RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
This must feel like Christmas Eve to thousands of softball players in the Class of 2021 who can officially sign their Letters of Intent (LOI) starting Wednesday, the kickoff of the Early Signing Period which runs from Nov. 11-18, 2020.
Some recruits have been waiting many years as dozens in this senior class committed “early,” prior to the Early Recruiting Rules going into effect in April, 2018 which prevented prospective student-athletes from being contacted/recruited prior to Sept. 1 of their junior years.
Take outstanding Wichita Mustang shortstop Brooke Blankenship from Hudson, Florida, who was in the Top 5 of the 2021 Extra Elite 100.
On March 31, 2017—just months shy of becoming a freshman officially—Blankenship decided on FSU, which had been her focus school.
“The first college game I attended was the series against Michigan, when FSU came from behind to get a berth to the WCWS,” she recalls. “That was an amazing atmosphere and I knew I wanted to be part of that.”
Brooke will sign her LOI tomorrow morning and then send to Florida State’s athletic department to make it official.
Once she and the other Seminole recruit LOIs are collected, the Sports Information Department will then, if tradition holds, send out a press release announcing the infielder and the other athletes as being part of the Seminole program—the Class of 2021 signees.
Is Brooke excited for the chance to put her signature on the dotted line?
Holding the official scholarship letter from FSU earlier today, her mother, Kris, saw a photo opp.
“I said ‘Wait! I need to get my camera!’”
Brooke replied, “‘Wait?!? Mom! I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment. Hurry!’”
Tomorrow at 5 pm EST, she and two other Seminole signees—infielder Krystina Hartley from St. Petersburg, Florida (#18 in the 2021 Extra Elite 100) and catcher Katie Bright of Palm Harbor, Florida (#26 in the Extra Elite 100—will sign in a batting cage decorated with a Florida State theme.
“We’ve got our cage decorated so we can socially distance,” adds Brooke’s proud mom. “And celebrate all three girls who’ve been on this journey together for so long.”
As many more will across the country!
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
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For all those justifiably excited members of the Class of 2021 who will be signing their Letters of Intent over the next week, we congratulate you and hope you’ll share your photos, stories and social media posts with us!
Email us at [email protected] and/or follow the steps in this post:
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Also, in case you missed it over the weekend, here are two final 2021 lists we released: