When the NCAA announced on April 18, 2018 that the Early Recruiting legislation had passed and would go into effect immediately– just a week later–there was a last-minute rush for prospects to commit to their school of choice.
One of those who got her verbal in just days before the no-contact rule went into place was 2022 pitcher/first baseman Ella Whitney, ranked as one of the Top 25 players in the Extra Elite 100 for her class.
After considering programs in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, she committed to the staff at the University of Kentucky.
A 5-foot-11 power pitcher with good spins and also a dangerous power hitter, Ella plays for the Indiana Magic Gold 14U team coached by Scott Bay. She will lead her top-ranked travel squad to many of the top events in the country this summer including Boulder IDT and PGF Nationals.
Ella had a strong fall, pitching 44 innings and going 12-1 with a 1.22 ERA while batting .451 with a .509 on-base percentage in 26 games and in this exclusive Extra Inning Softball interview, the current high school freshman talks about what she thinks of the early recruiting process, the highs and lows of her journey and if she agrees with the Early Recruiting legislation that is currently in place…
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At the point you committed, the Early Recruiting rule change was announced but not yet in effect, which makes your commitment unique in the fact that you were one of the last “baby commits.” Talk about your experience with your commitment and how the rule change (if any) had an impact on your decision.
My experience was a blessing in the fact that I found the perfect school for me after taking my time and visiting a lot of great programs. I got my first D1 offer when I was 12-years-old, almost two years ago. I was in no rush.
During my recruiting process I visited or was in contact with a dozen or more colleges who had interest in me and I had interest in learning more about them. I kept a steady relationship with all of them throughout the process.
Did the Early Recruiting rule news and it’s immediate implementation force you to verbal before you were really ready to finalize your choice?
When I committed to the University of Kentucky, I was so ready and it just happened to be around the same time as the rule change.
What were the high and low points through the process?
The high points outnumbered the low ones for sure in committing last spring to Kentucky.
Traveling all around the country seeking out the school that was the best fit for me was amazing and participating in camps and taking visits was a blast and I met so many awesome head coaches and staffs.
Experiencing campus visits and taking tours of the facilities with All-American players I grew up watching on TV was so surreal and it’s something I will never forget.
On the other hand, all the late nights coming home from tournaments, camps, and visits was exhausting , but I knew it would be all worth it in the end. I’m a Kentucky Wildcat commit!
How did you know Kentucky was the right school for you?