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Player Spotlight: Big Ten-Bound Kiara Dillon… Finding the “School of Her Dreams” Just Miles from Home!

Kiara combines athleticism and speed with aggressiveness and leadership skills to make her a top newcomer in the Big Ten next year. And shell get to play just minutes from home!

 To say that Kiara Dillon is a good fit for Purdue—and vice versa—is a gross understatement.

The speedy outfielder, who was born and raised in Indiana, comes from a strong Boilermaker family: her mother, Keisha graduated from the Big Ten school in 1997, her aunt Marianne (Smith) Orr was an All-American volleyball player at Purdue in 1984 and ’85 and her uncle Tom Smith and cousins Ian, Dustin, Clayton and Kyle Smith were all winners of the Purdue Grand Prix (a go-kart race) for many years, including a stretch of eight years in a row.

Here’s a short recap of the 2019 Purdue Grand Prix to give an idea what it is:

Add in another aunt and uncle or two and it’s clear that Kiara was destined to attend Purdue…. however, the graduated senior from Harrison (West Lafayette, Indiana) High nearly went elsewhere.

According to the athlete’s father, Casey Dillon, Kiara originally wanted to travel far away for college and visited schools in Florida, North Carolina, California, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Shortly before the early recruiting rules began in April of 2018, Kiara committed to the University of Dayton at the end of her sophomore year.

Kiara sitting in her future dugout!

Says her father, “She was perfectly comfortable with that decision, and honestly stopped looking around at other schools and stopped going to camps to get exposure.”

However, when Kiara joined Bill Conroy’s nationally competitive Beverly Bandits travel ball organization, she realized that she could play practically anywhere in the country… including at the prestigious legacy university just a few miles nearby: Purdue.

“Kiara spoke with Bandit’s Coach Rona Dorsey at length about her skills and if she could succeed at the higher levels,” the teen’s father remembers. “Having nothing to rely on but her confidence in herself, she had to make the call to Dayton to decommit.”

The call with Dayton’s Head Coach Cara Laplaca went great, according to Kiara and her family.

“Coach Laplaca said she agreed Kiara could play at a higher level and if she wanted to take her shot to go for it; that Dayton would hold her scholarship for four months, if it didn’t work out call her back and they would take her still,” recalls Casey Dillon.

“Dayton and Laplaca were a class act,” he adds. “They didn’t have to do that and it was appreciated so Kiara decommitted from Dayton in the fall of her junior year of high school.”

During the spring, Kiara and her family would watch a Purdue softball game on a Tuesday or Wednesday night after a high school practice as the Big Ten school’s campus is just minutes from her high school.

“She would just stop by and watch a few innings,” her father continues. “Kiara started to think, ‘If I played here, my grandparents could come and watch.’”

Kiara slides safetly into third. Her aggressiveness on the base paths caugth the eye of Bandits and Boilermaker coaches.

The talented outfield contacted Boilermaker Head Coach Boo DeOliveira without telling anyone in her family as she didn’t want anyone getting prematurely excited if it didn’t work out.   The outfielder, who had a .461 on-base percentage and 20 steals in 24 games as a junior for the Harrison High Raiders, shared video and stats and set up a visit on her own.

Her athleticism and her academic standing soon got her a coveted offer from her hometown Big Ten school (Kiara graduated high school with 33 college credits and will enter Purdue taking 200 and 300 level classes).

She hopes to graduate with a master’s degree in four years and then head to law school after playing softball.  Kiara has already interred for a year at a local law firm and that experience has entrenched her desire to one day be an attorney.  When not working the courtroom (or preparing for it), Kiara admits her softball dream is to try out for the Olympic team.

The Dillon family (l-r): Casey, Kiara, Keon, Cailix and Keisha

In hindsight, says her father, the recruiting journey took some unexpected twists and turns, but it all ended up surpassing everyone’s wildest dreams.

“Committing to Purdue makes a lot of sense for her,” he muses. “Not having the level of competition from playing at the Bandits, I don’t think she would ever have the confidence to go for the Big Ten.  The competition the Bandits play every week is amazing—they see the best pitchers in the country every game—and this year has been better than last year.”

“Kiara is a hard worker and great defensive player but this year her offense has elevated to another level,” claims Bill Conroy. “She has both power and average and is a leader on Rona’s team defensively as a centerfielder and leadoff hitter. Kiara is aggressive with great speed and is an all-around terrific ball player.”

Coach Rona Dorsey, who managed the Hoosier State talent on her 18U Bandits DeMarini team, added: “Kiki is an explosive and decisive player defensively with contagious energy in the dugout and on the field. She hits with power but can also run out the short ball with her speed. She is a dynamic player and a catalyst in the lineup and in the outfield!  Her leadership is undeniable and counted upon by her coaches.”

The athlete’s mother, Keisha, says Kiara’s leadership abilities has been present since she was a young child.

“She’s very outgoing and doesn’t know a stranger,” says the teen’s mom. “Kiara has no fear and she’s always the loudest cheerleader from the dugout and the outfield.”

She will also have a huge contingency of family and friends rooting her on from the bleachers starting next year.

“My wife’s family—the Smith family—must have 20-plus Purdue graduates,” continues Casey Dillon, “and when Kiara committed to Purdue, the support was overwhelming from the family.”

Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball

Scroll down to hear from Kiara on how she’s earned 33 college credits already, what she thought of interning for a law firm, how the recruiting process played out and how important Purdue is to her family…

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