Recruiting: Jaden Hoelker Commits to Texas—and Shows Seniors Still Have a Shot!

With players committing in softball as young as the 6th grade and parents freaking out if their daughters haven’t picked a school by the 8th grade to a Power 5-type program, it seems that if you haven’t chosen a college softball program by the time you are sophomore, then the door is shut… right?

Not exactly, as there are ways to still work your way onto a major college softball roster. And sometimes it’s not the route you might expect.

It happened last week in Texas as senior infield/catcher Jaden Hoelker of Angels Fastpitch was offered a roster spot on the University of Texas softball team thanks in great part to her stellar academic accomplishments.

Let that sink in: she’s months away from graduating from high school and yet she just barely finalized her choice to be a Longhorn.

If anything, it shows that it’s never too late to keep working hard and major programs will see you, even late in the game like it was for Jaden, and find ways to bring you in.

“Even with committing the second semester of my senior year,” she told Extra Inning Softball this week, “I never had a doubt that I would find the college that fit me.”

“I had other offers from colleges that just weren’t the right fit for various reasons. Texas, however, felt perfect in every aspect. UT fits who I am as a person, academically and athletically.”

Join Today to Get Unlimited Access to Extra Inning Softball

Join Now

Already a Extra Inning Member? Log In