Ella Nelson needed a little time to adapt to college softball. Yet, once she did, the former Jay Royal was back to the form that made her a standout at the high school level.
Nelson finished her first season at Samford hitting .297, one of the best averages on the team, while racking up 35 hits and knocking in 21 runs.
Milton softball standout Faith Cain has put in a lot of time and effort to earn a college softball opportunity.
And it paid off last week as the rising senior committed to the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota.
Young athletes had a chance to learn more about softball at a pair of camps earlier this month at Gospel Projects in Milton.
The Santa Rosa County Softball Camp held its first June 30-July 2 and wrapped things up with a second camp last week.
Nearly a couple of dozen players are on a football field in Pensacola on a July morning running through plays on both sides of the ball as well as doing some skill work.
This is what laying the foundation looks like for a first-year college football program, which is what John Melvin Christian College will be this fall.
Inside a church gymnasium in downtown Milton, the sound of a ball swishing through the net provides the soundtrack to CJ McKinley’s comeback story.
McKinley used to play basketball here all the time as a child. Now the former Milton Panther is in this same building launching up shot after shot as he works toward being ready for his first college hoops season at Baptist University of Florida.
Carson Lowe was all set to head out for the district meet and compete in the javelin in April.
And then the Pace standout learned there would be no competition for him that day.
Caitlyn Gavin was primarily a pinch runner during her freshman year at South Alabama, but the former Jay Royal softball star saw her role on the team increase significantly this past season.
Gavin started and played in 47 games with the Jaguars as her offseason work paid off.
Rory Gilroy planned to play soccer in college. A strong senior season of track at Pace changed his mind.
It turned out to be a great decision. In the spring, Gilroy dominated the Collegiate Conference of the South meet, earning top performer honors.
