Inside The Herd: Sydni Burko, Softball

Editor's Note: Presented by Marshall Health Network, Inside The Herd is an original series where we highlight our student-athletes and tell their Marshall stories. Every student-athlete at Marshall has a story about their journey and we hope that their stories inspire others to live their Marshall moments as well! Go Herd!

INSIDE THE HERD – Sydni Burko

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – As a little girl growing up in the small town of Ona, W.Va., Marshall sophomore Sydni Burko had big dreams of playing college softball.

Now, Burko is accomplishing things even she couldn't have imagined as a young player as she leads Marshall Softball into the Durham Regional of the NCAA Tournament this week.

After making the decision to return home to play for the Herd in 2026, Burko's first season has been one to remember as she has not only led the team to the NCAA Tournament but also earned SBC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors while establishing a new single-season home run record.

"Getting to play in regionals and in the NCAA Tournament, that's a goal and a dream for anyone still in college," Burko said. "That's the standard we've set and the goals we wanted to reach and seeing that come to fruition, that's such a blessing. And, it's not an individual sport, but setting these records is more than I could've ever imagined. I'm extremely blessed. It's a testament to all our coaches do for us, pouring into us as people and athletes. The support you have from your teammates at Marshall is unlike any other."

For Burko, playing for Marshall isn't just about being a Division I student-athlete or accolades or NCAA Tournament appearances. It's way bigger than that.

It's a full circle journey that is put in proper perspective as she's gone from a wide-eyed 7-year-old who was part of Marshall Softball's Lil Sis program to the SBC's top player and the role model for the next generation of softball players.

And who was the player that the younger Burko was aspiring to be when she was sitting on the fence watching Marshall Softball? None other than the head coach she now plays for – Marshall head coach Morgan Zerkle.

It's a poetic symmetry that is much bigger to the community than what is seen between the lines on gameday.

Burko remembers that every time she hears the cheers of a little girl sitting along the fence at Marshall games.

"It's meant the world to me being on the other side of the fence this time," Burko said. "I grew up watching Marshall Softball and coming to all these Marshall Softball events and being a Lil Sis in the Lil Sis program to Coach Z. Now, getting to switch roles and getting to play for her as a player and being a Big Sis to these little girls - just to pour into my community and give back, but also having family and friends at games and having that support, it's meant the world."

The similarities between the paths of Zerkle and Burko are palpable.

The two grew up in towns that were only a softball field away from each other – Zerkle from Milton and Burko from Ona. Both also graduated from the same high school - Cabell Midland – just about 10 miles east of Huntington.

Burko wears No. 18 in honor of Zerkle, who also wore the number at Cabell Midland, during her All-American Marshall career and now in the professional ranks, too.

Similarities don't end there, either. Just as Zerkle did while at Marshall, Burko has already rewritten the record books for the Herd.

In a season full of memories, one of Burko's top moments came on April 30 when, in her first two at-bats against James Madison, Burko crushed a pair of home runs to become Marshall's single-season home run queen.

Fittingly, the person who ended up with that historic 21^st home run ball? Her father, Dan, whom the ball sailed over beyond the center field fence.

That moment was the start of a 10-day stretch that featured a full range of emotions for the Herd.

Following a loss in the Sun Belt Tournament, the Herd sat together in the team room quietly, hoping to hear their name called for the NCAA Tournament.

For Burko, the opportunity to play on college softball's biggest stage was huge, but it was just as much about playing with her teammates again – especially for the seniors of the tight-knit Herd.

"Just going back and watching those videos, you see the tears – the happy tears – and just hugging on your teammates. It's the joy you have for one another to have another weekend to play ball…," Burko said. "It's got to be the top (memory). Sitting there with your teammates and not knowing if your season is done and not knowing if you have another game with some of these girls – seniors like Paige Simpson.

"I didn't know if I'd ever have another chance to play with her on the left side of the infield. When you see your name called, it's such a sigh of relief, but it's also such a blessing because you get to go compete with your friends again."

Burko may be grown up and a college softball player now, but she'll always be that little 7-year-old playing the game she loves.

When thinking of all the team's accomplishments, Burko said the community's pride in Marshall Softball is what sticks out the most.

"Without a doubt, my favorite thing is seeing the little girls on the fence," Burko said. "You see all of us interact with them because, we talk about it all the time, we were once them at one point. Looking back at so many pictures of me in a Marshall Softball shirt when I was little or at Marshall Softball games or with Coach Z, that's all just something special getting to pour into them.

Burko's path out of high school took her to Indiana briefly, but that time away from home only solidified her perspective of how special Marshall University and its softball program are for her.

"I could never ask for anything better," Burko said. "It truly has been the biggest blessing. This team is something special, not only as a softball program but as people. I think going away makes you realize how special this place truly is. There's no place like home for me!

"It's been the best thing for me to come back home and play for Marshall Softball. It's been the dream since I was a little girl so finally seeing that come to fruition has been great."

To watch the full-length video on Sydni Burko, click HERE.

INSIDE THE HERD

Name: Sydni Burko
Sport: Softball
Position: Third Baseman
Year: Sophomore
Major: Health Science
Hometown: Ona, W.Va.
Awards/Accolades
-          2026 SBC Player of the Year
-          2026 SBC Newcomer of the Year
-          2026 All-SBC First Team Infielder
-          21 Home Runs in 2026 – a new Marshall single-season record
-          Broke Marshall HR record at home on April 30, 2026
-          Among the top-15 Home Run seasons in SBC history
-   In 2026, led SBC in Slugging Percentage and Total Bases

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