I Committed: Lily O’Bryan Accepts Furman’s Offer

Furman University is the first place Lily O’Bryan visited during her recruitment journey—and that’s all it took. The Greenville, South Carolina campus and surrounding area immediately captured the attention of the pitcher and first baseman, and it was Head Coach Stacey Johnson Whitfield’s commitment to building a program that centered around developing student-athletes as both players and people that drove the nail in the coffin on Lily’s recruitment process.

The 2024 for the Lady Dukes National 18U Premier, coached by Britt Finley, announced her commitment on September 18th after an exciting phone call with Furman’s coaching staff.

Coach Whitfield’s history as a pitcher at The University of South Carolina was a huge pull for Lily, who can’t wait to work one-on-one with the Gamecocks alumna to improve her craft on the mound.

Additionally, Lily was impressed with the “Furman Advantage” which is bolstered by the prestigious academic reputation of the institution. With a passion for academics, as she attends Cleveland High School where preparing students for college is a priority, the elite classroom standards at Furman also piqued Lily’s interest when it came to discovering which paths of study would be of interest to her.

“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to not only play at the next level, but to graduate from a university with such distinguished academics that emphasize career preparation through mentoring and internships. I plan to major in the communications field and eventually work in sports media. I am so excited that all the years of lessons and workouts are paying off and I will finally a have a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream.”

Lily’s parents both were college athletes and coached at the collegiate level, so competing after high school had always been in the cards for the student-athlete, but her parents were strategic about the approach they took to her athletic career.

“I began playing when I was five and joined a local travel team when I was seven, but my parents were adamant that I not specialize in one sport until high school, so I didn’t compete on a national travel team until my freshman year,” recalled Lily. “I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything because I have avoided burnout and overthrowing as a pitcher.”

Though the pandemic hit at the start of Lily’s high school career, which meant her options were somewhat limited when it came to showcasing her skills to collegiate coaches until the end of her freshman year, she was able to compete at several elite national showcases with the Fury Platinum organization before finding a home with the Dukes.

Coach Finley praises Lily’s temperament and faith throughout her recruitment process, impressed with the young athlete’s ability to wait patiently for the right offer to come around.

“If I could have 30 more Lilys that would be great,” said her club coach. “She believed in herself and believed in the process. Truly, she had a great summer on the mound and on first, and was always consistent at the plate and clutch when we needed her to be. Sometimes the kids get selfish and go up to bat thinking, ‘I want to hit a home run,’ but no, not Lily. If I gave her the bunt, she’d be so happy to do it she might forget to run!”

Though pitching is Lily’s first love, she has a reputation for being a strong two-way player, as both a position player on the field and a powerful force at the plate.

“Lily comes from a family of coaches, so she understands the game, but more importantly, she understands how to compete in every situation,” shares Lily’s hitting coach, Marc Weekly. “It has been great to really focus primarily on her game IQ and how to handle certain areas within the game that will help her excel at the next level. She has very good hands and she stays inside the ball.”

Outside of softball, Lily is a Tennessee 3A State Champion in volleyball. She enjoys weight lifting and travelling and loves to give back to her local community through lessons to younger players.

Lily will begin her journey at Furman University in the fall of 2024 and will pitch and play first for the Paladins.

— Regan Weekly/Extra Inning Softball

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