

"I think in the beginning we took it serious, but now we're just having fun," Nunn said. "We're just going out there playing like we're 10 years old and we just put that uniform on for the first time. So, I think that's helping us a lot, just going out there and knowing that it's a game and we're here to play a game and it's fun."

#MereBearStrong wouldn't want it any other way.

Written by Marc Raymond